Forest Green Rovers chairman Colin Gardner has stepped down after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Gardner joined the club four years ago and had been chairman for two years, overseeing the move to a new stadium.

Vice-chairman Trevor Horsley will assume the chairman's role until the club's AGM later in the year.

"The news came completely out of the blue. Insiders knew he had been having scans but this news is a bombshell," Horsley said.

"If the club feel this way, then we cannot imagine what affect it is having on his wife Clare, Colin's three children and the rest of the family. Our thoughts are with him and all of them at this time.

"Colin recognises that the workload at Forest Green at this time is immense. Obviously, it is now in his best interests for him to stand aside and deal solely with the issue of his health.

"For those of us, who have had the opportunity to talk to him, we are amazed that Colin has been so pragmatic in the way he has faced up to this devastating news, with a 'what will be, will be' attitude.

"That speaks volumes and we will do all we can for him and his family at this time, for we have a debt of gratitude to repay him for his hard work since he has been at the club and the challenges we faced over that time.

"He now has to face the hardest challenge of his own life, which is much greater than any faced by this club."