The Football Association (FA) has been hit by the sudden departure of chief executive Ian Watmore after just nine months in the position.

Watmore, a former government civil servant, handed his resignation to FA chair Lord Triesman on 19 March amid reports he had become "disillusioned" with the constraints of the role. Triesman said: "Ian Watmore tendered his resignation to me on Friday [19 March]. I asked him to reconsider over the weekend. However, he has confirmed today [22 March] that his position remains unchanged and I have accepted it with great regret."

Watmore was appointed FA chief executive in February 2009 after holding off competition from two other candidates for the role. He succeeded former chief executive Brian Barwick in June 2009. However, a source close to Watmore told the Telegraph: "He was neither a chief nor an executive. He has gone because of the frustrations he felt and because he has been unable to do anything he wanted to do."