Durham City chairman Olivier Bernard has announced that the club is looking for a groundshare after deciding to leave New Ferens Park.

The club, which rents the ground, switched today's ENL game with Sunderland RCA to their opponents' ground, and now they are actively looking for a new ground to play.

Bernard said; " After taking over Durham City AFC in 2013, I have strived to transform a single team club into a true football club. We invested in the first team, introduced a very successful and highly rated Reserve team and setup a promising U18s team.

"Our aim has always been to bring and develop the younger talent from around the region who aspire to be promoted into our first team. I am a passionate football man, and I have become a fervent Durham City fan.

"However, the club has endured a long running dispute with its landlords in relation to the tenancy agreement. This whole situation has put a dark shadow on the operation of our club.

"We went through challenging matchday conditions, but we stood up to these challenges and our core supporters and volunteers carried on supporting us.

"It was therefore to our great surprise that we were served with a 7 days notice and then we were asked to take our belongings and leave the ground. With such a brutal and unexpected action, the initial thought was to formally contest and the notice.

"However, after much consideration and advice, I have taken the final decision not to contest it. Despite the investment and effort that we put in New Ferens Park it is now clear that the situation with the landlords has reached such a low point that staying in the ground will be detrimental for the club.

"It is therefore with a heavy heart that I have to announce that Durham City AFC will no longer play in New Ferens Park. We have now started the process of finding a new home for the club.

"We will make every attempt to complete this process as quickly as possible with the least amount of disruption to our supporters. We will be putting all our efforts into restoring the image of Durham City AFC and I hope you (the supporters) will continue to support us in this new phase.

"Finally, I want to personally apologise to all our supporters and everybody connected to the club.

"Please be in no doubt that we will now do all we can to put things right and make Durham City AFC a club we can all be proud of."