Ben Harvey put us on the map - Jersey chairman Bill Dempsey

Jersey chairman Bill Dempsey has praised the impact former director of rugby Ben Harvey had on the club, at the end of what he describes as a "challenging week".

Harvey quit in midweek after more than five years in charge.

He led the islanders to three consecutive promotions, taking them to the Championship and overseeing the move to fully professional status.

"He's put us on the map," Dempsey told BBC Radio Jersey.

"You forget about the the Loughborough match and all of those things because we've now moved on.

"But actually they've been fantastic times, they'll always be in the club's history and Ben has been very much part of that that."

Jersey have won three of their 10 Championship matches this season and Harvey chose to step down after a home defeat to the league's bottom club Ealing Trailfinders.

"It's been a challenging week for everyone," added Dempsey.

"The guys have really stood up in the last couple of days, we went to see them on Thursday and gave them the news."

Steve Boden has been placed in interim charge of the islanders ahead of Saturday's British and Irish Cup match at Cornish Pirates.