Grantham will ride Potts blow

EVO-STIK League Grantham Town’s joint managers Jimmy Albans and Wayne Hallcro say the loss of Lee Potts just over a week before the start of pre-season training is a blow they’ll be taking in their stride.

The popular winger, pictured, re-joined the Premier Division club shortly after the managerial pair returned last season and played a big part in the success they enjoyed over the second half of the season. Potts had agreed terms earlier this month but the promise of a new job has now changed the 23-year-old's plans.

Hallcro said: "It’s a big blow to our preparations. Pottsy allowed us to play in different ways. As a squad, we have players we can move into those positions, but we have stepped up our search already for left sided players. It is a big hole to fill, but I am confident we will find the right player whether it takes one week or six! We have a number of irons in the fire at the moment.

"Two weeks ago, we had agreed terms with Pottsy. The text from him came right out of the blue. He has a new job and was honest enough to tell us that he could not commit to the degree that we want for next season. We have tried to get him to stay but in the end couldn’t. As far as we are aware, there is no other club involved, just the work commitment."

Potts was originally signed for Grantham by the club's joint management team as a striker but played mainly at wing-back or as a winger in his 188 appearances. He weighed in with 27 goals during his career at the Meres, including netting the last goal of the 2013-14 campaign at Nantwich Town.