Matlock winger makes National League move

A number of clubs were vying to secure the signature of Uchegbulam, who impressed against the Spireites in a pre-season friendly defeat at the Proctor Cars Stadium earlier this month.

The versatile attacker scored nine goals in 38 appearances for the Gladiators.

He will now move up two divisions and embark on a full-time footballing opportunity with Chesterfield, who begin their 2022/23 National League campaign away at Dorking Wanderers on Saturday 6 August.

“I didn’t want him to go for it,” Matlock boss Paul Phillips admitted. "It makes it a lot harder for ourselves, we have to get a replacement, but at the end of the day we couldn’t stand in his way.

"He’s getting full-time football at a good club, and it shows we’re doing the right things here in that lads are getting noticed further up the scale.

"There’s been a lot of interest in him, and rightly so because he’s a very good player. We wish him all the best, and he’s welcome back here at any time.”

Gladiators chairman Jay Beaumont echoed Phillips’ thoughts, saying: “The deal was financially a very good one for us. We’re delighted that one of our players has impressed against National League opposition to get them to want to sign him.

"It’s full-time football for him, and we’re excited to see how he gets on.

"Obviously we wish him all the best at Chesterfield. We couldn’t stand in his way, and he knows he’ll always be welcome back at the Proctor Cars Stadium.”

Photo Credit: Matlock Town / Michael South Photography