Winger walks away for first team chance

Kallum Smith decided to leave Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Premier Division Grantham Town in search of first team football after finding his opportunities limited since returning from injury, writes Graham Cowell.

The winger, pictured, broke his ankle in October and since returning has only had one start against Deeping Rangers and a handful of appearances as substitute.

Smith, who joined the Gingerbread just over a year ago, making 27 appearances and scoring 27 goals in total, was still working his way back to full fitness when joint managers Jimmy Albans and Wayne Hallcro re-joined the club in mid-season.

The Gingerbreads managerial duo wanted Smith to stay but understood Smith’s desire to get some football under his belt when he expressed his feelings over the weekend.

Albans said: "Kallum approached me after the Droylsden game. He was not happy that he was not involved at all in that game. I asked him to think it over as we wanted him to stay, but on Monday, he still felt the same.

"Kallum has been a bit unlucky with us and said that he can see that what we have done at the club is working. If he had been 100 per cent fit when we came, who knows what would have happened. We had to bring in Pottsy [Lee Potts] and he has been excellent since."

"He had been a delight to have at the club. He has given us 100 per cent and he will find a club to get some football in between now and the end of the season. We will waive the seven days notice to let him play as soon as possible and wish him luck wherever he goes."