STRIKER Chris Holroyd has been released by Stalybridge Celtic.
The Bower Fold club has reached a settlement with the 33-year-old who was under contract for the 2020-21 season.
Manager Simon Haworth admitted it had not worked out for Holroyd who played 503 games in the EFL and National League, scoring 101 goals, before his switch to Celtic.
It is a far cry to his arrival in February on a contract to the end of the forthcoming campaign.
Holroyd brought a wealth of experience having played in the EFL for Chester, Brighton, Rotherham, Preston and Morecambe and in the National League for Cambridge United, Macclesfield, Wrexham and Chorley.
He played in the three games immediately before lockdown for Celtic.
However, as the results for the 2019-20 season have since been expunged from the record books, Holroyd will go down as having never played a competitive game for Celtic.
Holroyd has only featured fleetingly pre-season which influenced Haworth’s decision.
“It didn’t quite work out for Chris and some of the other lads have outshone him,” explained Haworth.
After bringing in Lewis Salmon on loan from Altrincham, Haworth has just signed forward Nic Evangelinos who had a short spell at Curzon Ashton.
Evangelinos had spent the last two seasons at Ramsbottom United for whom he scored 51 goals in 72 appearances.
He had previously played for Ashton United and West Didsbury and Chorlton.
Haworth told the club’s website: “He’s someone I’ve courted for a few years.
“We’ve been lucky enough where things haven’t quite worked out at Curzon. He’s a prolific goalscorer and will only add to our attacking threat.
“He’s got good experience and we’ve now got real competitions for places.”