JAMIE Speare has paid tribute to the supporters who backed him through his Accrington Stanley career.

The goalkeeper has parted company with the Reds after six years because he could not afford to give up work to become a full-time footballer on the deal that was offered.

And he admits he will find it tough to bid farewell to the Stanley fans, who voted him player of the season last year through the club's official wesite.

"The fans have been great. I've not only made some very good friends on the pitch but I would like to think I've made lifelong friends off the pitch," said Speare, who made over 300 appearances for the Reds after being signed by Bill Rodaway.

"Eric (Whalley) has been great with me and all the directors, and all of the fans have made me feel welcome since day one.

"It's going to be sickening leaving them all. That's just the way things have turned out. But I would like to thank them all for their support."

He added: " It's never good to leave anywhere, especially when you've enjoyed being at a club.

"But you can't stay in one place forever, although I would have liked to have stayed a little bit longer.

"You play part-time football to eventually become a full-time player.

"Unfortunately it doesn't look like it's going to happen for me with Stanley.

"But I'm a firm believer that these things happen for a reason and now I've got to try to find life after Accrington Stanley."

The 27-year-old, who has won two promotions with the Reds - from the UniBond First Division to the Nationwide Conference - revealed he would love to continue plying his trade in the Conference. But he would be prepared to drop down a level to the UniBond Conference North, which is set to be launched next season.

Two un-named clubs have already been in touch with Speare, and he is hoping to secure a deal at a new club before his wedding to girlfriend Kerry at the end of the month.

"I'd like to stay in the Conference, and in an ideal world I would be going into the wedding not worrying about what I'm going to do before the start of the season.

"But if I have to sort it out afterwards then I will."

Speare, who highlighted the two FA Cup games against Bournemouth among his favourite Stanley memories, despite his late substitution in the replay, added that he was confident the Reds would be challenging near the top of the Conference next season.

"I hope John (Coleman) and Jimmy (Bell) can do some really good things, and there's no reason why they can't be in the play-offs," he said.

"There are only two teams who I think they've got to worry about and they are the ones who have just come down from the Third Division - York and Carlisle."

Meanwhile, with goalkeeper Jon Kennedy yet to agree a new deal, manager John Coleman has begun his hunt for a new stopper.

Former Burnley youth team goalkeeper James Salisbury is believed to have caught the Stanley chief's eye, as well as Radcliffe Borough's Danny Hurst and an un-named Conference stopper.

ACCRINGTON Cricket Club have challenged Accrington Stanley to a game of cricket.

The match is due to be played at Thorneyholme Road on Wednesday July 7 at 6pm.