Billericay Town have parted company with star striker David Adekola.

Transfer-listed at the weekend after being left out of the starting line-up for the trip to Aldershot, where the New Lodge side won 1-0, Adekola has joined fellow Ryman League Premier Division side Slough Town.

Billericay boss Gary Calder, confirming the move on Monday night, said that no fee had been involved.

He added: "Everyone at the club wishes David all the best for the future. He has played a significant part in Billericay's success since they came back up to the Premier."

Adekola will always have a place in Town's history. He joined them at the start of last season when they had been promoted back to the top flight and it was his tremendous goal-scoring feats that allowed the club to move to the top of the Premier for the first, and so far only, time in their history last autumn.

Sadly, Adekola's goals dried up to a certain extent during the second part of last term and, with Calder taking over during the summer, had not managed to recapture top form during the pre-season preparations.

It's no secret that Adekola was among the higher-paid members of the New Lodge playing staff and his departure will certainly allow Calder leeway to bring new players in - with the striking department being his number one priority.

After last night's home match with Chesham, he was due to to persuade ex Welling man Stafford Browne, who scored the winner at Aldershot on Saturday, to pledge his long-term future to the club.

The major stumbling block would appear to be the fact that Browne lives near Brighton in Sussex, but whether he stays long term or not Town will undoubtedly still be in the market for another front-line striker.

Last night's match heralded an early return to New Lodge of the man who, in one form or another, spent 25 years at New Lodge . . . former manager John Kendall.

The man who halted Town's slump to the nether regions of the Ryman set-up, and took them back to the Premier during his ten years at the helm, is now director of football at Chesham.

Kendall's new club have started the campaign somewhat disappointingly with two draws and a 4-3 defeat at the hands of a St Albans side who they were beating 3-1 with less than 10 minutes to go.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.