Jordan Stoddart on being "left to rot" at Redditch United

The Worcester-born-and-bred centre-half, 27, left the club he supported as a boy to step up two levels with the Reds in January 2019 and stayed on despite a change of manager over the summer.

He was installed as captain under new gaffer Ian King, formerly a coach at City prior to Stoddart’s time in blue and white.

Stoddart alleges King told him he had been dropped in favour of someone on “a lot more money” and that United had “someone cheaper to sit on the bench”.

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Having agreed with King to go their separate ways, Stoddart claims his exit was then blocked by chairman and owner Chris Swan.

Despite not being under contract, the club Stoddart planned to join had just signed a player from Redditch with FA rules preventing them from making another approach for 28 days without the Reds to waiving it.

With no such restrictions Raiders swooped with Stoddart starting each of their five games since, dedicating himself for the rest of the campaign after rediscovering his love for the game.

King left the Valley Stadium hotseat towards the end of November with Stoddart saying it had been “a long time coming” in a stinging post on Twitter, declaring “the whole place is a shambles” and his hope that "the chairman is next to go.”

“There were a lot of false statements about why I originally left Redditch,” said Stoddart.

“I was told by the players that the manager had said the reason was money. It was completely untrue, that was never the case at all.

“It was down to me being told they would be bringing in another lad to play centre-half for a lot more money and that I wouldn’t be in the squad because they could get someone cheaper to sit on the bench.

“I was not going to be used as a spare part after being named captain, especially when it was clear there was no way back for me. I thought accepting that devalued me as a player.

“Initially that was down to the manager. He had views, I had different views and we clashed at times. I didn’t like the way he did things and that was the main reason.

“It should have been a simple process, I spoke to Ian a few times and he agreed to deregister me. I knew a couple of clubs were interested and to make it easier for me, he said he would help by letting me go. I hadn’t played for the previous four weeks anyway.

"I messaged the secretary to confirm it and he said it would all be done, then I had another message to say it was all good and I was able to speak to clubs.

“On the Friday I found out I hadn’t been deregistered and wouldn’t be because the chairman would not allow it to happen.

“I was not under contract but he said the only way I could leave was if a club put in seven days in for me.

“It left me in the lurch. The chairman didn’t offer me an alternative, I met with him and asked why he had put a stop to it, he said he had not had communication with the manager and that all he had seen was his captain leaving through the back door for no reason.

“We agreed he would allow me to go rather than me miss a whole weekend of football again. I spoke to the club that was interested to say it had all been resolved but by the next week he (Swan) text me to say he had changed his mind and that he would not allow me to be deregistered, that I would have to wait to go elsewhere.

“The club I had planned to go to needed players as soon as possible and ended up going elsewhere because they would have had to wait 28 days.

“Basically I was left to rot with no more communication from the chairman or any staff whatsoever, not even for me to go to training or play for the reserves. I haven’t spoken to the chairman since.

“I went out of my way to find another club, I had a few offers that were not suitable to balance with work and home life but luckily, my mate Chris Cornes (assistant manager) got in touch from Raiders.

“They play a few leagues lower but gave me the lifeline to get playing and enjoy myself again. He said to forget all the politics, to just come along and have a game and it has been good, really good to be honest.

“It came when I needed it the most. I enjoyed my time at Redditch until the circumstances changed and felt I was more than good enough to compete at that level but joining Raiders has been a breath of fresh air.

“Chris has been really good to me and I said I would give him what he wanted. I am a loyal person, I didn’t want to disturb the team for the sake of going in for a few games so I said I would be there as long as he wanted me to be for the rest of this season.

“Everyone has been great with me, my brother (Logan Stoddart) is there even though he can’t play after breaking his leg. I am happy as long as Chris is happy and it is going really well.”

Raiders hope to put shipping nine goals in two defeats behind them when third-placed Dudley Town visit Nunnery Wood Sports Complex in West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division tomorrow (Saturday, 2pm).

Neither King nor Swan were available for comment.