DANNY Trigg – Cinderford's record points scorer (pictured) – has left the club he first joined as a boy to sign for Lydney.

And Josh Hannam, the top try scorer in National Two South last season, is also expected to return to Regentsholme this week, having been unable to force his way into Cinderford's first XV.

Full-back Trigg, still only 27, has fallen behind Mike Wilcox and Stef Hawley in the pecking order for the number 15 shirt at Dockham Road.

However, Cinderford director of rugby Andy Deacon is still sorry to see him go.

He said: "Danny is a lovely lad who has to make his own decisions. Personally, I think he's made the wrong one, but I wish him all the best.

"He's been at Cinderford all his life and his family has big connections to the club. He's a reliable player, but we've got a very competitive squad and I have to pick players on form, not sentiment."

Deacon says players at his club, on the fringes of the first XV, must remember why they joined Cinderford in the first place.

"Our coaching structure is far stronger than what Lydney provides," he said.

"Lots of players in our United team have had opportunities to play for Gloucester A this season. Danny had that chance and turned them down.

"In sport things change quickly and we need depth.

"I was fortunate enough to have a great career with Gloucester and play more than 300 games for the first-team but there were times when I could not get a game.

"Do you walk away or do you carry on, get better and develop?"

Trigg made his first-team debut for Cinderford as a 17-year-old and has more than 200 appearances for the club's senior side under his belt. In 2005 he became the first player in Cinderford's history to score more than 400 points in a campaign, ending up with a phenomenal tally of 455 points.

Lydney director of rugby Duncan Bell disagrees with Deacon and believes ambitious local players are better off in his club's first-team, rather than Cinderford's second XV.

He said: "Cinderford have a massive squad and can't possibly look after all of them.

"Danny has trained with us and looks sharp. I know nothing about Josh, other than he is a dynamic ball carrier. They are both players with some pedigree."

Lydney did not play last Saturday, but Bell says it's been a good week for his club.

As well as bringing in Trigg and Hannam, he's also signed Phil McAllister, a centre, fly-half Mike Dodge from Hartpury College and prop Olly Day from the Worcester Academy.