ALAN YOUNG is severing his ties with Swindon Town but insists he feels no bitterness towards Andy King as he looks to kick-start his career elsewhere.

The 20-year-old striker has found himself pushed down the pecking order following the acquisitions of Sam Parkin, Tommy Mooney and Rory Fallon respectively.

Young has had talks with King and the upshot is that he will be free to look elsewhere once the remainder of his contract, which expires in the summer, is settled up.

The Swindonian (left) has not figured at all this season and rather than be one of hundreds freed at the end of the current campaign, both he and King feel now is the time to seek a fresh challenge.

Young, who burst on to the scene as a teenager during the 2000-1 campaign and then scored the winner at home to Blackpool the following season, is disappointed yet philosophical about the decision.

He said: "The time is right to move on. The manager is the one who picks the team at the end of the day and if he doesn't feel

you are part of his plans and you aren't getting a chance to prove yourself then you have to look elsewhere.

"I would have loved nothing more than to become a regular for my home town team but it just wasn't to be. The fans have been great to me and I won't forget that.

"People have been on the phone inquiring about me though and I am pretty hopeful.

"The bottom line is that I just want to play football. It isn't as if I'm leaving having had no experience. I'm still young and yet I've got 30 first team games under my belt."

As King prepared to set off for the north east this morning, ahead of tomorrow's match at Hartlepool United, he paid tribute to Young's contribution as a Town player.

He said: "I gave the kid his chance at this football club and the impact he made at that stage was fantastic.

"I do feel sad but what I will also say is that I've nothing but praise for Alan Young's attitude and commitment tremendous on both counts.

"The lad has great belief in himself and I think Alan Young will remain in football. You keep going and you keep believing."

King has no fresh injury concerns ahead of the match at Victoria Park.

The players were due to be put through their paces at Middlesbrough's training ground this afternoon with the only selection headache for King in defence.

Matty Heywood serves a one-match ban following his red card at Oldham a fortnight ago leaving Andy Nicholas and Alan Reeves to fight it out for the vacant slot.

King said: "Do I go for the pace of Nicholas or the experience of Reeves?

"It's not a decision I'll rush into but I feel very happy that I have such a choice.

"All I will say is that I'm going to Hartlepool feeling very positive. They have a tremendous home record but I'm not approaching it with a view to being overly cautious. We will go there to attack as we bid to remain in the pack of clubs in the top 10."