Striker Paul Harkness has called time on his Farnborough career today, choosing to leave the club in search of regular first team football.

Harkness is a veteran of seven seasons at Cherrywood Road for both the old club, Farnborough Town, and the new club formed in the summer of 2007.

The popular frontman briefly left the club at the start of the 2007/2008 season to link up with current boss Francis Vines at Basingstoke Town, but returned to Boro in September last year.

Despite being diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease during the last campaign, the 29-year-old battled back to fitness and came off the bench to score the vital goal that clinched the BGB Southern 1 South & West title and promotion against Windsor & Eton.

In total he played 180 games for both clubs, scoring 36 times, but this season he has found his first team opportunities limited with the form of Michael Charles, Mark Gamble and Marcus Richardson up front ahead of him.

His last appearance was against Soham Town Rangers in the FA Trophy win on November 1, and after that Boro won five and drew once in their next six fixtures without him.

Harkness told the News that he was disappointed to leave ‘his club’, but felt he had no other choice.

“In some ways it’s been a tough decision to leave because it’s my club and I know so many people there,” he said. “But I wasn’t in the reckoning at all and it was time to move on.

“Even when the other front players weren’t playing as well as they are now, I wasn’t given the chance to show what I can do. In the end my patience ran thin with the management.

“It’s my club and so I am a bit angry that I didn’t get a chance this season. Francis constantly overlooked me and really I had no option to move on.

“Francis never forced me out of the club, but we had a long chat a month ago and he said to me that every player’s time at a club comes to an end.

“He also said that as a non-contract player, if I wasn’t in the matchday squad I might not get paid - so really, what can you do then?

“It took a few weeks to get my head around leaving the club, but when I went all the way to Hitchin and realised I was never really going to be considered for the squad I knew it was time to go.”

As a striker in his own playing days, Vines said he understands the frustration players have when they are not in the team.

But he said that Charles and Gamble were the two he wanted to play together, and their recent fine form justifies his selection decisions.

“Paul thought it was the right time for him to move on,” he said. “Of late he hasn’t had a great deal of time on the pitch, and that situation was going to continue.

“After his illness last year he wants to play as much as possible, and I’m sure he will have no problem finding a new club.

“When you’re not playing you are desperate to get into the side and Paul was no different. I know that from my own experiences as a player.

“But you think of a way that you want to play, and we always had in out mind that we wanted to pair Charles and Gambo. We were still getting results even when we weren’t playing well, and now those two are playing well and we are in a good position in the table.”

He added: “He has been a fantastic servant for this club, and I was there last season to see him score the crucial goal that won the title. It was a great moment and obviously an important one for the club.”

Harkness may have a slight sour taste left in his mouth after leaving the club, but it certainly won’t tarnish his memories of an eventful career at Boro.

He skippered Farnborough Town in the club’s last ever season, and suffered along with Nic Ciardini, Leigh Rumbold and all the supporters when it went out of business back in 2007.

But the most memorable moment was of course his 67th minute strike on April 19 that sent Cherrywood Road into ecstasy last season as they won promotion at the first time of asking.

Looking back on his time at the club, Harkness admitted that he will never forget scoring that goal.

“I’ve got some great memories of my time at the club,” he said. “But last season was just a fantastic time to be at Farnborough.

“It was such good fun for me and everyone in the squad, from start to finish. I enjoyed every second of it, and to score the goal that won promotion is something that will live with me forever.

“No-one can ever take that away from me, and I won’t ever forget it.”

He added: “I have been through all the hard times with Farnborough Town, and they were so tough, but to hit the high of last season was just fantastic thing for me.

“Winning the title was special for everyone, but for me, Rummy and Ciards it was even better because we had all been through that last season at Farnborough Town.

“Now I look at those two players and they are so much stronger for that experience, and I believe they will go on to become great players.”

Harkness scored the most important goal in the new club’s history when he struck against Windsor, and since then, Boro haven’t looked back.

Quality signings like the return of Steve Laidler and Charles, and Ryan Scott from Aldershot Town saw the club push on and now, eight months on from that rainswept day at Cherrywood Road, Boro top the BGB Southern Premier as they look for successive promotions.

Harkness was in no doubt that the club he is leaving behind has the ability to repeat last season’s achievements and win the title again.

“I really think that the club is in a great position to get back-to-back promotions,” he said. “It’s a great squad of players, and the key will be keeping everyone happy.

“If they achieve that then there’s no reason why they can’t win the title again, and so far it is all going well.

“I’ll always be keeping an eye on how things are going and I hope as much as anyone that they can get back to where they belong.”