Defender Gavin Cowan may have played his last game for AFC Telford United – with strong suggestions that he could leave the club within days.

The 28-year-old centre-back was the Bucks’ most used outfield player last season, appearing in 65 competitive matches.

The former Canvey Island and Shrewsbury man has in total played 90 games for the club since signing from Nuneaton in the summer of 2008, scoring five goals.

A rumour that he had been sacked was circulating on a fans’ internet forum over the weekend and, while that was strongly denied by chairman Lee Carter today, it does appear his future lies elsewhere.

“He most definitely hasn’t been sacked,” said Carter.

“At this moment in time, he remains our player.

“We have had a review of the whole playing staff in the last few days and, no doubt, things will happen in the coming days.”

Carter insists promotion from the Blue Square North this season remains the prime objective, despite the club entering the new year lying in ninth place.

And he said their strategy of recruiting promising young players was the road they wanted to go down.

“We’ve had several meetings with the manager and the one thing we have said is that we are definitely not waving the white flag on getting to the play-offs,” he declared.

“We’re only four points off the last place and that’s just a good week in football – if we ever get to play, that is!

“We are certainly not intending to cut the playing budget, but we are looking at the best way to go about making a push and also starting to plan towards next year.

“We want to build on the core of the young squad we have got, with players like Shane Killock and Sean Newton.

“Rob (Smith, the manager) has always recruited decent young players. Lee Vaughan has played 170-odd games and Andy Brown around 70 and they are both only 23.”