STUART Cannie has quit managerless Bashley to join FA Vase winners Winchester City.

The 21-year-old former Wimborne Town striker has elected to drop back into the Sydenhams Wessex League in the wake of John Robson's departure as first-team boss at the Recreation Ground.

With a swarm of Conference clubs buzzing around Winchester's prolific marksman Andy Forbes and veteran frontman Steve Tate retiring, City had placed a striker at the top of their summer shopping list.

But director of football David Malone insists that Bournemouth-based Cannie, a classy left-footer, is not being viewed as Forbes' replacement.

He said: "They're different types of player and no way is Cannie a direct replacement for Forbesy.

"He'll give us something in certain areas that Forbes doesn't give us.

"There's a lot of interest in Forbes, but in the event that he doesn't go, it would be fantastic to have Forbes, Ian Mancey and Cannie."

When Cannie moved from Wimborne to Newport IoW last November, he had a reputation as a 'bad boy' following a public fall-out with the Cuthbury club.

He had barely settled at Newport when the Islanders were plunged into receivership and subsequently joined Bashley, where he proved an instant favourite, scoring seven times in 20 Dr Martens Eastern Division appearances.

Malone said: "I've been aware of Cannie's ability for some time. He banged in a lot of goals for Wimborne and I actually spoke to him before he joined Newport, but I think Taffy Richardson persuaded him to the Island.

"He's very gifted and, although I'm aware of his fall-out with Wimborne, I've checked out what he's done since and reports suggest he hasn't put a foot wrong.

"Steve Tate (former Newport IoW manager) speaks very highly of him as do a couple of people I know at Bashley.

"When a player knows he's going to be picked week in, week out, it can go to his head a bit, but that quickly disappears when he goes to a better side.

"He won't be a superstar among the players we've got and if he did step out of line, we've got a manager (Neil Hards) who can cope with that. He'd soon be slapped down."