Dormand out, Thompson in? (From Worcester News)

Dormand out, Thompson in?

10:00am Wednesday 11th July 2012 in Blue Square Conference North Table & Results Exclusive By Steve Carley - Midlands Sports Journalist of the Year 2013, @stevecarleyWN

WORCESTER City have stepped up their quest to sign goalkeeper Glyn Thompson after it emerged James Dormand is leaving the club.

Dormand, who had signed for the new season along with fellow custodian Matt Sargeant, wants to focus on his burgeoning schools coaching business.

City will retain the 26-year-old’s registration, meaning he could be used as emergency cover, but are resigned to being without the player who made 32 appearances last season.

Your Worcester News last week revealed the St George’s Lane club had been linked with former Newport County keeper Thompson and talks have been opened with the 31-year-old.

Manager Carl Heeley said: “Jimmy is the sort of player who has to be in it 100 per cent, he’s not the sort of lad to cut corners and miss training sessions so he doesn’t feel with his business at the moment that he can do that.

“It’s a shame because he’s a very good goalkeeper and he’s a big character and will be missed but he has to prioritise his business and I fully understand that.

“He has loved it at Worcester and he’s got no intentions of playing for anybody else.

“It would be a shame if he couldn’t resume his career at some point but I fully understand his reasons and we can’t do anything more than wish him all the best.”

The City boss added: “We are going to sign a replacement and we are continuing to talk to Glyn.

“We have a few options and nothing is concrete but Glyn would be of interest.

“We have had to look at alternatives because we knew this was a possibility.”

Thompson, however, is also in the running to become a goalkeeper coach at Leicester City, which could prevent him playing part-time football.

But Worcester still have Sargeant on their books and the former Tipton Town man proved a more than capable deputy for Dormand last term with several impressive performances during his 14 starts.

Meanwhile, a match against Aston Villa is one of three more friendlies City have added to their pre-season programme, taking the number to eight.

The Premiership club will bring a team made up primarily of under 21s to the Lane on Tuesday, July 24 (7.45pm).

City will also visit Stratford Town this Saturday (3pm) for their first warm-up match and then travel to Bishop’s Cleeve on Tuesday, July 31 (7.45pm).