WORCESTER City’s Jamie Smith is set to head out on dual registration with fellow left wing-back Adam Osbourne making a permanent exit.

Manager Ashley Vincent, who snapped up current first choice Dan Okojie from Walsall Wood less than a fortnight ago, revealed lifelong City fan Smith would remain a part of his plans despite allowing him to go out “for the foreseeable future”.

The 21-year-old missed the bulk of last season while waiting to be diagnosed with and treated for a disc bulge and annular tear to the soft disc in his neck.

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Smith made his comeback in the FA Cup defeat at Heather St John’s last month but has not played since with Vincent keen to get him up and running.

“We want to be competitive and I don’t feel we are in a position to get players up to speed while trying to win games,” explained Vincent.

“Jamie is unfortunate to be slightly behind in terms of fitness and the idea of him going out is to get him up to the speed of the other boys so when his chance comes he can take it.

“He agrees with that and remains a big part of the squad. I am sure after those games he will come back into the reckoning, for sure."

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On how long Smith could feature elsewhere, Vincent added: “There is no point in him going out to play games and then coming back to sit on the bench for us. All that would do is put him back to square one.

“There is the element of getting him out there to play games and then of staying ready for when that chance comes along so he can come straight back into our side.

“Jamie is an experienced player, there is no point having him sat around redundant.

“It may be that we find him somewhere to play games for the foreseeable future, until the picture changes for us and he can regularly get 90 minutes here.”

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Okojie’s recruitment meant City had three left-footed wing-backs on their books with Osborne, who played six out of 10 matches after being brought in for his second spell in blue and white over the summer, opting to making way.

“We spoke over the weekend and Adam has left the club,” said Vincent.

“Maybe me openly putting out there how we had chased Dan, how keen we were to have him in and what we think he will add to the side put Ossie off.

“He may have thought he wouldn’t be involved but that wasn’t the case. Dan has upped the level and added quality and an aggressive nature that we felt we had been lacking.

“What we were hoping for – and I know it was probably a big ask at this level – was something like the Jamie situation, for the other lads to get their heads down and work towards the sharpness and aggressive nature Dan brings.

“Ossie has chosen to play football elsewhere and goes with my best wishes. I will be helping him to do that, he is a top kid who just wants to play football.

“He felt he should look elsewhere now rather than travel 50 miles to training without being in the squad.

"In that situation you are waiting for an opportunity to come and with Dan performing as he is at the minute, he will be hard to dislodge.”