FORMER Lichfield City captain Dan Lomas has said the time was right to end his six-year stint at the club.
Joining the club in November 2020, the midfielder quickly established himself at the Trade Tyre Community Stadium, becoming captain and helping to guide the side to step four of the non-league pyramid and two JW Hunt Cup victories.
However, in August he announced that he would be leaving the football club and looking for pastures new.
It wasn't a decision Lomas took lightly. He said:
"My time at Lichfield has been nothing short of phenomenal.
"There wasn't really too many tactics week in, week out – it was go and play with a smile on your face, and it seemed to work.
"Credit to Ivor Green and Wayne Chapman [previous manager and assistant] and the people behind the scenes.
"It's tough when you're the captain, you don't want to give up that captaincy, but the time was right."
The summer saw a period of change for City as they were moved to the Northern Premier League West division and brought in former Dudley Town boss Matty Lovatt following the departure of long-serving manager Green.
But Lichfield are still looking for a point in the league after a challenging start to the campaign.
Since stepping into the role, the new manager has overhauled the squad following players departing the club, many due to geographical issues with many teams in the division being based in Manchester or Liverpool.
A number of his first new signings came from his former side Dudley Town including Harry Crook, Jordan Davies and Joey Buckley.
But Lomas said his exit was not linked to travel or form on the field.
He said:
"It wasn't just down to results or I would've stayed all season. It was down to a little bit of disagreement of being left out of a squad I felt more than deserving of being in.
"It's tough with the overhaul. Football is all about opinions – I respect their decisions either way, I just didn't agree with the decision. There were tears. I didn't want to leave but knew I had to.
"It's time for me to go and try something new. I wish Lichfield all the best."
Former manager Green was manager during the majority of Lomas' time at the club.
The ex-City boss said:
"For me Dan Lomas is the perfect player. His footballing attributes are fantastic, but with Dan there is a lot more due to his passion for the game and desire and hunger to be successful.
"I have also watched a lot of young players coming through in recent years that have had a great mentor in Dan that has helped them develop and kick on in the game and that for me is so important and much needed."
Upon finishing his time at City, Lomas received 12 offers from different clubs up and down the non-league pyramid.
In the end, he ended up dropping down a step of the football pyramid – now playing for John Griffiths' AFC Wolverhampton City.
The midfielder believes that playing in the Midland Football League Premier Division is a good call from him as he has a lot of experience of the division – and knowledge of how to get out following a play-off push and promotion the following season with Lichfield.
Lomas said:
"It wasn't about money – it was about going to a club where I could see myself staying for a couple of years.
"I knew that the manager wanted me as he'd been on to me before, so I knew I would fit in well.
"The nice thing was when I signed the amount of players that messaged me, just saying what a great club I'd joined, so I know I made the right choice."
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