HARROW Borough manager David Howell has branded striker Gary Noel a 'coward' after he was kept in the dark about the player's surprise move to Croydon Athletic.

The 19-year-old emerged as the Ryman Premier League club's biggest goal threat last season and his performances alerted the attentions of several League Two clubs.

However, Noel was one of several players who failed to return for pre-season training and he refused to take mobile phone calls from Howell.

He has joined ambitious Ryman Division One South outfit Croydon and scored in their 2-1 win over Maidstone United recently.

In a stinging attack through the official Harrow website Howell has accused Noel of acting 'quite cowardly' and said he should be feeling embarrassed over his conduct.

When the Observer contacted Howell he was unrepentant and feels Noel's decision to drop down a division could hamper his chances of turning professional.

"I had the feeling he didn't want to come back to us anyway but I presumed he would come back, set the place alight and earn himself a good move to a league club by Christmas," said Howell. "I called his mobile three or four times but he never answered while a lot of the other lads have not heard from him either.

"I had a trialist in from Croydon and he told me Gary had been training there, and that is how I found out."

Howell spoke to both of Noel's parents in an attempt to get a message to the missing striker, but they proved fruitless.

"The simple scenario was that he has joined another club, but because I'd not heard from him I was thinking beyond that," added Howell.

"All he had to do was call me and let me know."

Noel was watched by Athletic last season and Howell feels money might have had a say in the player's decision.

"They've a budget bigger than most Ryman Premier clubs and they have probably offered him four times the money he was on here. They are able to pay king's ransoms for players but now he has gone down a level that might have different connotations for the clubs that were watching him."

Asked how he plans to replace Noel, Howell said: "His shoes were never that big anyway. He had a lot of potential but it hadn't been fully realised."

Meanwhile, midfielder Bobby Highton has joined Harrow's Ryman Premier rivals Boreham Wood.