GRAHAM Alexander has revealed that City’s decision to release Noah Wadsworth went to the wire.

The youngster’s inclusion on the list of players leaving Valley Parade came as a surprise after he had broken into the first team.

Wadsworth came on as a sub for brief run-outs against Harrogate and Gillingham and was named on the bench for three other games after Alexander brought him back from a loan spell at Farsley Celtic.

But the City boss made the tough call to let him go when the club finalised their retained list this week after feeling that the teenager had not kicked on enough since then.

“I asked the coaches to have a conversation with him a month ago about the things he needed to do,” said Alexander.

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“I then spoke to him a couple of weeks ago about the scenario. We had an in-house chat with the academy coaches as well and I sat there saying, ‘I really want to give him a contract’.

“I wanted him to show that he has earned a new contract and can make an imprint on the first team.

“We’re trying to grow a first team that can challenge for success.

“But unfortunately, I just had to make a really harsh decision at the end. He had made progress but we had to be really strong with our opinions.”

While Bobby Pointon enjoyed an impressive first year in senior football, Wadsworth’s exit will come as a blow for fans championing other young players to come through the system.

Alexander added: “We obviously want to develop young players. That’s still part of our philosophy at the club.

“But I do also believe that when they get to a certain age, they have got to impact on the first team.

“I have to make a future judgement call on whether I think that will happen or not.

“Sometimes you get it right, sometimes you get it wrong. Hopefully I’ve got it wrong with Noah.

“That was probably right until the last minute when I made that decision on him.

“I had to look at the squad as a whole and what we needed to do to improve it.

“That’s why it was unfortunate for Noah. But he has the opportunity to prove me wrong as numerous other players have done over the last 12 years.”