AFC Telford could have failed to keep Phil Trainer

A new deal was tabled for the popular out-of-contract player in late May but Carter claimed they have still not had a response.

Carter, manager Liam Watson and his assistant Dominic Morley have all tried to contact Trainer, one of only four players from last season's squad to be offered new terms, but to no avail so far.

Carter said: "Liam has tried to get hold of him, Dom has tried to get hold of him, I have tried to get hold of him.

"I know he was on holiday around the start of June, but I have heard absolutely nothing from him.

"We are not in the business of falling out with Phil Trainer. He is a fantastic servant to the football club.

"We will never forget what he has done for us – but we can't go any further, I'm afraid.

"Never say never, but it is looking increasingly likely that that deal has probably not come off.

"Chances are we have probably moved on, but that isn't to say it would never happen.

"He's a remarkable fella, we have got a lot of respect for him, as I know he has a lot of respect for us.

"But the facts are we made him an offer which wasn't a million miles from where we were in the Conference Premier.

"Don't forget our income is projected to fall by 20 percent this year.

"The fact that we offer a player almost the same as he was getting last year in the face of that shows how much we rate him."

Trainer wrote his name into club folklore by scoring a late promotion-winning goal in the 2011 Conference North play-off final against Guiseley.

He also netted the goal which ensured their survival in the Conference National in 2011-12.

Speculation that he had signed for Conference National outfit Nuneaton Town surfaced early last month, but the Bucks insisted, at the time, that he was still mulling over his options.

Carter has since added that he knows of a Conference National club who have had talks with the player and made him a lesser offer.