James Hurst's AFC Telford exile set to continue
James Hurst's exile from AFC Telford United looks set to continue as boss Rob Smith revealed there has been no interest in the player from other clubs.
The 24-year-old is currently on the transfer list after a spat with supporters on social media and was also fined two weeks' wages.
On if there has been any interest in Hurst, Smith said: "No. Absolutely nothing. He has not been training with us and there has been no change to the situation at all."
The versatile player, formerly of West Bromwich Albion, was one of the club's marquee signings this summer.
Smith believed Hurst could prove a major coup for the Bucks, despite him arriving needing a groin operation.
Hurst ousted fans' favourite Dwayne Samuels at right wing-back, impressing on a couple of occasions before seeing red against Salford on October 29.
His first yellow card was just prior to half-time for dissent, while the second was for a late challenge just after the hour mark.
As he left the pitch, he took a bow and then wrote a series of posts on Twitter that night featuring comments like "I feel like a surgeon stacking shelfs in this league." He also seemed to brag about a plush lifestyle, which was ill-timed given Telford's current financial struggles.
He tweeted: "Just when football becomes bearable you get a little ruducer (sic)." A comment to a supporter read: "u paid to watch me today (sic)."
Another post to the same supporter read: "haven't ever been relagated like half of ur players steadfast (sic)."
The former Shrewsbury loanee deleted the tweets but then claimed he had been 'bullied' and 'trolled' on the social media platform.
His comments led to an internal investigation, carried out by Bucks chairman Ian Dosser and general manager Sharon Bowyer, and his subsequent placement on the transfer list.
Hurst has left a club under a cloud before. The Sutton Coldfield-born former England youth international departed Torquay United after an investigation into an alleged incident in Torquay town centre.
He has played for the likes of Birmingham City and Chesterfield, playing the whole 90 minutes as the Spireites won the 2012 Football League Trophy final at Wembley.
He also figured for the likes of Crawley Town, Northampton Town and Hednesford Town and even had two short spells in Iceland – in 2013 and 2014 – playing for Reykjavik-based club Valur.
