Luke Beckett's career at Huddersfield Town has come to an end today after an agreement was reached between the player and the Club to pay up his contract.

Beckett, who turned 32 on Tuesday and was contracted until the summer of 2009, requested to leave the Club for personal reasons and a desire to play first team football.

He has been Town's top scorer for the past two seasons but has only featured three times for the first team this season and will now look to continue his career with Blue Square North side Gainsborough Trinity following his release from the Club.

Beckett explained to htafc.com that the move to part-time football suits his current personal circumstances:

"It's a good move for the Club and a good move for me. I've been a bit disgruntled with the situation for a while and I've been trying to get away on loan, but nothing has really come up.

"I actually spoke to Gerry when he took over from Andy Ritchie at the end of last season, but I decided to give it one more year in football. Stan then came in and tried to sort out a move to Bradford for me, but I think they always wanted Michael Boulding as first choice.

"I think a few people may be a bit shocked at the level I am dropping to, but it's something I have been considering for a good year now. It's driven by two reasons really - one is a personal family reason and the other is just to play games regularly. It's a bit of a change of direction for me. There were league clubs interested in me, but I have to come to a compromise - I'm on a decent deal at Gainsborough and hopefully I can now get more years out of football than I thought I would do.

"Moving to Bournemouth on loan was an option, but it would mean a lot of travelling and overnight stays and I've done that already when I was in my early twenties. I don't really want to be doing that any more. I've been waiting for the right opportunity and it's not a decision I have taken lightly.

"I'm going to Gainsborough until the end of the season and I'll see how it goes. You never know what will happen in football, but it's good for me at the minute. Going part-time suits my circumstances - it was either than or move to a professional club and try to arrange an extra couple of days off, but that is difficult to sort out.

"This move is ideal for me. I know their Assistant Manager, David Reeves, from my time at Chesterfield and I'm pleased that it's coming off. I'm trying to get signed up quickly so I can play against Harrogate on Saturday.

"I'm doing a sports massage course over Christmas, so we will see how that goes. I have a bit of security behind me, so I have a bit of time to think about what I'm going to do."

Luke did explain that he will leave the Galpharm Stadium with fond memories:

"I've had two and a half happy years here, but my football has been up and down. I started off scoring quite a few goals, but then it went a bit pear-shaped and I was in and out of the side under Jacko and Andy Ritchie. Stan came in and liked me - not enough to play me, but too much to get rid of me.

"I've made a lot of really good friends at the Club and there are quite a few lads I will keep in touch with. They are definitely the best set of lads I have played with and the staff are nice people too."

Luke first joined Town on a successful one-month loan spell from Sheffield United back in January 2005, when he scored 6 goals in just 7 appearances for the Club. A permanent move followed in the summer of 2006 and Beckett has since gone onto make 96 appearances for the first-team (24 as a substitute), scoring 33 goals.

Everybody at Huddersfield Town would like to thank Luke for all he has done at the Club and wishes him well in his future endeavours.