being granted a free transfer by Stoke City.

The Bermudian striker was placed on the transfer list by the Second Division promotion chasers at the end of last year when he became surplus to requirements.

Stoke boss Gudjon Thordarson has eight frontmen on his books and Lightbourne has found himself increasingly isolated.

He was loaned to league rivals Swindon Town at the start of the year but that move turned sour through a mixture of injury and match postponements.

For the last month he has been at Third Division Cardiff City where he was told that if he performed well he could earn himself a permament move.

However, once again things didn't turn out as planned. Although he figured in a number of games he was unable to get on the scoresheet and found himself warming the bench towards the end of his stay.

Lightbourne, 32, returned to Stoke yesterday and had a meeting with Thordarson at which it was decided a free transfer was the best way forward for all concerned.

Thursday marks transfer deadline day for the English league and all player moves must be sorted out by the end of business on that day.

Lightbourne's name has now been circulated to teams up and down the country in a bid to attract some interest in a player who, when he signed, was a club record buy at 500,000.

Announcing the decision, Stoke's football executive John Rudge said: "It is something which we believe is in the club's and the player's best interests.

"Kyle has not been part of the first-team picture here while out on loan at Swindon and Cardiff and, with the competition we currently have in attack, the possibility was that he may not have been for the remainder of the season. His contract is up in the summer and we have not had talks about renewing it.

Rather than become a free agent in the close season, trying to find a new club when many other players are doing the same, he effectively has had a head start and with the deadline coming up on Thursday it could be good timing for him.'' Lightbourne joined Stoke from Premier League Coventry three years ago. His record for the Potters this season is five goals in 15 starts and his last appearance was as a substitute against Bury on Boxing Day.

The fact that Stoke are not now seeking a fee for the player may work to his advantage.

His former club, Walsall, had expressed an interest in re-signing him but Stoke refused to release him.

Boss Ray Graydon is a fan of the player who achieved hero status at the Bescot Stadium and he may be tempted to come in for him before the week is out, now that no transfer fee is involved.

Shaun Goater, meanwhile, headed off for a sunshine break in Spain with the rest of the Manchester City side following his dramatic equaliser in the 2-2 draw with Bradford City on Saturday.

Goater salvaged a point for the Blues with a neat turn and shot in the 70th minute after it looked like City might surrender the game to the bottom-placed side.

Although it was important not to lose, a draw was not what the doctor prescribed for ailing City, especially as fellow strugglers Middlesbrough picked up all three points with a surprise win at Newcastle.

Boss Joe Royle remained optimistic. "We will pick the players up and go again,'' he said. "No one is written off. Four points difference with eight games to go is not what we wanted. But we know it is up to us now and we know we have to win games.

"If we can win a couple of games that will put the pressure on the teams above us.''