Kyle Lightbourne has been put on the transfer list by Macclesfield Town because the club want to bring in new blood to revitalise their Third Division campaign.

The Bermudian striker, who moved on a free transfer from Stoke City last summer, was told of the decision early last week.

Since joining Macclesfield, who are languishing in the lower reaches of the league, Lightbourne, the club's highest paid player, has been hit by injuries and a lack of form.

When playing, his performances up until the goal area have received praise but he has only hit the back of the net on four occasions.

Gil Prescott, who signed the player, has since moved on and new manager Dave Moss has his own ideas over who he wants to spearhead the Silkmen's attack.

The player himself did not want to speak about the decision when contacted yesterday, but club spokesman Colin Garlick confirmed a report in the Manchester Evening News.

"Kyle was advised last week by the manager of his decision to place him on the transfer list," he said yesterday. "Kyle is contracted to the club until June, 2003, and is also featuring in the first team squad."

Last week the club signed former Welsh Under-21 frontman Matthew Tipton, and Lightbourne has been told his opportunities will be limited. Moss named the player as a substitute in Saturday's home game with Bristol Rovers - a match the Silkmen won 2-1. He came on for Lee Glover after 78 minutes.

"Due to wanting to bring in new players to the club I need to move some players on and as I cannot guarantee Kyle a regular starting place I felt this was in the best interests of both parties," Moss told the Royal Gazette yesterday.

The manager is reported to have told a Macclesfield Town Fans' Forum last week that he hoped the decision to transfer-list Lightbourne would reignite his desires.

"I've put him on the transfer list because he's not as hungry for goals as I'd like him to be," he was reported as saying. "Now in his mid-thirties I am not sure Kyle can ever get back to the form that he had when he was scoring so frequently for Walsall."

It would be fair to assume that this late in the season few clubs would be willing to pay out for a striker. An approach to loan the player would probably be more likely, but Macclesfield would be unlikely to agree to such a request in case they suffered injuries and needed Lightbourne to fill in.

What will now happen to a player who has graced the Premiership with Coventry City, achieved cult status with Walsall and led his nation's attack in international competition, remains to be seen.