By Martin Morgan

Last updated 12:09, Thursday, 03 July 2008

Workington Town’s new flyer Jamie Marshall insists he has nothing to prove to his old Barrow boss Dave Clark – despite his painful departure from Craven Park after almost a decade of service.

Marshall has revealed the reasons for his premature retirement from the pro game earlier this season, at 29, claiming he was forced out of Barrow by Clark.

“I didn’t quit, I was pushed,” alleged Marshall. “Dave said he didn’t think I was good enough, and I told him I thought I was and was willing to prove it.

“I asked him, if I was the top performer in the reserves, would I get a first-team spot. He said no.

“From then on I was fighting a lost cause. I told him I would still fight it out, but his exact words were that he didn’t want me at the club. That I wouldn’t be happy at the club, and that unhappiness would rub off on other players.”

The winger insisted he had no off-field issues with the coach and had always considered him a friend.

“We made our debuts in the same season, and I played in the same side as him for most of my career,” he added.

“I’m really supportive of all the players down there, and until Dave’s decision, I had no problem with anyone in 11 years at the club, gave or take my year-and-a-half at Whitehaven.”

Marshall will not get a crack at Barrow again this season, as Town have already faced them twice in NL2, unless they meet in the play-offs. And that would be a match the winger would savour.

“I don’t feel I have anything to prove to Dave or the Barrow public,” he added. “I played around 160 first-team games and ran in 90 tries in nine-and-a-half seasons there.”

Marshall had dropped in to the amateur ranks with Barrow Vikings in the summer-based Conference, when Town came calling.

“I’m really happy to be at Workington and still playing professional rugby,” added Marshall, who has not featured for Town since being kneed in the back on debut in the home win over Blackpool last month.

He has rested the injury this week and hopes to train tonight and be available for Sunday’s visit of Oldham.

“We played poorly in the first-half against Blackpool, but in the second-half we showed a lot of promise for the rest of the season,” he said.

“Since then we’ve had two defeats. Against Hunslet we had 1,001 chances to win it, and didn’t take any of them. We are not too far off, and the lads feel the same.”