Bradford Park Avenue received an offer they couldn't refuse when Accrington Stanley put in a substantial offer for their wing wizard and star performer.

And with Rory Prendergast clearly so keen to take another step towards returning to the Football League, there was little point in Avenue boss Trevor Storton standing in his way.

"Rory is an exceptional player," said Storton, who admits filling the hole Prendergast left will be nearly impossible on the club's limited budget.

"I don't think I have ever seen a player outside the Premiership put in so many crosses and so consistently.

"He is a rare talent at this level of football and I think we really saw the best of him here at Bradford.

"Rory has been at a lot of clubs but I think we got his best performances here and he has done a lot for this club on the field."

With Avenue making early exits in both the FA Cup and Vase, and with the Paddy Kenny sell-on windfall yielding little, the club had little choice but to sell their prize asset.

"I didn't want to let him go," said Storton, who is missing two first team players with long-term injuries.

"You never want to sell players of Rory's ability. But sometimes you have no choice. And he clearly wanted to move on to bigger things, so we couldn't really stand in his way.

"He is ambitious and was keen to move on, he has made that clear, so what is the point of stopping him?

"You have to wish the lad luck, he is a great footballer and wants to get on in the game.

"I must say I am disgusted that a Football League club hasn't come in for him. There is no doubt he has got the ability and a full-time club would be able to help his discipline."

Prendergast has been a revelation since arriving pre-season to replace the Stanley-bound Dean Calcutt.

And the two players share a lot of characteristics, with the fiery Prendergast picking up seven bookings so far this season and getting involved in more than his fair share of on-field battles.

But it is his crossing ability and his eye for the spectacular finish that has made him such a favourite at the club.

His 30-yard dipping volley at Lancaster, a match in which his play-acting earned two opponents a red card, was the pick of his ten goals for the club.

Strikers Andy Hayward and Jason Maxwell will miss the regular service from the left with Prendergast able to get the ball over from the tightest of angles at an incredibly frequent rate.

"He has left a big hole and it will be very tough to replace a player like Rory," added Storton.

"But we are looking at our options and there are a few players out there."