TOM PORTAS has become the latest player to leave Darlington.

He follows Leon Scott, Gary Brown, Liam Marrs and Greg Mills in leaving Quakers in recent days.

The midfielder has announced his departure today, bringing an end to four seasons with the club during which time he played in 128 matches and twice won promotion.

He said: "Just want to say a massive thank you to Darlington Football Club for the past four years.

"There's been nothing but great memories since the day I joined.

"My time has come to an end at the club, it's the fans that I would like to say a big thank you to. Home and away they are there in numbers which pushes you over the line when things are hard.

"I'm glad I was a part of Darlington winning promotions to get where they are today.

"Once again thank you and all the best for the future."

Stockton-born Portas joined Quakers from Whitby Town in 2014 and hardly missed a game in his first two seasons, playing a central role as Darlington won promotion in back-to-back campaigns.

He was player of the year in 2014-15 as Darlington went up through the play-offs, a 2-0 win against Bamber Bridge in the final, and against the same opposition Portas scored the club’s goal of the season in their league meeting at Heritage Park.

It came after running at the heart of the opposition before unleashing a shot with the outside of his boot from 22 yards high into the net.

“It was nice to be part of the vote, but all goals mean the same,” he said at the time. “They help to win matches, and as far as I’m concerned, everyone’s a winner. For my first goal, I picked the ball up on the halfway line, and saw the space to drive into. The defenders backed off, so I kept going to the edge of the area and thought that I meant as well hit it. The ball flew into the top corner.”

It was one of nine goals he scored for the club, six of them coming in 2015-16 including one in the memorable 4-3 win at Salford City.

However, his 2016-17 season ended early when he was on the end of a poor challenge by Stalybridge Celtic’s Callum Bagshaw in a match at Heritage Park in September.

Portas did not return for 11 months, making his comeback away to North Ferriby last August, and he also suffered with hamstring and calf problems this season but still played 23 times, sometimes filling in at right-back.

But manager Tommy Wright has today decided not to offer a new deal to Portas, whose contract expires this summer.