LYMINGTON Town have released former Reading defender Pete Castle after discovering he played Sunday football – just 24 hours after failing a fitness test for the Sydenhams Premier club.

Of all Town’s summer signings, strapping centre-back Castle was the most high profile. Having risen through the ranks at the Madejski Stadium, he came to prominence as the Royals’ youngest ever first-team player in 2003 at the age of 16 years and 49 days.

Alan Pardew was Reading’s boss when Castle was introduced as a 79th minute sub at Watford, where his team-mates included the likes of Marcus Hahnemann, Steve Sidwell, Nathan Tyson and Jamie Cureton.

In recent weeks Castle has been struggling with a groin strain and Town opted to rest him last Saturday with a view to him being fully fit for tomorrow’s home game against Newport IoW.

But much to the shock of Town’s management team, Stuart and Matt Hussey, they discovered he had turned out for Knighton Arms last Sunday without their knowledge or consent.

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