A NON league club have released a defender after he was wrongly claimed to be the brother of Saints star Cuco Martina.

National League strugglers York City released Derwin Martina, just four days after he had signed for the club.

York boss Gary Mills decided to release Martina, 22, after watching him play 81 minutes of a reserve-team defeat by Hartlepool.

He was then an unnamed substitute for Saturday’s 3-1 first-team victory over Eastleigh but has left North Yorkshire with boss Gary Mills declining to elaborate on the reasons behind his departure.

York's official website had reported that Derwin was the brother of Saints defender Cuco, but he has since denied they are related.

"He is not my cousin, he is just a friend," he said.

"In my country, Martina's a really big name so a lot of people have that last name, but he's not my brother."

Martina will now be looking for a new club, having also been on trial at Championship outfit Barnsley this term.

The farce has elements of the infamous Ali Dia tale.

Dia played 32 minutes as a substitute for Saints against Leeds in 1996 before being released.

Saints boss Graeme Souness had signed him following a recommendation from someone pretending to be AC Milan striker George Weah.

It was claimed at the time that he was Weah's cousin.