MIDFIELDER Elliott Bolton has re-joined Basingstoke Town after leaving Weymouth for personal reasons.

Bolton played one game for Town in 2020 and has opted to return after almost four years away.

Weymouth are understood to have waived Basingstoke's seven-day approach.

Former AFC Wimbledon ace Bolton is widely accepted as one of Weymouth's most technically gifted players.

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However, he has struggled to break into the first team on a regular basis, with Tom Bearwish and Olu Durojaiye monopolising the starting spots in the Terras' engine room this season.

Bolton exits having scored once and provided two assists in 13 appearances.

After securing Bolton, Town manager Dan Brownlie told the Hampshire club's media team: "In Elliott, we’ve secured a really talented player and someone who will fit right in with the group.

“He’s an honest worker and, similarly to (Michael Atkinson), has great qualities out of possession.

"He’s got an old fashioned box-to-box approach, but it's his defensive work that will set him apart; he’s different to what we have.

"We feel with him in the team it frees up some of our other midfielders to be a little more ambitious going forward.

"Elliott made contact with us earlier in the week in noting he’d decided to leave Weymouth. It wasn’t something we were expecting, but really pleased he thought of us.”

Bolton was expected to be in contention for a starting berth in Weymouth's next two games, due to captain Bearwish's impending two-game suspension.

However, he has joined Basingstoke who currently reside in 10th in the Pitching In Southern League Premier South having won four of their last five games.

It means Weymouth are left with only Charlie Rowan and Harry Jones as midfield options for tomorrow's trip to Aveley.

Elsewhere, Weymouth are working to extend loan deals for centre-halves Nazir Bakrin and Corey Panter.