wounds after blasting his former club Pickering Town – insisting they blocked the release of three players to his new outfit, Selby Town.

The former Pikes boss claims he asked club chiefs to allow Liam Shepherd, Dean Readman and Steve Baxter to join the Northern Counties East League division one club – arguing all three indicated they were no longer prepared to play at the Recreation Ground.

The trio were among a raft of players that stopped playing following the club’s decision to fire Reid last November. Shepherd  has moved to Evo-Stik League outfit Scarborough Athletic but Reid said his NCEL registration, along with that of Readman and Baxter, are still held by officials at Mill Lane.

Reid said he asked for the usual seven days of approach, which also entails a 28-day waiting period between contacting each player, to be waived given their status at Pickering.

But he claims he was rebuffed.

“I think it is very selfish.” said Reid, whose Selby side beat Appleby Frodingham 5-1 on Saturday.

“When I took over from Pete Vasey at Pickering I didn’t hold anyone back. They are obviously doing what they think is right but I never had an issue with players coming and going.

“People can draw their own conclusions. Why hold on to three players who don’t want to play for Pickering?

“Two of them, Readman and Baxter, left after the 7-2 win over Thackley (the last game for assistants Steve Brown and Dean McAuley) and have not been back. They are not going back to play there.

“I took Steve Baxter into the first team when he was an under-19. He must have played 450 games for Pickering. Why are they treating someone who has given such service to the club like that?”

Pickering boss Mitch Cook said the club didn’t wish to make any comment on the matter.

The Pikes league game at Nostell Miners Welfare last Saturday, meanwhile, was postponed because of standing water on the pitch. It has been rearranged for April 26.

Cook’s squad are next set to be in action this Saturday at Worksop Parramore (3pm).

Pickering under-19s stayed at the top of the Northern Alliance League after a Sam Calvert hat-trick, and goals from Ryan Wood-head and Lewis Taylor, saw them beat Pocklington 5-1 at home.