Northampton Town's Peter Gilbert misses deadline

Gilbert started his career at Birmingham City

Northampton Town left-back Peter Gilbert has been released after failing to meet a deadline to sign a new deal.

According to the club the 26-year-old agreed terms in May but did not return the necessary paperwork in time.

Boss Ian Sampson told the club's website: "We posted the contract out to him as he requested but the paperwork has not been signed and returned to us.

"He cannot chase a deal with another club while having our contract as a back-up."

He added: "I am not allowing him to do that to me, the club or the supporters and I feel very let down.

"He is now holding out for another club and so we have taken his contract away."

We took him off the scrapheap, we put him up and did everything he asked of us and we helped him get his career going again

Northampton boss Ian Sampson

Gilbert began the last campaign with Oldham but made the switch to Sixfields in November.

He went on to play 31 games for the Cobblers as they finished 11th in League Two.

It looked as if the former Birmingham City trainee was set to complete a one-year deal to stay with Northampton in May, with Sampson describing him as a "very good professional and a consistent performer" at the time.

The Cobblers' boss has changed his opinion on the full-back though.

"We gave him an opportunity last season when he was out of work," he said.

"We took him off the scrapheap, we put him up and did everything he asked of us and we helped him get his career going again.

"But we have been repaid by him jumping ship at the first opportunity despite agreeing terms with us."

Gilbert, who was sent off on his Cobblers debut in a goalless draw at home to Grimsby, has played 82 times for Plymouth and 43 times for Sheffield Wednesday.

"If he wants to be somewhere else then fine - I will give his contract to someone else, someone who wants to play for Northampton Town," Sampson continued.

"If we are to succeed we need players and staff who believe in each other and trust each other, not players who are in it for themselves, not players who go back on their word and not players who let the club down. The matter is now closed and we move on."