THE departure of globetrotting striker Aidan Thomas will be a big loss for Westfields, says two-goal Brad Birch.

Birch, a former Worcester City player, says lively marksman Thomas is leaving this week to going travelling around the world.

“Aidan Thomas is out with a hamstring injury at the moment and then he’s going travelling for 12 months around the world with his girlfriend, It will be a massive loss because he’s an excellent striker.

“We just need to win as many games as we can and try to stick together as a team.”

Birch, 22, joined Westfields when a friend of his, Danny Scheppel, was at the club.

He previously played for Archdales in Worcester.

“The club folded and it was a good opportunity to play for a club in Hereford like Westfields,” said Birch.

“It was tough to start with but once I got playing it got better and better and I started to feel sharper and stronger.”

He was on the books at Worcester City when he was 18 years old.

Birch added: “It didn’t happen for me at Worcester – I made a few mistakes which didn’t help my career – but I am back on it now and hope to stay at Westfields for the next couple of seasons.”