Baffins boss Wilkinson hits out at skipper Zak Sharp over ‘embarrassing’ exit to AFC Portchester

Zak Sharp signs for Baffins (left) in a Twitter post ... then, a few days later, he is unveiled as a new AFC Portchester signing on social media

The Baffins skipper had last week been persuaded to stay at the club, only to be unveiled as one of Wessex League Premier Division rivals AFC Portchester's new signings a few days later.

Wilkinson claimed Sharp was at the ground last Thursday to sign on with Rovers for the 2021/22 season.

However, the Baffins boss revealed he then received a call from an agent on Saturday telling him the club's social media post of Sharp signing should be removed as he'd joined Portchester.

US Portsmouth 'reveal' they have signed Zak Sharp as well for the 2021/22 season

The Royals yesterday officially announced former Moneyfields man Sharp as one of three new signings, along with Marley Ridge and Geoge Barker.

Wilkinson has been left furious by the way his captain has left the club. And he believes Sharp has let 'himself and Baffins down' by the way he's departed the PMC Stadium.

Wilkinson said: 'I’ve still not heard from Zak, he’s sent me a text message, but he still hasn’t given me a call.

‘He wouldn’t answer the phone to Danny Thompson, my assistant manager.

‘As things stand at the minute, I’m led to believe, he’s signed and is our player.

‘Obviously, he’s not going to kick a ball for me - even if he played for free he wouldn’t kick a ball for me again.

‘I don’t blame him for going, but he’s captain of the club. In fairness, last season he went through a bad time on the pitch and we stuck by him because he was captain and he kept his place in quite a few of the games because he was captain.

‘You’ve got to pick the phone up, ‘Wilky, they’ve made me an offer I can’t refuse,’ - I would have driven him over there.

‘I don’t blame him for taking the deal at all but there are ways to go about it. He’s let himself down first and foremost and he’s let Baffins down - it’s embarrassing for him.

‘At the end of the day, I’m not bitter about the situation, but there are ways of dealing with things.'

Sharp moved to Baffins last summer - after ending 2019/20 at Moneyfields, then managed by current Portchester boss Dave Carter - and was made club captain.

The defender made 18 appearances in all competitions for Baffins.

News that he had signed for Portchester was greeted with a series of copycat announcements on social media, with US Portsmouth, Brockenhurst and Fawley all ‘revealing’ they had signed Sharpe as well with Twitter posts featuring photoshopped pictures.

Rovers, meanwhile, have announced that Rudi Blankson, James Cowan, Charlie Searle, George Burgess and Josh Dean have all re-signed with the club for 2021/22.