Wealdstone have seen seven players depart as plans for the 2021/22 season get underway with striker Ross Lafayette announcing his retirement and Ryan Gondoh re-joining former club Hampton & Richmond Borough and five loan players returning to their parent clubs.

Striker Lafayette made a total of 72 appearances, scoring 22 times over two spells at the Stones, first joining for a short spell at the start of the 2009/10 season and then again at the start of the 2019/20 season, with his goals helping the Stones win the National League South and gain promotion back into to the National League.

He enjoyed an illustrious career at the higher levels of non-league, best known for his spells at the Stones, Welling United and Sutton United, with his goals at Welling earning him a move into the EFL with Luton Town.

A club statement said: “We wish Ross all the best as he moves into the next stage of his career and thank him for his fantastic efforts in a Stones shirt, his goals and performances last season helped the club return to the pinnacle of non-league football for the first time in 32 years.”

Also departing the club is Ryan Gondoh, with the winger re-joining former club Hampton & Richmond Borough.

Brent & Kilburn Times: Wealdstone winger Ryan Gondoh in action against WokingWealdstone winger Ryan Gondoh in action against Woking (Image: Jon Taffel)

Gondoh scored four times and made a total of 14 appearances after joining the club in Match from Whyteleafe, including a brace in our final game of the season at Woking. We thank Gondoh for his efforts in a Stones shirt.

Returning to their parent clubs following loan spells are George Shelvey, Riley-Jay Harbottle, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, George Langston and Joseph Olowu.

Shelvey and Harbottle return to Nottingham Forest with Shelvey making a total of five appearances in goal and Harbottle making a total of 11 appearances in defence.

Langston and Lo-Everton return to parent club Watford, who have just enjoyed promotion to the Premier League, with Lo-Everton scoring twice in a total of 10 appearances and Langston making just two appearances after an injury-hit loan spell.

And finally Olowu returns to Arsenal, where his contract is set to end, he made a total of 13 appearances from defence after signing on loan on the winter deadline day.

The club added: “We thank all our loan players for their efforts in a Stones shirt this season and wish them all the best with their future careers. We'd also like to thank parent clubs Nottingham Forest, Watford and Arsenal for their support with their talented young loan players.”