FRANK Gray’s plans for the season have suffered a hammer blow with the news that goalkeeper Chris Tardif is to leave Basingstoke Town.

The shot-stopper is returning to his native Guernsey to take up a job in property management and next Saturday’s home game against Braintree looks set to be his final appearance for the club.

Tardif said: “Both my wife and I are from Guernsey and it was a case of now or never in terms of moving back.

“My eldest daughter is about to start school and I want my |children to enjoy the same upbringing I had.

“Leaving Basingstoke will be the only thing I regret because I have really enjoyed the short period of time I have spent at the club.

“They are a great bunch of lads, while the staff and manager are brilliant.”

Tardif’s departure gives manager Gray just over two weeks to find a new goalkeeper – but the 30-year-old has said that he would be willing to fly over for games if the club are struggling to replace him.

“As long as it suits both parties, if there is a need for me to come over until they sort something out, thenthere is not too much difficulty in that,” Tardif said.

“I feel a bit like I am leaving them in the lurch and if I can help them out, I will.”

Tardif showed his value to Town on Monday night, |producing a string of fine saves to earn his side their first win of the season at home to Dorchester.

The 1-0 victory gave the ’keeper his third clean sheet in a row – the first time this has been achieved since the end of the 2006/07 season.

“I hope the lads can push on and I am sure they’ll be all right without me,” the former Portsmouth and Oxford man said.

“All the talk in pre-season was that we should aim for the play-offs and I believe that is achievable.

“As a goalkeeper, it is always good to keep clean sheets but it is a team game.

“I have enjoyed playing behind the back four, especially the two centre-backs, and the whole team deserves the credit.”

Gray admits that Tardif will leave a big void in the squad but is confident he can find a replacement quickly.

“Chris has done well since coming in and is popular in the dressing room so he will be hard to replace,” the Town boss, pictured left, said.

“It’s a big blow but we are on the lookout for a replacement. There are a few ’keepers around who are not fixed up yet and we have a couple of weeks to get one in.”