Brackley splash the cash to lure Moore to St James Park

The former Aston Villa striker is expected to complete his move to the Northamptonshire side ahead of their clash with Gainsborough at the weekend and Holleran said there was simply no way Brakes could compete with the financial package offered by their rivals.

“If we’d been talking £100 or £200 difference then Stefan Moore wouldn’t have moved on,” said Holleran.

“Brackley made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

“When you consider where he has played before, he described this as his best offer in football.

“I don’t want to make him sound like a mercenary - he could have got more than we offered in the summer and turned down two approaches this season.

“Stefan has been brilliant for Leamington and I’d sign him again tomorrow if I could.

“I certainly wouldn’t rule out seeing him in a Leamington shirt again in the future.”

Despite his disappointment at losing his star striker, Holleran said trying to match Brackley’s offer would have set a dangerous precedent.

“The football club did a lot to try and hang on to him.

“But we’ve got a structure and we’ve got to try and stay within our means.

“We don’t want to go down the road where we stretch ourselves.

“The job for us now is to find another Stefan Moore.”

Holleran is hoping that player could be Danny Newton,who has made the move in the opposite direction after joining Brackley earlier in the season.

Newton is set to sign a deal until the end of the campaign and his capture signals the end of a long chase for the Brakes boss.

“I tried to get him from Barwell earlier in the season after he scored ten goals in 13 games and I also tried to sign him when he was at Hinckley and Nuneaton.

“He’s got plenty of pace and he joins a young, exciting group of players.”

Newton is expected to make his first start on Saturday when Brakes visit Solihull Moors.