Former Birmingham City academy star Reece Brown has been released by Forest Green Rovers following their relegation out of the English Football League.
The midfielder is one of three former Blues players who have been allowed to leave the New Lawn, who have dropped into the National League after a second successive demotion.
David Davis, who has not played this season and Dom Bernard, who also came through the Blues youth set-up, have also cut ties with the Nailsworth-based outfit.
Bernard leaves after more than 180 games for Rovers and having been part of the team which won promotion to League One in 2022.
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Brown is now looking for a new club having played just 12 times for Forest Green this season and having made just two substitute appearances since Steve Cotterill replaced Troy Deeney in January.
Cotterill, who will stay on and try to steer Rovers back into the Football League, was not able to arrest the club’s slump despite producing seven wins in his 19 games.
And Brown was not able to contribute in the final weeks meaning his two years in Gloucestershire has come to an end. The 28-year-old was once considered one of the brightest prospects in the Blues academy, with his technical ability earning him a first team debut at just 17-years-old in September 2013.
He was given his first start a few months later and seemed set for a bright future after signing his first professional deal in January 2014.
However, his star waned after an unsuccessful loan spell at Notts County and when Lee Clark was replaced by Gary Rowett first team opportunities dried up. He was released in 2017 and signed for his first spell at Rovers where he had two good seasons and helped Forest Green reach the play-offs in 2019.
That earned him a return to the Championship when he signed with Huddersfield Town, he also played for Peterborough before returning to Rovers following their promotion to League One.
