CRAIG Pettigrew this week admitted choosing to leave Talbot to pursue his senior dream left him feeling 'ill’.

The Bot stopper has confirmed he will be quitting the junior giants in the summer to join League One outfit Stranraer.

And after six years at Beechwood, the 27-year-old admitted it was a tough decision to make.

He said: “I’ve been ill thinking about it for the last month. Talbot are the biggest and best junior club and I’ve loved my time at the club.

“I just want to thank Tommy Sloan and Alan McLuckie for their coaching, the committee for all their support and, of course, the fans who have been absolutely brilliant. I can’t thank them all enough.

“But we won the West of Scotland Cup and that was the only I hadn’t won and it completed the set and it’s a good time to leave.

“I feel I’ve unfinished business in the seniors and want another chance to prove myself at that level. I started my career at Ayr and didn’t feel that I was given a good shot at it.” Stranraer made attempts to snap up Pettigrew and Bryan Young last summer and finally got their hands on their man when he committed to them this week.

It’s not the first time that Talbot’s top stars have been linked with senior clubs and Pettigrew leaves Beechwood Park with the blessing of gaffer Tommy Sloan.

Sloan said: “It’s always a blow losing a player of Craig’s quality. There’s absolutely no question he has been successful here and it’s hardly surprising he’s attracted interest.

“I spoke to Craig a few months ago and told him that if it was something he really wanted to try then he had to take this opportunity so I was chuffed for him when he told me and there’s no hard feelings.”