Kistell signed for the Geoquip Stadium outfit in January, having been at Blue Square Conference North club Hucknall Town.

Kistell, 25, made 13 appearances for Matlock in his five months with the club, scoring three goals, including a vital 83rd minute winner against Eastwood Town and the club's final goal of the season, in the 3-2 home defeat by Ashton United.

Brown confirmed on Friday that the player had decided to ply his trade elsewhere after being told there was no guarantee of first team football for him at Matlock.

"He had good technique, but we weren't quite sure whether he was an 'in behind' player or a target man on his own," admitted Brown.

"We just felt it would be better for him to be playing somewhere and getting better rather than just getting frustrated on the bench."

Meanwhile, Dene Cropper looks set to stay and fight for his place in the Matlock frontline.

Cropper's 2007/08 season was again blighted by a knee injury after he missed the whole of the previous campaign, but he still weighed in with seven goals.

Brown said: "He will be with us at pre-season next Saturday (July 5).

"We have had a chat and we've outlined what we expect from him, and he's very hungry to try and prove to people that he's overcome his injuries."

Although some fans are anticipating that Simon Barraclough and new signing Ross Hannah will be the first-choice strike partnership, another forward - as yet unnamed - is expected to join in the first week of the pre-season.

Brown hinted that he and joint-manager Gareth Williams were looking at different attacking formations and insisted that there were no guarantees for any position.

"We want competition for places," he said.

"We want everybody hungry and I think it's one of the reasons why we have organised quite a busy pre-season fixture list."