Ross Hannah leaves Chester FC with a heavy heart and hopes supporters will understand he has taken the best decision for his family.
Speaking to The Chronicle, Hannah admits had the new deal the Blues offered him last week been put in front of him in January he would almost certainly have signed it.
But when discussions about the future were placed on hold mid-season, something the 30-year-old does not blame the club for, the door was opened for rival teams and his prolific form in front of goal ensured the striker was not short of suitors.
Ambitious Barrow AFC offered Hannah a two-year full-time contract and following much consideration the forward has no doubts the move to Holker Street is the right one.
"I can assure everyone that it wasn't an easy decision," said Hannah, whose partner is due to give birth to their second child imminently.
"I've been fortunate enough to play for some good clubs and leaving Grimsby and coming to Chester was fantastic for me. I fully appreciate everything the club did for me and my family were always very well looked after which is massive for me and it wasn't easy to leave that because I was settled.
"It has been a great season for me personally and I think I did what I was brought to the club to do and that was score goals.
"In the end those goals have probably helped keep the club in the division rather than push on for the play-offs which was the aim but I feel like I've done my job.
READ: Ross Hannah signs for Barrow AFC after turning down new deal
"Macca took over towards the end of the season and he's been absolutely spot on with me, and I think when I sat down with Steve Burr during the season if the offer that was put to me had been on the table then I would have signed it but it wasn't and the situation the club was in escalated which meant that things progressed elsewhere and that I had to take other factors into account.
"I don't feel like I need to explain my decision but there are things that people probably don't realise, for example Barrow will be training in Manchester next season.
"I know I was only there for a short time but I gave everything every time I pulled on the Chester shirt and I like to think I have been good for the club and the club has been good for me.
"Sometimes in football you have to make difficult decisions and this was one of those times. I'm sure anyone with a young family can understand that the most important thing is doing the right thing for them and this move is the right decision."
READ: Jon McCarthy 'respects' Ross Hannah's decision to move to Barrow AFC
Hannah scored 23 league goals for the Blues and a further three in the FA Trophy and while the 2015-16 campaign has been a difficult one for the fan-owned club, the Sheffield-based striker looks back on his time with fond memories.
The ex-Bradford City man picks out the 3-2 win against Wrexham , the 8-2 demolition of Aldershot Town and his hat-trick against Torquay United as highlights, although singles out his penalty in a 1-1 draw with former club Grimsby as his most memorable goal.
"It would have better if we'd have held on for the win but for me personally scoring against Grimsby was a special moment because my last season there had been a frustrating one," said Hannah.
"I've still got a great relationship with the manager there and I was delighted to see them get promoted but scoring that goal was big for me and I think it showed them what I could do.
"The goal against Cheltenham early on in the season was an important one too because it was my first goal for the club and obviously they ended the season as champions but I think my favourite goal was probably the volley against Aldershot although as a striker my third one against Torquay was a good one too."
Towards the back end of the season Hannah suffered a pulled hamstring in a 2-0 defeat against Lincoln City and it was feared he would miss the final three games of the campaign as the Blues battled against relegation.
He recovered to return to the squad for the trip to Grimsby in the penultimate game but found himself among the substitutes after the pairing of Kane Richards and James Alabi impressed in his absence.
Hannah came off the bench to sign off with two goals in a 4-2 win over Gateshead on the final afternoon and believes in Alabi and particular Richards can prosper next season under manager Jon McCarthy and assistant boss Ian Sharps.
He said: "I got injured at probably the most important stage of the season and I think a lot of people probably feared the worst, not so much because I was injured but because results weren't very good and we weren't scoring many goals so they were worried about where the goals were going to come from.
"That gave Kane an opportunity and to be fair to him he grabbed it. I've got a lot of time for Kane because he listens and he wants to improve and he's got a lot of potential. I think he's got a very bright future if he continues listening to the right people and I've told him that.
"It's strange how in football one door opens and another one closes and I don't think there's anyone better for him and James to work with at this moment than Macca and Sharpy and if they can score goals regularly in the National League then I'm sure the two of them can go and have very good careers."
