ACCRINGTON Stanley boss John Coleman was left to put on a brave face yesterday after losing John Miles to Blue Square Premier side Fleetwood Town within hours of the start of pre-season training.

Coleman was left furious after Miles went back on an agreement to sign a new one-year deal at Stanley and then chose to inform the Reds that he had joined ambitious Fleetwood by text on the night before yesterday’s first day of training.

The midfielder had been with Stanley for the past three seasons and follows fellow key players Michael Symes, Bobby Grant, Billy Kee and Darran Kempson out of the exit door this summer.

“We are just disappointed he didn’t have the courtesy to phone one of us,” said assistant boss Jimmy Bell.

“John (Coleman) just got a text on the night before the start of pre-season training.

“He had said he would sign and we took it for granted that he would, but Fleetwood have offered him more money.”

Coleman said: “As much as you want to keep together a squad that I thought was very good last season, it’s happened to us before.

“We’ve lost good players and we’ve had to move on and we’ll do the same this time.”