IT was an emotional goodbye to one of the biggest characters to ever don a Salisbury shirt.

Saturday marked the end of an era for hard-hitting defender Steve Walker, who leaves the Ray Mac after 18 months.

Although he didn’t feature in the 1-0 victory over Shortwood United, the 26-year-old was applauded by hundreds of fans on the full-time whistle.

Speaking exclusively to JournalSport, he said: “It’s very upsetting. I feel heartbroken.

“Words cannot explain how I feel with this club, I love it with all my heart.”

Walker’s shock departure, which was announced on Friday, comes after spending unwanted time on the bench.

Before Saturday, he had sat on the sidelines for four of the last six league games.

And he was left fuming after being an unused substitute in Salisbury’s 3-1 defeat to Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South and West leaders Hereford – and made his thoughts clear on social media, tweeting “16-hour day yesterday to sit on my ass and watch a game of football! #Fuming #sickeningtowatch”.

He then travelled to Bishops Cleeve and came on as a substitute in Salisbury’s 5-0 victory.

Afterwards, Walker confronted boss Steve Claridge on why he has been dropped in recent games – and was told he wouldn’t be a regular.

“Not through being big-mouthed in the dressing room, he [Steve Claridge] has got a style of play he wants to be playing,” he added. “Last year I was a first-team regular and now he cannot promise me starts every week.

“Unless there’s any injury, I’m not going to be playing, which is part of the reason why my time has come to an end at Salisbury.

“I’m going to miss every single one of those boys. They’ve spoken and texted me. I’m the character in the dressing room and I’m the one who says stupid things and gets everyone going. Without me it will be a shock.”

Despite the departure, Claridge says they part on good terms.

“When I took this job over I said I wouldn’t lie to players because I got lied to as a player,” he said. “I’m not going to lie to anyone and I said ‘if everyone was fit then no, you wouldn’t play, you wouldn’t be in the first team’.

“He then chose to say ‘if that’s going to be the case and I’ve got to wait for an injury, it’s best that I leave’. I wasn’t angling to get him out. All I was doing was being honest with him.

“We’ve got a really good relationship and I think he appreciates that I was honest with him. Never at any stage have I wanted him to go.

“He’s been fantastic for us and I wish him all the best.”

Since the announcement, Walker, who was involved in a horrendous car crash from which he escaped with minor injuries a month ago, says he has been inundated with messages from fans.

He continued: “To be honest, I’ve had a little tear in my eye for all the messages I’ve had from the club. The fans here are fantastic. Unless you are talking Hereford, you aren’t going to get a better crowd in non-league. The crowd are vocal, they sing along and sing my name. I’m not being big-headed when I say it but I’m obviously a fans’ favourite and have upset a few people, which I totally understand. But they’ve got to understand that I’ve got to go and play football. I cannot be sitting on a bench with the distances I’ve been travelling.”

Walker, who describes himself as an “old school” centre-half that is “big, ugly and horrible” has signed for Blackfield and Langley in their quest for promotion from Sydenhams Wessex Premier.

He’s reunited with teammates Jamie White and Sam Wilson.

Joining Walker out of the door is Ashton Leigh.