Former Brighton & Hove Albion youngster Joe Gatting has given up football to concentrate on a career as a professional cricketer.
Gatting signed professional terms with the Seagulls in the summer of 2006 after proving himself to be a prolific striker in the clubs youth and reserve sides.
The forward made fifty-two senior appearances for the club in all competitions with thirty-seven of those coming from the substitutes bench. The forward scored just four goals at first-team level.
After reviving a promising cricket career in 2009, Gatting who is the nephew of former England captain Mike Gatting split his time between semi-pro football and cricket.
This season Gatting has turned out for Ryman League Division One South club Whitehawk and the 23-year-old forward has hit eleven goals for the Hawks since joining in September.
“I would like to thank Gatts for all his hard work – he was different class when he was with us,” said Whitehawk boss, Darren Freeman.
“He gave us a different option and his professionalism was excellent. He has helped us immensely. Cricket is his main thing but I would like to think we would see him back here in the future.”
