Lowestoft Town have sacked former Norwich City striker Danny Crow.

The Trawlerboys have terminated the striker's deal with immediate effect for a serious breach of contract.

Crow's role in taking the club's academy and reserve team players away from Crown Meadow with his company, 'Road2Pro', left the Blues with little option but to dispense with the ex-Canary.

Lowestoft had been using a third party in Active Development Education (ADE) to help provide their scholarship programme and when the youngsters returned over the summer they learned that ADE, under Crow's Road2Pro banner, had taken the scholars away from the club.

Upon learning of Crow's involvement Lowestoft suspended the player before sacking him shortly after. Crow, who was also a coach with Blues' academy, appealed to the Ryman League, and to the FA, but both failed. Chairman, Gary Keyzor, said: 'Crow's contract has been terminated due to a serious breach of contract. These appeals have been a massive cloud hanging over the club and it's been an absolute nightmare.'

The loss of Lowestoft's academy system has had a direct impact on the first team this season. Plans were made in pre-season for manager Ady Gallagher to run with a small first team squad of 17 players, which would be supplemented by academy players.

When this was lost it left the Blues susceptible to injuries and suspensions, which has led to the Blues' stuttering start to the season.'I feel sorry for Ady and Dale (Brooks, assistant manager) in particular,' added Keyzor. 'They had a budget and they signed players like Rory McAuley on the understanding the squad would be filled out with youngsters.

'Look where it left us in the Histon game. We had two goalkeepers on the bench and a trialist. It's been demoralising for us.'

Keyzor insists lessons have been learned from the whole episode and discussions are already underway for a new academy to be set up by the start of next season.

The Blues chief admits it will take some time for the club to repair the damage.

'Three years' hard work has been for nothing – it will take at least two years for us to get back to where we were,' added Keyzor, who confirmed Michael Spillane's Lowestoft future could also be in doubt due to his involvement with Road2Pro. 'But we will come back – I've been speaking to education providers.

'We will show that we've learned from this. We'll only employ people ourselves and we won't be using external people.'

Crow was unavailable for comment.