DARREN Moore's relatively brief career at Burton Albion always divided opinion among supporters.

At the extremes of the views, some regarded the veteran centre-half as a liability – at the other end of the scale, he was a man of vast experience who was not used often enough to make a difference.

But he was not being used on the pitch at all by the start of this year and the announcement this week that his contract has been ended by mutual consent did not come as a surprise.

The reality of Moore's effectiveness on the pitch lay somewhere between the two extreme views and two games against Oxford United perhaps sum up his highs and lows.

His League Two debut for Burton, at home at the start of last season, saw him subdue Oxford's awkward striker, James Constable, utterly.

Constable scored twice in his next game, commenting afterwards that he had been fine once he had spent the first 10 minutes looking round to check that Moore was not still behind him.

Fast forward to March of the same season, however, and Moore, hustled off the ball, was forced to haul down Constable, conceding a penalty and getting a red card 11 minutes into the second half of a 3-0 defeat for Burton.

Moore is such a patently nice bloke, such a model pro and has had such a highly-regarded career that it is uncomfortable to suggest that time has caught up with him.

But that is how it began to look in his increasingly infrequent appearances for Burton.

After playing 37 times in his first season, he started only one League game this time around and had made three substitute appearances but, latterly, was not making the bench either.

Despite Moore's popularity, what leaves supporters frustrated is the fact that the player was, almost certainly, the highest-paid in the club's history and was promoted as a landmark signing for their second season in the Football League.

As such, the Brewers needed a greater return on their investment on the pitch, although it is not Moore's fault that he could not, ultimately, live up to the billing.

No doubt he is as frustrated with how it has turned out as manager Paul Peschisolido and chairman Ben Robinson.

It had been speculated that an agreement might be reached with Moore in time to free up some money in the budget for the January transfer window but, if any is now free, it could still be used in the loan market.

Manager Paul Peschi-solido admitted the club had been talking towards a deal with Moore for a month and says it has been an amicable process, as might be expected, given that the two are friends.

"Darren has been a big part of what we have been doing here," Peschisolido maintained.

"He's a great character and the lads all think highly of him, as do the staff.

"It's an amicable split and now we have to move things forward.

"In his first season, he brought us stability and his professionalism was echoed throughout the football club.

"A lot of the young players looked at him and looked at the way he carried himself, whether he was in the team or not.

"They can see that's the way they need to live if they want to be a professional for as many years as Darren Moore.

"On the pitch this season, due to injuries, he hasn't figured as much and that's the reason we've had to look at it from a business standpoint."

Moore, who will be 38 in September, has not actually called time on his playing career after 599 Football League appearances in a career which began at Torquay United in 1992.

"I've had a great time at Burton but that has come to an end now and, for myself, I now need to move forward," said Moore.

" I wish Burton all the best this season. I hope they finish the campaign very strong.

"They have a great chance of getting in the play-offs and finishing the season on a high.

"All of a sudden, from being a player, I've become a Brewers fan so I'll be watching with anticipation and hoping the lads show the good form they showed in the first half of the season.

"I just want to say thank you to the players, the staff, the manager, the chairman, the directors and, obviously, the supporters.

"My time here has been a wonderful time and I'll look on it with fond memories."