After more than seven fond and memorable years at Bury Town, highly-rated goalkeeper Marcus Garnham is ready for a fresh start in the non-league scene.

Following a swift move across Suffolk that has just been finalised, Garnham will make his debut for AFC Sudbury at Romford today, looking for a new challenge in the game he has fallen out of love with of late.

Since joining Bury Town as a 19-year-old from Woodbridge Town, Garnham, now 26, has won many accolades and plaudits in the local non-league game, firmly establishing himself as one of the county’s best stoppers.

But after a seven-year long rollercoaster ride that has seen him win promotion, win Premier Cups, reach the FA Cup First Round Proper and captain the side, Garnham has decided that a new challenge away from Ram Meadow is needed.

“It’s been in my mind for a little while,” declared Garnham, who has been part of a struggling Bury side that sit in 23rd position in the Ryman Premier Division before today’s home game against Tonbridge Angels.

“I was umming and ahhing in the summer about what to do, and I’ve decided that I just want a fresh start and to be in a positive frame of mind.

“I just feel it’s time for a change and I need to focus on what I need to do.”

Garnham is his own biggest critic and sets himself extremely high standards as he explains.

“I haven’t really being enjoying it lately – I come home on a Saturday night and feel miserable,” he added.

“I feel like I’m not playing at the level that I have been and sometimes you just need to focus on yourself – perhaps I’ve been worrying and caring about other people too much.”

Garnham has many great memories in a Bury shirt, but cites winning promotion from the Zamaretto Division into the Ryman Premier on a dramatic final day in 2010 at Ram Meadow as his favourite.

“I can’t thank everyone at Bury enough,” said the stopper, who has signed for Sudbury initially until the end of the season before he will re-assess his future again.

“They gave me the opportunity to show what I can do and have allowed me to build my reputation. The fans, the chairman and the manager have all been brilliant. Will I ever go back? Never say never.”