Kurtis Guthrie does not have particularly fond memories of Accrington Stanley, even though they were the first club to give him his big chance in professional football.

Front-runner Guthrie, Colchester United’s leading scorer with 11 goals, moved to Accrington from his Jersey base in 2011, after stints on the island at St Clement and Trinity.

But the 23-year-old dropped into non-league, following his one and only season with Stanley, mustering just 13 senior appearances with no goals.

Instead he re-established himself at Bath City, Welling United and Forest Green Rovers, before getting his second opportunity at Football League level with the U’s, from last summer.

Guthrie has not looked back since, and has helped himself to nine goals in his last 14 outings to boost the U’s play-off credentials.

“There’s no love lost, between me and Accrington,” insisted Guthrie.

“They are just a club that took me on at the time, and that’s all they are there to me now. I don’t talk to the manager (John Coleman) or anything.

“So it’s just another game for me, and another chance to get three points.

“I think leaving Accrington was the best thing for me. Going to Accrington at the time, it was a club that did not have a lot of money anyway and the facilities were not the best.

“So it was like starting right from the bottom of the professional game.

“I then came out of that environment completely, rebuilding my career, I think that was the best thing for me.

“Sometimes players have to go through such times in their careers, to move on, and if anything I am thankful that it ended badly for me at Accrington.

“Instead, I was able to go and find a completely different route. That has helped me to build as a person, start from scratch and rebuild my career, so I see it as a positive,” added Guthrie.