NEWPORT County boss Justin Edinburgh believes he had no choice other than to let Christian Jolley leave the club after the striker joined Forest Green Rovers on loan, writes Michael Pearlman.

The Exiles have confirmed that the striker – who scored 15 goals in the 2012/13 season between December and April when the Exiles were promoted, including in the play-off final at Wembley, is returning to the Conference on an initial one month deal.

Jolley was signed by the Exiles for around £10,000 in January 2013 and helped to fire his new side to promotion.

However, injuries and a lack of form meant he hit the net just twice last term and he’s yet to get off the mark for this season.

And for those reasons, Edinburgh believes this deal is vastly different to the other agreements struck recently that have seen Jamie Stephens, Kyle Patten, Shaun Jeffers and Joe Parker depart for loan moves to the Conference North or South.

All have left in search of much needed minutes, particularly long-term injury victims Patten and Stephens, but it is goals that Edinburgh is hoping Jolley can find at the New Lawn where he’ll be re-united with former Newport captain David Pipe.

“Christian does need games, but we’ve looked at it, I’ve sat down with Christian and we’ve discussed it at length, but in this instance I think the idea is he goes there to a new environment and maybe see if it can reignite him,” he said.

“First and foremost he needs the minutes, but I think we owed it to Christian to allow him to do that, to try and get back to his best.

“It’s the right time to do that and hopefully Christian can rediscover his goal touch.”

Edinburgh has confirmed County have money to spend if they want to attack the loan market again and he suggested at today’s press conference that he’s ready to add to his ranks.

“We have enabled some funds, we might need to (make a move) with the injuries we’ve had,” he said.

“We will probably look to bring another striker in and maybe a defender, if our finances allow us to do that.”

However, Edinburgh has dismissed suggestions that the players who have departed on loan have done so purely through financial motivation on the clubs behalf.

“There are all kinds of reasons for it, minutes on the pitch, form, goals, everything like that,” he said.

“Jamie Stephens and Kyle Patten have been injured and need games that they won’t get here at the minute and we only have one or two reserve games every couple of months,” he said.

“The same with Shaun Jeffers, there is everything there for him to be a player, but he needs minutes on the pitch to learn the game.

“And Christian needs a spark to get him where he was, we didn’t have to juggle any money to bring Joe Day in and I don’t think I have to justify moves that are going to develop our players.

“The fans were fantastic with Joe Pigott, Joe Parker needs games as well, but now with Christian going out with have freed up some significant funds and won’t be asking supporters for any assistance.

“It isn’t about getting one out to get one in; it is about doing what is right for my players and for me, so that we can be successful at this football club.”