Sutton United outcast Dean Sammut has issued a come and get me plea to his home town clubs after admitting his chances of turning professional are unlikely.

The 19-year-old former Crystal Palace schoolboy was told he was surplus to requirements at Gander Green Lane last week and is eyeing a possible move to Croydon Athletic or Carshalton Athletic.

Sammut, whose dad is a caretaker at Trinity School, is searching for his third club since being released from Selhurst Park having had a brief stint at Barnet prior to progressing into the Sutton first team last year.

The electrical wholesaler made 28 appearances for United under Ernie Howe having graduated from the youth team ranks.

The youngster reckons he is worth a punt in the Ryman League Premier Division as he re-adjusts his footballing ambitions in the lower leagues.

And he believes he is a safer bet for either the Robins or the Rams, rather than bringing in talent from outside the area – the kind of move that ultimately forced him out of Sutton.

“I’m definitely capable of playing at Ryman League Premier Division level and, given a few more years, I don’t see why I can’t push myself on to a lot higher than that,” he said.

“I look around and see a lot of the players I was with at Crystal Palace playing for the likes of Aldershot and I wouldn’t say any of them are any better than me. I’m probably not going to play professionally now, but I’d like to get to the highest level I can in amateur football.

“If you are a local player you give more for the club.

“I always keep an eye on Croydon’s and Carshalton’s results because I’m from the area and, when I played for Sutton, I gave my all.

“If you are bringing in players from far and wide you don’t get that same loyalty.”

Sammut began his football career as part of the highly successful Edenham High School side and still remembers the day he was offered schoolboy terms with his favourite club.

The team – containing first year Arsenal professional James Dunne – swept all before them and even appeared in a showpiece cup final at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge.

“With the likes of James Dunne, Tom Webber-McCartney – who did well at Brentford – and Mark Elsthom, who has just been released by Arsenal, we clearly had a really good bunch,” he added.

“Palace gave me a six-week trial. I had a Palace season ticket at the time and when they said they wanted to sign me as a schoolboy it was the most exciting day of my life.”