Luke O'Brien has turned down the chance to stay at Oxford United and signed a contract with Gateshead.

The left back's short-term deal expired at the end of the season but was given a chance to stay on at the Kassam Stadium.

O'Brien appreciated the offer, but the chance to join a club where he could stay with his young family at Bradford was too good to turn down, even if it meant dropping into the Blue Square Bet Premier.

He said: "It's closer to home and I'll be able to travel up on the day most of the time.

"There's nothing wrong with being at Oxford, I got offered another deal but it was just too hard doing the travelling and being away from my family."

The 24-year-old joined as a free agent last September, going on to make 18 appearances for the U's last season.