Joe Gormley leaving Cliftonville for Peterborough Utd

THE Irish League’s top scorer is heading to England to ply his trade.

Joe Gormley – the hitman striker at Cliftonville – is on his way to Peterborough United.

The board of the north Belfast club have accepted an undisclosed offer for Gormley from the League One side.

Now it is up to Gormley to hammer out his wages and personal terms before he leaves Belfast for the Cambridgeshire club.

Gormley scored 40 goals last season, including five hat-tricks, as he broke his own club record for the number of goals scored in one season.

The 26-year-old had three years remaining on his Solitude contract.

Gormley, the NI Football Writers’ player of the year in 2014, joined the Irish Premiership side from Amateur League club Crumlin Star in 2011.

He won back-to-back Premiership titles with Tommy Breslin’s side, as well as three successive League Cup triumphs.

Fans are disappointed at him leaving but are at the same time delighted he is going to progress his career among the big boys in England.

In the last two season the Reds have lost their two best front men.

Liam Boyce left last season to play for Scottish club Ross County.

Manager Tommy Breslin will have to use his best scouting skills to bring in players of the calibre of Boyce and Gormley.