PLYMOUTH Albion have suffered mixed news in their bid to retain two of their out-of-contract stars.

Last season's top points scorer Kieran Hallett has agreed to put pen to paper on a new deal at Brickfields, but winger Liam Gibson has turned down a fresh contract with the Championship club.

Gibson, who scored six tries in 30 starts last season, is expected to join big-spending London Welsh, who have already added Harlequins backs Josh Drauniniu and Wiasea Luveniyali, Doncaster centre Hudson Tonga'uiha and Leeds hooker Vili Ma'asi to their squad this summer.

Albion's chairman of rugby Graham Dawe is delighted that fly-half Hallett has commit himself to Albion, but disappointed that Gibson has opted to move on after three years at Brickfields.

Dawe insisted Albion made every effort to try and keep the Oxford-born England sevens winger at the club.

"We tried to keep him, but he wants to move closer to his home," said Dawe. "We have to respect his decision."

Gibson, 24, who claimed the Herald readers' player of the year award last season, arrived at Albion in 2007 from Newbury, where he had only made 15 league starts in three years.

Although he showed glimpses of his talent in the first two years, it was only last season that he firmly established himself as one of the best players in the Championship.

Dawe said: "We worked really hard with Liam over the years and he certainly came of age last season.

"But you have to accept that players come and players go.

"We just have to hope that we can locate a good replacement."

Dawe has not done too bad in recent years finding unknown wingers and turning them into sought-after players.

Before Gibson, Dawe signed Nic Sestaret as a replacement for Premiership-bound Lee Robionson, who the Albion boss had spotted playing for the Plymouth University.

If, as expected, Gibson does join Phil Greening's London Welsh side he will be battling it out with Drauminiu, Dominic Shabbo and Errie Claassens for a place on the wing.

Hallett, though, has followed Alex Davies, Martin Rice, Ruairi Cushion, Sione Tu'ipulotu, Keni Fislau, Tyler Hotson, Sean-Michael Stephen, George Porter, Rory Watts-Jones, Mark Lee, Tom Skelding, Wayne Sprangle and David Morton in agreeing to return to Albion for the 2010/11 season.

Ex-Ireland under-21 international Hallett has already spent two seasons at Brickfields. In his first campaign he claimed the club's official player of the year award — even though he missed the final four months with a serious ankle injury.

Last season he and Davies had a tremendous battle for the number 10 shirt. Hallett made 20 starts, scoring 147 points, including four tries, while Davies started 15 games, scoring 95 points.

Both players will be fighting again in 2010/11 for the all-important fly-half position.

Dawe said: "We're pleased Kieran has come back for training this week.

"We are looking forward to him playing a full part next season.

"It took him a while to adjust after his bad ankle injury and he lost the number 10 shirt to Alex on a few occasions, but he also won it back.

"Hopefully it will be ultra competitive again for that shirt next season and we can get the best out of both of them."

Hallett and Davies have both already had two full seasons at the club.

"Continuity is great, especially in the number 10 shirt," said Dawe.