 After making over 100 appearances for City, and winning the Conference League Cup in 2001, he was allowed to leave in early 2003.After 18 months with Leigh RMI, he played for a host of non-league clubs including Northwich Victoria, Stalybridge Celtic, and Southport.Lancaster moved to the United States in 2005, initially to coach at a high school, but soon got the chance to play competitively again.