 Boyd never really forced his way back into the reckoning the following season as Vale were challenging for the play-offs in League One and he was released by mutual consent in 2004 to join Carlisle United until the end of the season.For the next two seasons Boyd could not forge a longer term deal with a club and ended up playing bit part roles for Carlisle United, Gretna, Macclesfield Town, and finally Accrington Stanley, before eventually signing for Conference side Southport before the 2006–07 season.His Southport career began disappointingly with a missed penalty in the team's first game of the season.