Striker Fletcher Toll has committed his future to Heacham Football Club.
Toll plundered 31 goals as the club won an eighth successive promotion from the Thurlow Nunn First Division North last season and it was widely believed that he would leave the Heacham Sports Field in the summer.
But despite interest from both Dereham and Wisbech Town in recent weeks, the 18-year-old frontman has decided to remain loyal to the Magpies.
Heacham boss David Griggs welcomed the news, saying: “We’re delighted that Fletcher has decided to stay with us.
“We were concerned that he might leave for another club and now we haven’t got to go out and look for another number nine.
“To score as many goals as he did in the league last season was a tremendous achievement and I only expect him to continue to improve.
“You have to remember that he missed three weeks of last season with a shoulder injury and he still managed to score more than 30 goals.
“Next season he will come up against bigger, more physical and experienced players so it will be a little bit of a learning curve for him.
“If he scored 20 goals at the next level that would be a fantastic effort and that has to be his first target.”
Next season, the Magpies will face local derbies against Sheringham, Fakenham Town and Downham Town, as well as mouth-watering clashes with the likes of Ely City, Newmarket Town, Dereham Town and Lakenheath.
And Toll revealed that he couldn’t imagine himself playing anywhere else as he looks to take his goalscoring exploits onto the next level.
“I feel such a part of the Heacham family so to speak and I couldn’t imagine myself being anywhere else,” he admitted.
“They’ve told me their plans and hopes for next season and I very much want to be a part of it.
“It’s another new challenge and the club have been great to me. The coaching team have been brilliant, the older players in the side have been very supportive on the pitch and the supporter’s on the sidelines have given me extra motivation on the pitch.
“I know I’m far from the complete package. I’m still very young and learning, but I feel as though I’ve got plenty more left in the tank.”
