Folkestone Invicta manager Neil Cugley has backed Stuart King to progress to the Football League after the striker was a double winner at the Ryman League awards night in Brighton on Saturday.

The 23-year-old forward (pictured) won the Ryman League, Division 1 South Golden Boot award after 24 league goals in 24 starts and was also included in the division’s team of the season.

King finished the league’s top scorer despite missing most of the early part of the campaign following surgery on tendons in his arm, and boss Neil Cugley said: "People tend to forget how long Kingy was out for and it was a great achievement to win the Golden Boot and be in the team of the season.

"I sense there is still a lot of room for improvement where his general game is concerned, and if he works at it I definitely think he could play in the Football League.

"He should be aiming to score between 30-40 goals next season and if he does that then people will take notice."

King is under contract at Invicta until the end of next season but Cugley added: "We are not going to stand in his way if the right club comes along."

With fit-again Paul Jones raring to go after an injury-plagued last couple of years and James Everitt keen to maintain his good form, Cugley will not be short of striking options.

He said: "I don’t think we have got a gaping hole that needs filling anywhere because we’ve still got most of the side who did well last season."