Alex Akrofi is targeting a fifth career promotion after joining Ashford United.

At 28, the striker has been something of a lucky charm over the years.

He won two promotions in one season, helping Maidstone to the Isthmian Premier title and scoring a hat-trick in the Isthmian North play-off final while on loan at Brentwood.

He went up again with the Stones a year later and has also fired Aveley to glory.

Akrofi arrives at Homelands after spending the bulk of last season at Carshalton.

He endured a rare dry spell with the Robins but is ready to put that behind him and help Ashford achieve their goal of Isthmian South East promotion under new manager Kevin Watson.

“Last year was the first year I didn’t have a good season,” said Akrofi.

“There were a lot of reasons for that - injury, I had concussion at one point and missed three weeks - and I’m looking forward to putting that right and having another promotion push.

“I’ve been lucky enough to be part of four promotion-winning squads and if I could get to five that would be good.

“I started the season at Aveley but it became very clear by September I wasn’t going to play.

“We’d gone up a league, the manager changed formation and I was more on the bench, so I went to Carshalton with Steve (McKimm), who I played for at Tonbridge.

“I’ve never really been a left-winger but I was playing there and doing all right and then winter came and we were running at some point with 12 players, which didn’t help, and we fell away.

“This is a fresh start and I’m looking forward to being at Ashford, working with Kev, Adam Flanagan and Tommy Osborne (Watson’s management team).”

Watson had previously held talks with Akrofi while in charge at Cray Valley.

He went back in for him after succeeding Tommy Warrilow at Homelands and made a big impression on the forward.

“I just got a feeling with Kev,” said Akrofi, who had interest elsewhere in the division.

“I’ve spoken to him before, twice, and I’m quite excited to play for him.

“The way he wants to play, I’ve never played in a team like that.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how I adapt to that and hopefully we can be a really good match.

“We spoke about a few different positions and formations, all really interesting and thought-provoking.

“In terms of sit-down meetings with a manager, it was one of the best I’ve had.

“We sat for a long time - I didn’t realise how long - just talking about tactics and football and I felt really comfortable in his presence.

“He seems like a really nice man, and he knows what he’s talking about. I think we’ll have a good season.”

Akrofi burst on to scene as a pacy, energetic forward, who would not give defenders a moment’s peace.

Those qualities helped earn a move to Maidstone at a young age and while he’s tailored his game slightly, Ashford fans can largely look forward to more of the same.

“I still have the same characteristics,” he said. “I’m not going to change too much but I’m more considered in the way I play.

“My movement in the box is probably a bit better and my chance conversion is probably a bit better but that comes with experience.

“When you get to 28, you know who you are as a player, as opposed to when I was 19 or 20 at Maidstone.

“I know who I am, what I’m good at and I’ll try to use that to full effect. When I lose my pace I’ll stop playing. I won’t be one of those strikers who ends up finishing at right-back.”

Akrofi had a taste of Isthmian South East with a brief spell at Hastings several years ago.

This will be his first full season in the division and he’ll soon be up to speed on the clubs to look out for.

He said: “Everything’s nice and fresh. I played four or five weeks at Hastings but this is a new league for me.

“It’s going to be really exciting.

“There’s good players everywhere and it’s going to be a competitive league. Bring it on.

“I’m still learning the league in terms of the real big players and big teams but by the time we kick off I’ll be fully detailed on everyone.

“By August, I’ll know exactly who everyone is.

“At the moment there seems to be a lot of ambition/finance and so, naturally, good players gravitate towards that.

“I think it’s going to be a really fun league. You’ve got to relish these challenges.”