Whitstable Town striker Ian Pulman says the chance to join Blue Square Bet South side Eastbourne Borough was too good to turn down.

The 26-year-old former Chelsea youngster has moved to the Sussex club after scoring 71 goals in 136 appearances at The Belmont.

Last season's Town player-of-the-year, Pulman will be back in familiar territory at Eastbourne where he netted four times in 16 games during a loan spell in 2003/04. The Sussex club are believed to have kept a close watch on his progress since.

Pulman (pictured) netted 28 times in 47 outings for Town last season, helping them to avoid relegation from Ryman League Division 1 South.

During the course of the campaign he turned down approaches both from Faversham and Thamesmead Town, but he says when Eastbourne came knocking it was an offer too good to miss.

Pulman told the club's website said: “I told Peter Nott (the Whitstable manager) that I was only interested in playing in the Ryman League for Whitstable as I have so enjoyed my time at the Belmont.

"I think that the number of goals I have scored since I have been at the club shows just how happy I have been and if this offer had not come along then I would have been playing at Whitstable next season and aiming for the play-offs.

"I believe with the manager and the players at the club, the set up behind the scenes, the fans, everything tells me we can play at a higher level. But it’s a big chance for me to play at the best level that I can, and I would forever regret not taking the opportunity that I have now."