JUDE STIRLING is keen to earn another crack at League football - and he believes that working under Clive Walker at Dover Athletic can help him to achieve that goal.

It was something of a surprise when the big defender announced he had turned down an offer to join Nationwide Conference South outfit Bishops Stortford, especially as it would mean a much shorter journey from his north London home.

But 22-year-old Stirling, one of the players brought to the Hoverspeed Stadium by previous manager Steve Browne, explained: "Since Clive took over he has helped to improve my game. I want to play professionally again one day and I think Clive can help me to do that because I respect him.

"Without getting too personal, he reminds me of my dad in the way that he always wants to get the best out of people."

And Walker is delighted that Stirling is staying. He said: "We’ve got a great team spirit at the moment and Jude is a big part of that."

Stirling played 11 games in Luton Town’s first team five years ago when Ricky Hill and then Joe Kinnear were in charge, but he then dropped into the non-league game and now coaches youngsters.

Stirling trained with the England Under-18 squad while he was at Luton, having started his career as a youngster with Wimbledon, so he has a fair amount of experience under his belt already and insists that he is really enjoying life at Dover despite the relegation battle.

"As I left the pitch after the Chelmsford game, I said to one of the lads ‘These [Dover] fans are quality’.

"I couldn’t believe how they stayed behind us when we were losing before Clive arrived, and now I think we are starting to give them some reward.

"We are all really focused on making sure we stay up because the fans deserve it."