Mitch Brundle has revealed he turned down Football League clubs to sign a two-year deal at Dover this week.

The former Cheltenham midfielder, having left Whites’ National League rivals Gateshead, was offered a return to the EFL.

But Dover’s ambition to get there themselves persuaded 22-year-old Brundle to relocate 300 miles from the North East and have another crack at promotion from non-league’s top flight.

He said: "I was in talks with a few Football League clubs and I had a few offers in this league. The League clubs were tempting but at my age, you’re more worried about the game time than anything else.

"You could go there and not play for a whole year and then people start forgetting about you – your name’s not as popular as when you are playing.

"I know Chris Kinnear has been trying to sign me for a few years. Feeling wanted is the main reason for coming here.

"It’s nice for someone to name all your attributes and say ‘I’ve been looking at you for a good while’.

"It’s another team that pushes in the play-offs and that’s the reason I moved to Gateshead from Braintree because they were in the same position Dover are, always in and around the play-offs.

"My ambition is to get into the Football League and that’s why I chose to come to Dover."

Brundle spent two seasons at Braintree and helped them reach the play-offs against all the odds under Danny Cowley in 2015-16.

He finished eighth with Gateshead this season, making 34 appearances.

Brundle said: "Once you get in the play-offs, you don’t want to go to a team that’s not going to be pushing and going for it. You have that hunger and you get the feel to play in the play-offs and there’s no better feeling than trying to get promoted.

"I know from playing against Dover it’s always a tough game. They’ve got the new stand going up and you can see they’re pushing to be up there and keep themselves there.

"I know the chairman’s passionate about getting promoted and it’s a club on the up. To offer me a two-year deal, it shows how much the club wanted me. It gives me a bit of stability. Because it’s a long move, I have to do it the right way.

"I’ve got to think of myself and my family but it’s worth the move."

Brundle arrives with a reputation for being versatile but he said: "I’m more of a central midfielder, box-to-box, with a lot of energy. I’ve got an eye for goal and I’m good on dead balls. I get up and down and never give anything up.

"I can do the covering if necessary but I do prefer to play in midfield and that’s where Chris wants to play me.

"I’ve played in League 2 so I’ve had a little taste and want to get back there."