Folkestone Invicta star Scott Heard is on the verge of a move to full-time football with Dagenham & Redbridge.

The dynamic midfielder - who has previously had trials at Gillingham, Chesterfield and Maidstone - only signed for Neil Cugley's side last November after ending a six-year stay with home-town club Whitstable, with Invicta supporters contributing towards the transfer fee.

After the National League big-guns had a bid accepted for supermarket worker Heard, he is set to follow in the full-time footsteps of Johan ter Horst, who moved to Hull City in 2014, while Heard's former teammate Harry Smith swapped the Fullicks Stadium for Millwall this summer

Manager Neil Cugley said: “Dagenham have been keeping an eye on Heardy for quite a while now and though we may well miss his drive and energy we cannot stand in the way of anyone offered the chance of a full-time football career.

“Nothing’s signed just yet, but it should all be sorted out on Monday, and it goes without saying that we wish Scott all the very best for the future.”

Heard was a key member of Invicta’s Ryman League Division 1 South winning side last season and has started all 17 games so far this season, including Saturday's eye-catching win over Kingstonian.

Invicta CEO Cliff Egan said that Folkestone received a bid from the Daggers a few weeks ago and added: “Scott is relishing the chance to go full time and earn a living from the game.

“He has done brilliantly for us since we signed him late last year and goes with our best wishes.

“As a part time club we will not stand in a player’s way if he has a chance to better himself and forge a career in the game – but clearly it is our duty to make sure we get the best possible deal for the club - which I believe we have done. “

He added: “I must take this opportunity to congratulate Neil on signing Harry Smith and Scott Heard, both of whom we signed for small fees - which raised some eyebrows at the time.

“But not only did these lads both play their full part in our promotion to the Ryman Premier Division earlier this year, they have also turned out to be very good investments for this football club.

“Neil has always had a good eye for a player as these two deals have proved.”