Alfie May says Hythe Town will always have a special place in his heart as he continues to build a career in professional football.

This time last year, May was scoring goals for the Cannons in the Isthmian League and his form was attracting the attention of Football League clubs.

He trained with Gillingham and Stevenage but it was Doncaster who showed the most interest and May signed for Rovers when the transfer window opened in January.

May, 24, is loving life in the EFL but insists he won’t forget his non-league roots in Kent – especially playing for Hythe manager Clive Cook.

He said: “I scored lots of goals in non-league and played under some quality managers, Matt Longhurst, Tony Russell but Clive was like a father figure.

“He knew how to get me up for games, he would ring me on a Friday night and buzz me up.

“I’m still in touch with Clive now and when I get a chance to go back to Hythe, I watch them as much as I possibly can.

“They just helped me out. Even when Doncaster made a bid, it seemed like it was all going to fall into place because the club and Clive wanted the best for me.

“He knew where I stood, I knew where he stood and it was a good relationship.

“When you’ve got someone like that, who wants it for you, it makes it a lot easier. The 18 months I was there, I played 65 games and scored 50 goals so it was a great time.

“When I first signed, we were second-bottom but we went on a mad run and got into the play-offs.

“The togetherness in the changing room was unbelievable. You couldn’t wait for the next game because you knew how good the changing room was.

“I try to get to Hythe a lot and I’ll always support them. They’ll always be in my heart.”

May, who played against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium earlier this season, has a message for non-league players dreaming of following in his footsteps.

He said: “You’ve got to be mentally strong. I was going to give up trying to be a pro because I was getting on.

“I thought I was only ever going to be a non-league player but I got my head down and stayed focused to keep myself in the shop window.

“Every game, put 100% in, never give up, keep your attitude the same and never get down. When you step on the pitch, just do your best and work hard.”