Striker Jack Midson can play a big part for Sheppey United as they make the step up next season.

Assistant boss Marcel Nimani is looking forward to welcoming the 38-year-old back for pre-season after a knee injury kept the veteran frontman sidelined for most of the club’s quadruple campaign.

Midson is expected to be available to join in training when the squad get back together at the end of the month ahead of their Isthmian League campaign, having committed to another season playing.

“Despite how successful we were last year, we still very much missed Jack,” said the assistant manager.

“He has a record for scoring goals and he proved that in the first quarter of the season and in the lockdown tournament. Up to the point where he was playing when he got injured he was among the leading scorers in the league.”

The former AFC Wimbledon striker hit 10 goals in 18 games during the 2020/21 campaign that was cut short because of Covid.

Last season started well for Midson, top-scoring in the post-lockdown friendly tournament and then netting 13 goals before picking up an injury in October.

He had surgery on the knee and Nimani is confident the striker still has what it takes.

“This is a guy who has been wired for 20 years to play football at high standards,” said the Sheppey no.2.

“As long as his muscles and his bones allow him to play, his cognitive ability, his ability to think and execute the skills, he’s still got it. He has looked after himself, he is healthy. He takes care of his body and as long as his injury doesn’t stop him I am confident he will be successful.

“He is a great character, great to have around the changing rooms, he knows how to manage himself correctly and has a lot to share, a lot to give, he is always great to have around.

“I am confident that when he comes back playing he will score goals but Jack is also very complementary to the way that we play, he brings the likes of Billy Bennett and the wingers into play, it is a real benefit to have him in the side and his hold-up play is very good.”

Midson will run the club's academy next season but is delighted to still be playing, telling the club's website: "The club have been fantastic to me and I’ve really enjoyed my time with the first team playing – and then coaching when injured. Working with the youth team has also been great to help bring some of the next generation through.

“I’m more than happy to stay and play at Sheppey United and help them on their journey.”

Sheppey have kept most of last season’s squad - with defender Dan Birch the latest to be retained - but more new faces are likely with seven players from step four level invited to training when pre-season gets under way.

Nimani said: “We haven’t agreed a deal with any, we have opened the door to them to see how they fit into our system, we are very picky. We will look at those seven. We will have to wait and see and if all seven are good enough then our policy is that it’s a competition and all places are available if you are good enough.”

Following two training sessions, the Ites kick off their pre-season schedule at home to Kennington on Monday, July 4 (7.45pm).