PLAYER-COACH ROLE BEHIND STRIKER’S SWITCH

Ashford United have signed prolific striker Paul Booth from Tunbridge Wells to bolster their attacking options in their bid for promotion from the Southern Counties East Football League. Booth, 38, who scored 31 goals for Folkestone Invicta and Tunbridge Wells last season, made the decision because he wants to get involved in coaching. He said: “They offered me an opportunity to coach as well as playing and (manager) Paul Chambers knew that’s what I am looking to get into. “It’s a step in the right direction and I’ve got some friends already at the club and that’s what sold it to me.

“I still enjoy playing, I played in a charity match the other day and loved it and I can carry on but when you get to this age, you have to think about prolonging your career in football.”

Ashford were not the only club in for Booth but he did not want to sacrifice moving further from home to play in a higher league.

He said: “I had a few clubs who were after me, some that you wouldn’t expect. A Ryman Premier and Ryman South side but they were in Surrey so it was a bit further than I wanted to travel.

“I spoke to Paul Chambers after the Cup final for Tunbridge Wells and he was nterested in signing me.

“It’s an exciting time to be at Ashford with the signings they’ve made and playing on the 3G pitch will be great.”

Booth always sets his targets high and thinks there are still a few more goalscoring seasons left in him before he hangs up his boots.

He added: “You always set a target of 20 goals and anymore is a bonus.

“If I start to not score so many goals or am not getting into the right areas, then it might be time to think about different things.

“I just want to play football, score goals and enjoy myself.

“It would be nice to finish my career at Ashford but it’s football and you just don’t know what’s going to happen.”

‘It’s a step in the right direction and I’ve got some friends already at the club’