Royston Town boss Steve Castle says Adam Marriott is ‘welcome’ at Garden Walk if his football league move doesn’t work out.

Last week CrowSport revealed the prolific striker was looking for a more away from the Crows and back to the football league after one season, following a 31-goal campaign.

Marriott’s strikes helped Royston to seventh in the Southern Premier League last season but Castle responded by saying he’ll not stand in the way of a move for his top scorer.

Speaking to CrowSport, Castle said: “If Adam gets a move to a higher division he’ll go with everyone at Royston’s best wishes.

“He’s scored a hell of a lot of goals for us and if he gets something, nobody would me more pleased for him than me. If it didn’t work out then he’d be welcome to play for us for as long as he cared to.

“However I’ve been in football god knows how long now and things never quite work out how you imagine. Adam’s agent has said he’ll get the move but I’m a bit more sceptical it might not happen.

“If it doesn’t I’d like to think we would be his first port of call and he’d carry on with us.”

Castle’s Crows are amongst the favourites for the new Southern League Central next season and the legendary former Leyton Orient captain is hopeful Marriott will still be playing at Garden Walk in August.

He said: “When I spoke to him he was very positive, he said he wouldn’t be looking to go anywhere at a similar level, he really enjoyed it with us.

“He’s at a crossroads, he hadn’t had a lot of games before he came to us, he now has a full season behind him and he’s back scoring goals but the issue is if he can do it in league football, which he won’t know until he tries.”

“He can see that if a move didn’t work out straight away, banging in 20 goals before Christmas might improve his chances even more.”

With Marriott’s expected departure, Castle said he’s looking for a new centre forward this summer, as he also ‘doesn’t see’ John Frendo staying.

However, Castle confirmed the resigning of much of Royston’s ‘very strong spine,’ as Sam Corcoran, Adam Murray, Joe Welch and the man named manager’s player of the year at Royston’s awards evening last Thursday, Scott Thomas, all confirmed their return to Garden Walk next term.

On Thomas, Castle said: “He’s an unsung hero in that he’s not a goalscorer, not one for a crunching tackle but he always seems to be in the right place at the right time.

“He’s a very well thought of player and we’re very lucky to get him on board, he delivered what we’d missed when he came in.”

Thomas also scooped the player’s player award at the awards night with centre-back Adam Murray named supporters’ player and Dan Bathwaite president’s player of the year.

Paris Coldicott-Stevens was the big winner among Royston’s ladies first team on the night, picking up the manager’s and player’s player of the year award.