BASINGSTOKE Town manager Jason Bristow has continued his close season rebuilding campaign by convincing Manny Williams to sign a new one-year deal at the Camrose.

The Gazette exclusively revealed that Williams had agreed terms on a new contract last week and the striker, who scored 12 goals in 23 appearances after joining the club midway through last season, has now put pen to paper.

Bristow said: “It is great news that Manny has committed himself to the club. He was one of the main reasons why we were able to turn the corner after Christmas last season.

“We brought him in because we were creating chances but not scoring. I thought he was an instinctive goalscorer, a penalty box player, but when he came in, he showed a lot of experience and proved that he is about more than just goals.

“He did not score in his first five or six games but his overall contribution was outstanding and when he did get that first goal, he never looked back. Manny was fantastic for us and we are really glad to have him for next year.”

Williams, who is 31, began his career at Notts County and had spells at Concord Rangers, Bowers United, Leyton and Yeading. However, it was at Maidenhead that he made his name, scoring 30 goals in the 2007-08 campaign.

His form attracted interest from clubs at a higher level and he signed for Woking in 2008. Things did not work out for him at Kingfield and he spent much of the season out on loan to clubs back in the Blue Square Bet South.

He joined Havant and Waterlooville in 2009, scoring 24 goals in his first season at the club, but he left in the summer of 2011 to rejoin Maidenhead. The striker was on the move again last summer, going to Hayes and Yeading United, before joining Basingstoke last December.

Bristow remains in the market for four new players, including two strikers. However, one of his priorities is a goalkeeper following last week’s departure of Ashley Bayes, with former Staines and Dartford ’keeper Louis Wells rumoured to be in talks over a move to the Camrose.