DORCHESTER Town have sealed their eleventh signing of the close season after attacking midfielder David Jerrard agreed to stay at the Avenue.

Jerrard, who came up through the reserves at the club, is the Magpies’ fifth signing this week after Billy Lowes, Callum Laird, Neil Martin and Jake Mawford penned one-year contracts.

The county town side staved off relegation in the Southern Premier League last season after Jerrard’s 80th minute goal against Stratford Town helped Dorchester consolidate their position with a vital draw.

Boss Craig Laird was excited to have signed a player with his “pedigree.”

“David’s a good footballer with a good pedigree and is another player with a great future ahead of him,” he told Echosport.

“It’s great to get him on board with us again because he’s a good player and he’s only going to get better.

“Hopefully we’ll see a little bit more from him again this season.

“I think during last season we wanted him to do a little more defensive work because that’s an area of his game that he needs to work on.

“He’ll be good for us and it gives us another midfield option. All the players we have signed are aimed at building a future for the club this season and the next one and the one after that.

Club chairman Matt Lucas described Jerrard as a player that is improving year on year.

“David had been with the reserves for a couple of seasons. I think he can play very maturely and it’s great to have him for the coming season.

“Personally I think he’s a player who is only going to progress with some of the players he’ll have around him.

Jerrard scored six goals in 41 appearances for the Magpies last term and is a former AFC Bournemouth academy player, having spent seven years with the Cherries.

Dorchester director Dave Ring was also delighted to have secured the signature of Jerrard, saying that the midfielder has showed “real promise” in coming up through the reserves last season.