DORCHESTER Town have secured teenage winger Ben Morris for the upcoming Evo-Stik Southern Premier South season.

Morris, who made his first-team debut as well as scoring his first senior goal for his hometown club against Staines last year, also spent time on dual-registration with Bridport during the previous campaign.

After agreeing terms for another season with the Magpies, Morris, who has made six career appearances for the club said: “It’s really good as I didn’t know too much what was going on.

“But to get a message from Cal (Brooks, boss) to say that he did want me to sign on, to come in and get it done quickly was nice.

“Obviously I was really keen to get signed on because I want to stay down here, try and impress and stake my place in the first team.

“As well as Cal I’ve known Jody (Rivers, first-team coach) since I was quite young as he was my coach for a couple of seasons playing youth football at AFC Bournemouth, so I’ve got a good relationship with them. They’re really nice guys who definitely want the best for the club and to help take it forward.

“It’s the same kind of feeling for me as last season as I’ve still got a lot to do – I want to be in the matchday squad every week and I want to earn my place, so it’s just building on the foundations I set last year.”

Commenting on his 18th summer signing, manager Callum Brooks, said: “It’s common knowledge that we’ve recruited fairly strongly and well over the close season, and as much as it’s our responsibility to be bringing established players in, it’s just as much our responsibility to be working with and developing young players.

“That’s a massive part of what we want to do as a football club and what I believe in, and Ben falls into that category.

“Ben is someone I’ve known since I coached him at AFC Bournemouth under-12s, so I’ve known him a long time and obviously I know what potential he’s got. Now it’s a case of having a firm programme of development in place to make sure Ben has the best chance to fulfil that potential.

“We want to build on what Ben did last year. He’ll bring his experiences that he gained at Bridport and his new level of quality, attitude, determination and all those other aspects of the game you have to pick up when you play results-based football in (on July 2) where it’s a new start with a clean slate.

“We will then gauge where he is at, taking into consideration what he did last year, on his plan of progression as we head towards the season.

“I’m seeing Ben as a first-team player – he’s going to get the exact same opportunities as every other player we’ve got, and how well he grasps that is down to him. Whatever happens we do expect to see him progress to be at a higher level than last season and be further along the development trail.

“He’s a cracking young man and he’s a talented player, and I look forward to continue working with him.”