GRAVESEND manager Liam Daish’s long term pursuit of Welling central defender James Smith looks set to end in success.

The two clubs have agreed an undisclosed fee and the player is expected to complete the move to Stonebridge Road before the weekend.

Daish has had two bids of £2,000 rejected for the 19-year-old but succeeded with an increased third offer.

Wings manager Adrian Pennock confirmed: "I’ve been talking to Liam Daish since the start of this week and we have agreed a fee. I’ve said before that I didn’t want to lose Smith but he wants to leave the club."

Daish said: "We’ve made Welling what I would call a decent offer. But there are one or two things that have still to be resolved so I’m not prepared to say that he’s our player – yet."

Daish’s need to complete his transfer business sooner rather than later assumed greater urgency with this week’s announcement that the Nationwide Conference will introduce a transfer window next season.

It means Conference clubs will not be able to sign players after the end of August, bar a one-month period during January.

Daish gave the idea a cool response and said: "I cannot for the life of me understand how a transfer window will benefit clubs at our level.

"It might benefit the bigger clubs who carry bigger squads but not the smaller ones."

The club have confirmed that Justin Skinner has agreed a new one year deal.