Sheppey United striker Dan Bradshaw was ready to retire - but the new manager’s tempted him to have one more season.

Bradshaw held positive talks with new boss Kevin Watson, which means his plans for next year will have to go on hold for a little longer.

The prolific finisher, who ended the past campaign with a two-game play-off spell at VCD Athletic, said: “Normally I would have already bought next season’s boots by now. I couldn’t do it.

“Me and my missus had made all these plans and then the gaffer’s brought me in for a meeting and we had a good chat. He expressed how he wanted to do things next year and the way he wanted to play.

“He said, ‘Look, I’ve heard that you might be hanging them up, but I just want you to know that we still think you can give us something’.

“With the new gaffer coming in going, ‘Yes, we still want you. We still think you can do a job,’ that gave me a little bit of a boost.

“You’re a long time retired. A lot of people have said, ‘Don’t do it. Don’t retire’. I thought, ‘Do you know what - I’ll go one more year!’”

Bradshaw, 34, has scored a record 159 goals in 231 games for The Ites but readily admits his body is showing the signs of a long career in non-league football, which has restricted his playing time, but the goals are never far away.

He was comfortably into double figures again last season and ended the season scoring VCD’s winner in the Southern Counties East Premier Division play-off final.

It’s a new beginning for Sheppey next season under Watson, who takes charge following the passing of club legend Ernie Batten.

Bradshaw has always hoped to see out his playing career with Sheppey and is keen to have a season under the new boss.

He said: “I’m excited about what he wants to bring to the table as well. I want to experience that. I’ve never played under Kev.

“I’ve had the opportunity to play under him a few times where he’s tried to sign me and for whatever reason I didn’t join. But I have wanted to play under him for a while and what he said excited me.

“I’m sort of preparing for next year now and I think the missus half knew in her head I might give it another year.”

Bradshaw’s now on the hunt for a new set of boots.

“I want some proper classic ones for my last year,” he said.

“I do think this will be my last year because I have got plans to do stuff after football. I want to go into coaching and my body is starting to struggle a little bit, it’s starting to tell me I need to chill out a little bit.

“The injuries are starting to come a little bit more frequent and there are longer periods of time for recovery and stuff like that.

“I was genuinely going to call it a day this year but if I can get another good season, I think that would be me done.”

Sheppey have confirmed their ticket prices for the 2025/26 campaign in Isthmian South East.

Adult season tickets (for 21 league games) cost £140, which works out at £6.66 a game. Concessions (over-65s and students) are £70 and youth (15-17) £42. Prices go up in July to £160/£80/£48.

Matchday admission is frozen at £10 for adults, £5 concessions and there is now a £3 youth rate. Under-14s are admitted free with a paying adult and Blue Light Card holders will get in for half price.