Rob Hughes has pledged to help Croydon climb the Football League pyramid.

The former Sutton United star, who was told he would never play football again after being severely beaten in a bar fight in Crete and needing four life-saving operations, scored in the Trams 3-1 win over Bookham last Wednesday, their first away win of the season.

He joined Croydon, who lost 2-1 at Molesey on Saturday, in December and says it was Dickson Gill's style of football that convinced him to drop down to the Combined Counties League.

"I heard Dickson was a good manager and I liked the way he plays football in a continental way," said Hughes.

"People have asked me why I am playing so low but I say I would rather play here and play football with a bit of quality.

"Since I have signed for Croydon I have had five managers ring me to try and get me to sign for them as they are two divisions higher and can offer me more money.

"But I think I will enjoy my football more playing for Croydon and a manager like Dickson, he has given freedom on the pitch to go an play football and play my natural game.

"My dream is to take Croydon through all the divisions and move them up to the highest divisions of non-league football and I believe Dickson can achieve that."

Hughes suffers from memory loss after the terrible beating he took while on holiday in 2007, and admitted it had been a long journey to get back on the football pitch.

"It's been a very difficult time for me and I am so happy to be playing football again," he said.

"I only remember bring in hospital for the last few days I was there, not the three months before that.

"I have seen videos of me being shown how to walk again and I don't remember it happening and wonder if that really is me.

"When I first woke up I never really thought about football, I didn't know what I was doing.

"But the first thing I moved was my legs and they thought that maybe all the football I have played over the years helped me with that."