Ricky Wellard has vowed to repay the faith shown in him by Terry Brown after the AFC Wimbledon boss revealed this week he sees the new signing as the catalyst for the Dons’ Blue Square Premier campaign.

After tracking Wellard for over a season Brown finally nailed his man this week, snapping up the Ashford Town creative force after months of negotiations.

And with the Dons manager dubbing him the best passer in non-league football, the 20-year-old admits he cannot wait to get started.

Wellard said: “It was great to hear the boss saying that, and now I just have to go out there and prove him right.

“I like to have the ball constantly - the more I have the ball the happier I am.

“I do not see it as any extra pressure because I put that pressure on myself and I am really looking forward to it.

“I’m really confident in my ability and I know I can succeed.

“Most of the squad at Wimbledon have not played at the Blue Square Premier level so we are all in the same boat, and I just want to get out there and start playing some games.”

The Dons first tried to entice Wellard to Kingsmeadow last summer but Ashford balked at the price.

And Wellard revealed that disappointment only spurred him on.

He added: “It is always a big boost when a club like Wimbledon come after you.

“I was frustrated it didn’t work out last year, but I was also happy at Ashford.

“I knew that if I had a good season last year there was a chance that Terry might come back for me, so i worked harder than ever last season.

“That hard work has paid off.”

Wellard fired 25 goals in 190 first team appearances at Ashford, and Brown will no doubt hope he can replicate that form at his new club.

And the midfielder, dubbed Bones due to his thin appearance, reckons that even after just a handful of training sessions, he already feels at home.

Wellard added: “I’ve fitted in really quickly - the lads have made it very easy for me.

“Football is a small world and there are quite a few of the players here that I know anyway.

“Everybody is really confident and the place is still buzzing after promotion last year.

“Now we need to have a good pre-season and get some points on the board as quickly as possible.”