Tooting & Mitcham boss Billy Smith admits winning promotion last season has made it a lot easier to keep hold of star striker Paul Vines.

Vines fired 26 goals in an injury-ravaged campaign for the Terrors, culminating in his Ryman League Division One South play-off final winner against Cray Wanderers.

And, on the back of 40-plus goals the season before, scouts were sniffing around the 24-year-old.

Smith said: "Paul is very happy here and I certainly think the fact that we went up had a lot to do with it.

"We are a happy club - the boys all get on with each other and that is 90 per cent of the battle.

"The clubs who released Paul earlier in his career are probably kicking themselves.

"We have given him a chance here and he has shown us what he can do.

"If you are playing football and you are enjoying yourself, that makes a big difference."

Smith accepts Vines may eventually leave the club if he maintains his goalscoring exploits in the Ryman Premier Division.

But he is determined to enjoy having the hotshot while it lasts.

Smith said: "You can be very lucky in football.

"Charlton have just taken a risk on Stuart Fleetwood and, if you look at Peterborough, they got promoted with a side made up of non-league players.

"Someone may well take that chance with Paul.

"He played a lot of games for us last year and I thought he improved over the season.

"I love managing him. Not only is he a good footballer but he is a good lad as well."