STRIKER Shaun Okojie will join Aldershot Town from Corinthian-Casuals on July 1.

The prolific Okojie, 21, scored 40 goals in 39 starts to help Casuals reach this season’s Ryman League Division One South play-off final, having scored 17 in just 20 starts in the 2015-16 campaign.

He previously had trials at Chesterfield and Blackpool and attracted interest from 14 Football League clubs, including West Bromwich Albion.

Named both Manager’s and Supporters’ Player of the Year for last season, the 6ft 3in striker began his career at Hitchin Town, where he scored 31 goals in 14 starts for the Canaries’ U19 side.

Okojie said: “I’ve been to the EBB Stadium to watch a couple of games before and it’s a really nice club. I’ve seen what Gary Waddock has done with the young players he’s worked with and how good he is at developing players, and I want to progress. I’ve turned down Football League clubs because I don’t want to rush – I want to improve my craft and get to where I need to get to in the time that I need.

“I want to play men’s football. There’s a big difference between that and Under 23s football and I know Gary will help me improve. He didn’t really have to sell the club to me. I already knew what he was about and what he’s done. I know he’s a good manager.”

Gary Waddock said: “He ticks a lot of boxes. To get that amount of goals, at whatever level, you must have something. He’s a presence at six foot three and will give us a different dimension to what we have in the squad.”

Aldershot earlier signed former Maidstone United winger Bobby-Joe Taylor on a one-year contract. The 22-year-old played 45 games for The Stones in 2016-17, scoring nine goals and making eight assists, and last week made his England C debut against Panjab FA.

Having started his career in the Chelsea and Gillingham academies, Taylor made eight appearances for League Two Cambridge United in 2014-15 before being a part of Maidstone’s National League South 2016 play-off final winning team.

Taylor scored in the final against Ebbsfleet and in total made 83 appearances for Maidstone. While at Cambridge, he had loan spells at St Neots Town, Arlesey and Bishops Stortford.

“I had a good two years at Maidstone United, but for me it’s time for a new chapter in my career,” said Taylor. “My first chat with Gary Waddock was a bit different to ones with other managers and in terms of coaching and being able to get the best out of me, I think Gary fits the bill.

“Other clubs were offering me more financially and I had an offer from League Two, but it was a no-brainer for me to sign for Aldershot.”