HOTSHOT striker Matt Pratley admits he made the hardest decision of his career in turning down a move to Southern League side Swindon Supermarine.

Pratley, 24, said the chance to win the Screwfix First Division with his best mates was too much of an opportunity to walk away from.

He said: "My head wanted me to go but my heart told me to stay. I am playing with my friends who I go out drinking with and do not want to leave them.

"I would have been gutted if I went to Supermarine and the lads won the league. If we were mid-table and all the other players were not my mates I would have gone to Swindon."

The Southern League West outfit issued the seven day transfer request last Wednesday and it took the striker until Saturday to make up his mind.

"I spoke to their manager (Mark Collier) and he sold the club to me. For a while I did not know what to do, it was so tempting to go.

"It is extremely flattering that a club two divisions higher came in for me. It was tempting.

"I might live to regret my decision as you don't know what will happen. But I have been part of this side and we are near the top of the table, I want to finish what we started."

Pratley, who has helped Calne to third in the league with 13 goals this season, still has ambitions to play at a higher standard.

"People might question my ambition as I turned down a move up. It might be a different story at the end of the season and my chance to move up leagues might come around again," he said.

Calne manager Kelvin Highmore said the news could not have came at a better time. He said: "I'm over the moon he is staying. He is an important player and we would not want to lose him."

He believes it would take something special to prise one of his players away. "The team spirit here is amazing and there is a big buzz in the changing room at the moment." he said.