STRIKER Amari Morgan-Smith has joined the legions of York City players ready to commit their future to the club despite relegation to National League North.

The 28-year-old forward, who is out of contract having spent the last five months of the season on loan at Bootham Crescent from League Two outfit Cheltenham, has told The Press that he wants to help the club bounce back and carry on playing for Gary Mills.

Having started all 25 of the Minstermen matches since his mid-January arrival, Morgan-Smith will also feature highly on Mills’ wanted list for 2017/18.

Confirming his desire to remain on City’s books, the ex-Luton and Kidderminster attacker said: “It was a tragedy going down, but I want to stay – most definitely.

“I’ll have to sit down and make sure everything is right off the field, but this is a great club and I want to make sure it moves in the right direction. The gaffer is a massive part in me wanting to stay.

“He brought me in and I’d like to play under him for a few years. Hopefully, everything will be right off the field and we can get cracking.”

Morgan-Smith played at National League North level seven years ago for Ilkeston Town, where current City football consultant Darren Caskey was assistant manager.

On the possibility of plying his trade in the English game’s sixth tier again, he added: “I don’t know if the standard has changed and we’ll have to see, but I know we will roll our sleeves up and come back ready to go.”

Wolverhampton-born Morgan-Smith’s natural goalscoring game was modified a little under Mills, who employed him in deeper and wide positions, while Jon Parkin the focal point of attacks in a 3-4-3 formation.

He still managed six goals for the Minstermen and would have no problem continuing to put the leg work in for 35-year-old veteran Parkin next season.

“He gets all the plaudits and I do all the hard and dirty work,” Morgan-Smith reasoned. “But I’ll do that for the team and work my socks off for the club, because he’s always a handful.”

The former England C international also appreciated the chance City gave him to play at Wembley, having missed out on his only previous opportunity – against Mills’ men – five years ago.

“The last time I had the chance, I didn’t make the squad for Luton against York ironically in the play-off final and a lot of top players have graced the pitch, so it felt really good to go down and get the win,” he admitted. “We knew Macclesfield would try and get the ball down, pass and try and make the pitch as big as possible.

“They did and it was hard work for us, but we dug in to come out on top.”

Morgan-Smith was involved in the game’s first talking point under the famous arch when he charged through on goal in the third minute, only to crash to the floor when last-man Andy Halls seemed to impede him just outside the penalty box.

The Silkmen’s skipper escaped any form of punishment as referee Paul Tierney waved play on, but the 6ft forward insisted: “I’d never go through on goal, especially at Wembley, and just fall over.

“I was in on goal and he clipped me but, fortunately, we got the important goals to get us the win.”