NEW striker Wes Fletcher is confident that he will hit the back of the net on a regular basis for York City.

The 22-year-old former Burnley forward, who was released by the Clarets at the end of last season, has scored goals during loan spells in the past for Grimsby, Stockport, Accrington and Crewe.

He did not manage to continue that record after being farmed out to Yeovil in March but was limited to just one substitute appearance for the Championship-bound Glovers and believes that, if City boss Nigel Worthington gives him a chance to impress next season, he will deliver in front of goal again.

After signing a two-year deal with the Minstermen, the 6ft 2in attacker said: “Right through from Burnley’s youth team and the reserves, I’ve always scored goals and my confidence for scoring goals has never dipped.

“I just need to keep playing to get going and then the goals come.”

In hindsight, Fletcher feels that his move to Yeovil last season was always ill-fated with his hopes of ousting 39-goal, strike-partners Paddy Madden and James Hayter always appearing slim.

He did not stay at Huish Park long enough to be part of the Somerset club’s historic Wembley play-off final celebrations and, on his south-west stint, Fletcher admitted: “It was a tough time and I don’t quite understand why they sent me down there.

“It seemed a good opportunity but, with the position they were in and the number of goals their main striker had, I don’t think I was ever going there to play week in, week out. I felt I was there to push their strikers as a warning that they could lose their place if they didn’t keep going.”

Just weeks later, Fletcher was told he was surplus to requirements at Turf Moor and, since then, there has been interest in his services from both League One and Two.

On his summer options, he added: “Tranmere rang me up and said I could train with them and have a trial there and I also turned down Morecambe because I wanted to come here. I thought this would be a good opportunity to play under Nigel because he looks like he will go for it next season.

“Morecambe might be closer to home for me but I like living away. I knew the manager at Morecambe (Jim Bentley) having played against him for Burnley reserves so it was a tough decision but I feel I have made the right one.”

As a schoolboy, Fletcher played up front alongside current England international Danny Welbeck for Manchester United under-12s.

“He was small back then but has progressed a lot since,” the new Minsterman said of his former team-mate.

Later, Burnley spotted Fletcher playing county football for Lancashire after he had two seasons playing for Liverpool’s U15 and U16 sides.

Any regrets at only making two League Cup appearances for Burnley in four years, however, are outweighed by the opportunities he foresees following his transfer to North Yorkshire.

“Being released by Burnley has led to more positives than negatives for me because it will give me the chance to get out and play football,” he reasoned. “At Burnley, I was training all week and wanting to play on a Saturday but, then, I was ending up training on Saturdays as well and that’s the most frustrating thing ever.

“A lot of people think football is a great job and they are right but, when you’re not playing, it’s not the best. The manager has told me he will give me the opportunity to show what I can do though and I can’t wait to get going.”

Despite his height, Fletcher focused on his ability on the deck when asked to reveal his main strengths as a forward, revealing: “I’ve got pace and I like to run in behind defences on to the ball but I’ve also been working a lot on my game to be a more complete player.

“I just want the club to be in as high a position as they can be next season by everyone doing their bit, hopefully with me putting the ball in the back of the net.”