Stamford AFC manager Graham Drury rejects higher level job offer after his side defeat Kidderminster Harriers in FA Trophy tie

Manager Graham Drury feels something special is being created at the club after the Stamford boss followed three of his players in pledging their commitment to the cause.

Drury has been the managerial target of a higher level club while the highly-rated trio of Rob Morgan, James Blunden and Cosmos Matwasa have all been the subject of seven-day transfer approaches this season.

But they have all rejected the offers of moving elsewhere with Drury determined to make more memories for the club on the back of their terrific FA Trophy triumph over Kidderminster Harriers on Tuesday night.

He said: "I'm proud to say that I am more than happy where I am following an offer from a higher level club.

"I'm interested in keeping building memories at Stamford. It's now my 10th season at the club and I've brought some really good nights and days.

"I appreciate everybody at the club from the gate lady to the tea lady to the chairman and right through.

"I've got a fantastic group of players who have stuck by me and they all believe in what we are trying to do. They believe that something special is happening here.

"The three players have been offered more money to move elsewhere, but they have all stayed so that is credit to them.

"All the memories are now distant ones though and it's about achieving more things.”

Stamford have now been given the green light to resume their league campaign following an agreement between the Government and the Football Association to allow a percentage of fans to attend their South East Division games.

The campaign had been on hold since the start of the national lockdown last month due to the restrictions imposed on clubs in tier three areas.

But the Football Association has now received approval from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) for a limited return of home spectators to be permitted at clubs if they are situated in tier three areas.

Stamford can now have 200 fans at the Zeeco Stadium with their next scheduled home match being against league leaders Loughborough Dynamo on Boxing Day.

Having been forced to play their FA Trophy tie against Kidderminster behind closed doors on Tuesday night, Drury is relishing the prospect of crowds returning to the ground.

He added: "I can't wait to get the fans back because they have been brilliant.

"It is a shame that we can only have 200 because, after the result on Tuesday night, we would perhaps have doubled that.

"The boys really deserve that sort of support, but we have got a fantastic crowd which is appreciated by myself and the players."

Stamford's planned league trip to Newcastle Town this weekend has been postponed until later in the campaign.

Centre-half Sean Wright has been handed a three-game suspension following his sending off at Kidsgrove last Saturday.