Chelmsford City's leading goal scorer and recently crowned Player of the Year, Ian Cambridge, looked set to shock supporters by walking out of the club only hours after the end of the season

The 24-year-old striker, who netted 31 goals as one of the leading marksmen in all the three Dr Martens League Divisions last season, was favourite to team up with ex-City player-coach Chris Tovey, now in charge of Cambridge City.

Tovey, who is also Cambridge's boss as a groundsmen at one of the university colleges, has tried repeatedly during the last few weeks to sign Cambridge in a bid to help his side escape relegation from the Premier Division.

Cambridge, who was under contract at City until midnight last Saturday, had been offered improved terms by manager Gary Bellamy and had also been encouraged to stay by City Chairman, Peter Stroud, but he declined to sign at the weekend.

Now, despite being popular with the fans and having initially indicated he would stay, the persistence persuasive talk by Tovey looks to be persuading him to leave.

Another attraction is that Cambridge City are staying in the Premier Division, despite ending third from bottom.

This is because Hastings have withdrawn from the league and Margate have failed to gain promotion as their ground has not been given the 'A' grading needed for premier football.

"I am disappointed but that's the way football goes - we have done everything possible to keep Ian at Chelmsford but clearly other factors are influencing him to leave," Bellamy said.

The good news for City though is that goalkeeper Paul Catley, signed on loan from Braintree Town in mid-February, has signed a one-year contract.

"This is a good signing for the club and was crucial, looking ahead to our promotion aims," Bellamy said. "Paul has done exceptionally well since arriving, and he has made a great deal of difference to our defence - if we had signed him earlier we would have finished higher in the league."

Bellamy also hopes to sign another out of contract Braintree Town player, midfielder Shane Bailey, this week.

"Shane is another player I have been keen to sign and again he is the sort of midfield player who also gets forward and scores goals," he said.

All the other first team squad players have now signed for next season with the exception of young Neil Coburn who has still to decide upon his future playing plans.

Bellamy is already talking to several other experienced players with a view to strengthening the squad and he hopes to have these all agreed within the next few days.

Teenager striker Tesfaye Bramble, who has signed another contract, was to have had a trial with Luton Town this week but a hamstring injury forced him out.

"Tesfaye will go their for pre-season trials and we will take it from there," Bellamy added.

All the City players report back on July 10 with the new season kicking off on August 14.

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