Boro boss Graham Westley has confirmed the club are looking to sign midfielder Stacy Long. The 24-year-old has just been released by Ebbsfleet United after the Kent club couldn t afford to keep him on after having their playing budget slashed and Boro lo

Boro boss Graham Westley has confirmed the club are looking to sign midfielder Stacy Long.

The 24-year-old has just been released by Ebbsfleet United after the Kent club couldn't afford to keep him on after having their playing budget slashed and Boro look to have beaten off competition from the likes of Crawley Town and AFC Wimbledon for his signature.

"I've long admired the creativity Stacy offers and I've had the chance to watch him on several occasions this season to see his potential first hand," Westley told The Comet. "He is a very good footballer and would be a tremendous acquisition for us.

"He is quite an in-demand player and I believe the likes of Crawley and AFC Wimbledon have been looking at him.

"We've lost Gary Mills and John Martin and if we could bring in Stacy then that compensates for their losses alongside the signing of Joel (Byrom)."

Long, who would become the club's fifth signing this summer, will be remembered by Boro fans for his excellent strike at The Lamex Stadium during the club's 3-2 win against Ebbsfleet in the FA Trophy semi-final first leg.

But Westley has warned against fans expecting that sort of contribution every game adding that the player should be judged over what he does over the course of a season.

"We've got to be careful because there's a temptation to think because they do something good against you that they will do that all the time," added the Boro boss.

"It's what they do over 46 games that matters and, if he signs, he would be an asset."

Long would replace the gap left by Gary Mills' move to Mansfield last week and Westley revealed the former Kettering man decided to swap The Lamex Stadium for Field Mill to find regular first team football.

"I had an option to keep Gary if we had wanted to. There is no doubt he is an excellent midfielder at this level and I think he will go on to have a real impact at Mansfield.

"He did not play a lot of football for us last year and I think he wanted to go and get regular first team football.

"I think that with the signings that we have made he felt that he was going to be behind others.