MALVERN Town have pulled off a big transfer coup with the capture of talented striker Mark Shepherd.

The former Kidderminster Harriers and Worcester City ace has chosen Neil Hunt's Travel Factory Alliance side over higher-ranked opposition.

Gloucester City, Cinderford Town and Bromsgrove Rovers are among those believed to have been chasing the 27-year-old.

Hunt feels Shepherd can be a 20 goal-plus man for Town to help fulfil their ambition of taking the Alliance title at the second time of asking.

The signing certainly confirms Malvern's ranking as a side on the up following their 2004 promotion from the West Midlands League.

Hunt, who has also swooped for ex-City and Evesham man Marc Burrow, said: "Mark's a local lad and we've fought off other clubs.

"It shows we must be doing something right if we can sign these sort of players up.

"I've been chasing him for the last 18 months and I've finally got the man I want.

"He could be worth 20 to 25 goals a season at our level of football.

"I do think he needs to get his appetite back a bit for football and we want to help him do that."

Shepherd was in and out of the Solihull Borough team that was relegated from the Southern League Premier Division last season.

He played one game for Malvern, scoring against Romulus, and has previously been among the leading scorers at Southern League level.

Shepherd started off as a promising striker with Harriers but did not quite make the grade at the highest level of non-league football.

Meanwhile, Hunt intends to use the versatile Burrow as a centre-half if he can, adding: "That's where he played his games for Worcester."