STRIKER Mike Symons will be looking to pick up where he left off at Worcester City after returning to the club.

The Blue and Whites player-of-the-season in 2011-12 has agreed a one-year deal for a second stint following a season with Oxford City.

Symons netted 33 goals in two campaigns with Worcester before joining their Conference North rivals last summer.

But he struggled to make an impact at Court Farm Place, scoring just five times in a campaign that only saw Oxford avoid relegation due to Vauxhall Motors resigning.

However, Worcester manager Carl Heeley has always managed to coax the best out of Symons having taken him from Gloucester in 2011 following a barren spell.

Heeley is now hoping the 27-year-old can boost City’s firepower after only bottom-of-the-table Workington scored fewer goals in the division last season.

“I am delighted to have Mike back. We didn’t want to lose him last season and he’s delighted to be back as well,” said the City boss, whose side only managed 40 goals in 42 league matches.

“He’s scored goals every season he’s been with us. We seem to get the best out of him and I am confident we can do that again.

“Hindsight is a wonderful thing but if he could have the time again he probably wouldn’t have left. I see the hunger in him that he had when we first signed him.”

Heeley, who has offered new deals to Daniel Nti and Ethan Moore after they scored 28 goals between them last term, continued: “Mike gives us something we lacked last season – the big target man who gets hold of the ball, keeps it and stops it coming back.

“We have got pace in the side but we lacked that focal point and he’s brilliant at that.”

Symons’ return will be well received among fans who voted him player-of-the-year in his first season with City after scoring 19 goals in helping the team finish seventh.

Fourteen more goals followed during the 2012-13 campaign as Heeley’s side finished 15th.

But the club’s departure from St George’s Lane 12 months ago sparked a period of uncertainty and Symons was among those to opt for pastures new.

However, his move to Oxford proved unsuccessful and he endured a relatively torrid time in Mike Ford’s side.

He did not get off the bench when Oxford won 2-0 at Aggborough in December.