Last season he emerged as one of Farnborough’s  most prolific marksmen in front of goal, but Nic Ciardini insists there is more to come from him next season.

The talented 19-year-old scored 17 goals from midfield last campaign, producing some superb displays when  former boss Andy Clement deployed him just behind the two strikers.

After spending most of his Boro career at left-wing back in previous years, goals were something of a rarity. He had scored just once before last season, but the change in position saw him become one of Boro’s leading goalscorers in their successful charge to the BGB Southern 1 South & West title.

Such was his instinct bursting into the box from midfield that he even bagged two hat-tricks, against AFC Hayes and Abingdon United, and speaking to the Mail, he said he was keen to thank his former boss for finding his best position.

“Clemo changed my position last season and I began to get the goals,” he said. “I owe him for that because before that I was playing mostly at left-wing back and not getting much opportunity to score.

“I worked hard in training on making the right runs and after that the goals started to come which was great.

“So in a way I was disappointed to see Clemo go, but I’m sure that Francis Vines will come in and we will all be able to carry on where we left off last year.”

As the new season approaches, Ciardini said that he was looking forward to kicking on under the new boss,  and said he hoped to add a consistency to his game that will see him find the net even more regularly.

“Francis is a quality manager, with a great reputation,” he said. “I know he will benefit my game, and although I played well last season I could have been more consistent.

“I think I can be next season, and if I do that then I think I can keep up my scoring record as well, and hopefully get a few more.”

His impressive form last season earned him a new and improved deal at Cherrywood Road, which the youngster said he was only too happy to sign.

“I’m really happy with my new contract,” he said. “To be honest I had spoken to Simon Hollis during the season about a new deal, but we decided to leave it until the end of the season because we were chasing the title.

“Once the season was over it was all sorted out quite quickly, and now I’m just looking forward to getting the new season started.”

Pre-season begins for the Boro players in less than two weeks time, and after a host of new signings, the feeling around the squad is that back-to-back promotions are a real possibility.

Ciardini said he was certain it was going to be another good campaign, and he added that he was pleased to see former Farnborough Town team-mates Steve Laidler and Michael Charles back at Cherrywood Road.

“I’m really confident that we will have a good season this year,” he said. “The signings that we have made have been great and they show how far we have come.

“It’s nice to see Steve and Michael coming back to the club, and I do understand why they left.

“But they are back now and I think we are looking a really good side coming forward, which is exciting for me to be involved with.”

His new boss was also hopeful that Ciardini can keep up his scoring record as Boro go into the BGB Southern Premier next season.

“He did score a lot of goals last season, and most definitely I would hope for more of the same this season,” Vines said. “He came on leaps and bounds last year, and I hope that he continues to develop.

“He did have a bit of a free role at times, and maybe this season we will need to look at where his best position for the team is.

“He is still a young guy, and really we probably don’t know yet where that best position is, but he has plenty of time to find it.

“It could be that the position he enjoys the most doesn’t turn out to be where he is at his most effective, but I’m certainly looking forward to working with him in pre-season and really looking at what he can do.”

Vines returned from holiday last week, and as yet, there have been no further signings to follow the rash of new players that joined upon the ex-Basingstoke Town manager’s arrival at Boro.

Speaking last week, he said that he did still have targets in mind, and that it may be a case of waiting for the ideal time to bring them in.

“We had a meeting yesterday [last Wednesday], and we discussed a number of things,” he said. “A few names and possible targets did come up, but that is more of a waiting game really.

“Now may not the right time to approach these players, but for me the main thing is that pre-season is two weeks away. I can’t wait to get going, and I’m sure it’s the same for the players as well.”