STRIKER Stuart Douglas has finally put pen to paper at the Avenue Stadium.

The 32-year-old scored five goals in six pre-season appearances, with boss Ashley Vickers declaring his wish to sign his former Weymouth team-mate more than three weeks ago.

Douglas has this week signed non-contract terms with the Magpies and is available for selection for Saturday’s Blue Square Bet South curtain-raiser at Bromley.

A delighted Vickers said: “He has signed non-contract terms and is happy to do it that way. He has taken a drop in wages to come here so I’m grateful to him for that.

“He will bring a great amount of experience, lots of quality and he wants to have a good season. He is a real handful and upsets opposition defenders.

“He’ll also help Geoff Dine in the physiotherapy department, so it’s a win-win situation.”

Vickers has also announced plans to offer a new contract to Dagenham & Redbridge target Steve Devlin.

The midfielder, whose current deal lasts until the end of the season, spent much of last week on trial with the Essex outfit. And the League One Daggers seem keen to sign the former Dorset Premier League ace at a future date.

The Magpies’ chief added: “We will sit down with Devs over the coming weeks and try to thrash out a new deal. He is keen to do that, just as we are.”

Asked if the new deal was a way of maximising the value of one of the club’s most prized assets, Vickers replied: “To a certain extent yes, but it’s also a reward for all his efforts – he deserves it.

“We will give him another year and it will be great to get him on board for another year.”

Forward Warren Byerley looks set to leave the county town outfit though, and is currently training with rivals Weymouth, while 19-year-old Harry Montacute has joined Toolstation Western League Premier Division side Barnstaple on a month’s loan.

Vickers said: “Warren has worked ever so hard in pre-season but he needs an opportunity to play games, which unfortunately we can’t give him right now.

“I’m sure he will score goals wherever he goes. I just want to see him do well.

“Monty’s going to Barns-taple to get some games under his belt.”

Meanwhile, chairman Shaun Hearn has once again allayed fears regarding the club’s finances.

The Magpies saw their bank account frozen by HSBC after being issued with a winding up petition in June – following a missed instalment on a payment plan with HM Revenue & Customs.

However, the county town club, who have since reached a new agreement with HMRC, sought to rectify the situation through the Companies Court yesterday.

Hearn said: “We were listed in the courts so that we could get a validation order to get the club’s bank account up and running again.

“The club has coped fine in the meantime and it’s nothing to worry about.”

Vice-chairman David Martin added: “HSBC froze the account and said they could not re-open it until some sort of paperwork was done in front of a judge – it’s just a formality.”

Asked for an update on meeting the criteria of the new payment plan with HMRC, Hearn added: “An agreement is in place and it’s all going okay.”