Hampton & Richmond Borough chairman Steve McPherson has told striker Dan Thompson to forget about trials at pro clubs and concentrate on playing football.

Thompson, who returned to the club earlier this season after a failed spell at League Two Portsmouth, missed Tuesday’s FA Trophy replay win to attend a trial for Championship side Leeds United.

But McPherson, who still remembers the saga that took the youngster to Fratton Park, reckons he would be better served by getting a solid season at Hampton under his belt.

“He has got an agent in his ear telling him to go here and there for trials, but I think he just needs to prove himself here and play football,” he added.

Hampton academy graduate Reece Brewster is also attracting attention from the Football League with scouts from Championship clubs Watford and QPR keeping tabs on his progress.

Meanwhile, McPherson has insisted the FA Cup prize money bounty on offer for reaching the first round is not critical to his club’s Ryman Premier League promotion hopes.

“We never factor the FA Cup into our annual budgets,” said the Beveree chief.

“If we do not get to the next round, it will not affect whether we let players go or not. The only reason players leave is if they are not performing.”