Oxford City striker Steve Basham has agreed to sign a new contract with the Conference North club.

Last season, City finished tenth, and 35-year-old Basham, who scored five times in 29 appearances for the Marsh Lane outfit, wants to do it all over again.

The frontman, who is training to be an accountant, said: “We’re still in the North (division), so that’s a few long treks, but I didn’t find it too bad last season.

“Saturday’s a write-off anyway, but at the end of last season we had all those games – City played 11 matches in April – in midweek.

“It’s difficult having to leave work and then travelling for four hours by coach to places like Bradford and Stalybridge. It was a bit crazy.

“That was down to that four-week spell in March where we didn’t play because of the bad weather.”

Basham joined City in June 2011, having made more than 300 appearances in a 14-year professional career that took in spells at Oxford United, Preston, Southampton, Luton and Exeter.

He remains level-headed about their prospects for the new campaign, adding: “If we can improve on tenth, that would be a fantastic achievement. I’ve got some exams to sit and then I’m off on holiday before we’re back for pre-season training in the first week of July.”

Basham’s former U’s teammate, Chris Willmott, has also committed himself for next season, as have midfielders Liam Malone and Callum McNish, plus defender Paul Stone-house.

And manager Mike Ford is set to sign striker Mike Symons from league rivals Worcester City.

Ford says Symons, 26, who scored 19 times last season, fits the bill nicely.

He added: “He scored twice against us last season and was a real threat.”

Salisbury stopper Mark Scott has also agreed to put pen to paper.

Meanwhile, City have added the visit of Oxford United on Tuesday, July 23, to their list of pre-season friendlies.

OXFORD CITY FRIENDLIES

Sat, July 20: Didcot Tn (A). Tues, July 23: Oxford Utd (H). Fri, July 26: Wycombe Wanderers (H). Wed, July 31: Birmingham City XI (H). Sat, Aug 3: Hungerford Tn (A). Tues, Aug 6: Chesham Utd (A). Sat, Aug 10: Barwell (A).