BANBURY United striker Ricky Johnson will leave this summer.

The club captain departs after scoring 97 goals in 278 appearances across three spells, having first joined The Puritans in 2005.

Johnson is Banbury’s fifth-highest all-time scorer and exits alongside Pablo Haysham, Alex Henshall and Jaanai Gordon, with former Oxford United striker James Constable’s departure confirmed earlier this month.

Puritans manager Andy Whing said: “Ricky has been fantastic for this football club.

“He was a great help to me when I first joined and a real leader on and off the pitch.”

Chairman Phil Lines added: “Ricky has been a great leader for the club, scoring key goals and also putting his body on the line when backs were against the wall.

“He will go down in time as a club legend. Everyone at the club wishes him the best for the future.”

Johnson’s final spell at Banbury began in 2015/16, when he scored 26 goals to help win promotion from Southern League Division One South & West.

Charlie Hawtin, Sam Brown, Jack Westbrook, Jack Finch and Amer Awadh have verbally agreed to sign on for 2021/22, joining Kelvin Langmead, Connor Roberts, Giorgio Rasulo, Henry Landers and Jack Harding, who have all agreed contracts.

Whing added: “It is great to have a strong core of last year’s team together for next season, I am now focusing on adding to that to build a squad capable to challenging for honours.”

Banbury were 18th in Pitching In Southern League Premier Central when last season was stopped in November, but reached the Emirates FA Cup first round for the first time in 47 years.

Elsewhere, Oxfordshire’s sides will remain in Division One Central next season.

An FA restructuring included the creation of a new league at step four, but Didcot Town, Kidlington, North Leigh, Thame United and Wantage Town are all staying put.

Oxford City’s Vanarama National League campaign will begin on Saturday, August 14.

The season is scheduled to end on May 7, 2022.