FOREST Green striker Matty Taylor has joined Conference Premier new-boys Bristol Rovers.

New Lawn boss Ady Pennock had offered the out of contract striker a new deal at the end of the season but the Oxford-based 24-year-old rejected fresh terms and has now penned a  one-year deal at the Memorial Stadium with an option of a second year.

He will officially join the Pirates when his current Rovers deal expires at the end of this month.

Taylor reportedly turned down offers from Oxford United, Mansfield, Chester and Kidderminster to come to the Memorial Stadium.

The self proclaimed fox-in-the-box is relishing his opportunity at the former Football League club but left at heartfelt tweet to Forest Green.

He tweeted: Thanks for all the support I had at @FGRFC_Official for the last 3 years, loved every minute, the lads we're always class #NewStart .

Bristol Rovers boss Darrell Clarke said: “Matty is a striker that plays off the shoulder and he has a proven goalscoring record in non-League football .

"I went to watch him last season and he is an intelligent footballer . I have been chasing him for a few weeks.

“There have been a lot of clubs after him, but he chose us for the right reasons and he ticked the right boxes for me."

Taylor scored three goals in 13 games for Forest Green before being sent out on loan to Chester.

Although he netted six times in seven outings for Steve Burr's side he failed to score in 12 appearances after returning to Rovers for the final two months of the season.

Taylor  started his career at Oxford, but moved to North Leigh, grabbing more than 80 goals in two seasons in the Southern League.

He had trials at Newport AFC and Cheltenham, but signed a three-year deal with the then Forest Green boss David Hockaday in 2011 after catching the eye of Forest Green Academy boss Scott Bartlett.

He scored nine goals in his first season and followed up with 10 in the 2011/12 campaign.

A member of the England C squad, he recently registered three goals in two games for his country in games against Hungary and Sparta Prague B.