Rob Smith is ready to offer in-form AFC Telford United full-back Lee Vaughan a new two-year contract to keep him at the club.

The former Walsall youngster has been attracting rave reviews this season, and scouts from Nottingham Forest and Mansfield were in the crowd to see him produce another man-of-the-match performance in Tuesday’s 5-1 Blue Square North win over Vauxhall Motors.

No move is imminent with the transfer window currently shut, but boss Smith is still eager to tie his prize asset to a longer-term deal.

“There were scouts in the ground and how could they fail to have been impressed?” he said, ahead of this afternoon’s FA Trophy quarter-final at home to Southport.

“He’s not going anywhere for now – but if he keeps playing the way he is then I’d be very surprised if something didn’t happen in the summer.

“We have another year’s option on him anyway, and I’d like to extend it further.

“I’ll be talking to the chairman and I think if we were to offer him a two-year contract now he’d sign because he loves it here.”

Smith admitted he had no particular transfer value in mind for the 22-year-old should any club make an approach in the close season.

But he pointed to the example of Gateshead striker Lee Novak as evidence of the price Blue Square North players can fetch in the modern game.

The young forward has been sold to League One side Huddersfield in a deal reported to be worth up to £150,000 – and loaned straight back to the north-easterners.

“I haven’t got a figure in mind but what I can say is that it would have to be substantial,” the Telford chief added.

“Lee Vaughan is as valuable to me as Novak is to Gateshead – I don’t think it’s a co-incidence that when he plays we generally win.”

Meanwhile, Telford have finally received payment of all outstanding money in relation to the FA Cup tie with Northwich Victoria – with the Blue Square Premier club’s fans’ trust having made up the shortfall.

Peter Grimes and Paul Stockton from the Vics Supporters Trust delivered a four-figure cheque on Thursday to clear the debt.

Chairman Lee Carter said: “I absolutely apologise for having to bring what should have been a private matter out into the open.

“However, I still feel that we had no choice. The silence from Jim Rushe (Northwich’s chairman) is still deafening.”

By CHRIS HUDSON