LUTEL James has no intention of turning his back on Accrington Stanley.

The 31-year-old, who ended last season as the UniBond Premier Division's leading goalscorer, has been approached by a number of un-named clubs, including Football League sides.

But James, who signed for Stanley following his release from Bury in 2001, admitted his heart belongs at the Crown Ground.

"A few clubs have phoned me and I had the chance to go back to playing football full-time," said James, who has yet to put pen to paper on a new two-year deal although he has agreed terms.

"I could go and chase that extra bit of money if I wanted to but that doesn't mean I'd be happy.

"You've got to look at the bigger picture and what matters and, to me, the bigger picture tells me it's right to stay at Accrington Stanley.

"The club's going forward, I know the players and I enjoy it here.

"Enjoying my football matters first and foremost and if the pay is fair then I'm happy with that.

"If I was to go and play somewhere else, if I wasn't playing the right kind of football then I wouldn't be happy. But I'm happy with the football we play at Accrington."

The Stanley hot-shot is also looking forward to renewing his formidable strike partnership with Paul Mullin as the duo bid to take the Conference by storm.

And James said Mullin agreeing to lead the front line with him next season was crucial to his decision to stick with the Reds.

James, who has previously described Mullin as the best striker he's worked with, said: "I made it clear that if Paul wasn't signing that would be something else for me to think about.

"To form a partnership you have to have a connection on and off the field.

"Paul's a genuine person who works hard for the team, and I do the same."

Yet, despite ending the season as the Premier Division's top goalscorer in the league with 33 strikes - two ahead of Lancaster City's Andy Whittaker, he was not awarded the Golden Boot.

James was told by league officials that they were no longer handing out the honour, much to the striker's frustration.

"If it was a season where we had finished mid-table or if it was just a cash award, I wouldn't have bothered so much," he said.

"But it was the season we won the title and promotion to the Conference and it would have been nice to have something to look at to show for it."

However, he fears further goal sprees may have been scuppered by his former team-mate Paul Barnes.

Barnes, who was at Bury with James, ended last season as the top goalscorer in the Conference, after netting a total of 28 goals for Doncaster Rovers.

The former Burnley striker has backed James to steal his crown next season.

"He's tipped me to be the top goalscorer, so he's probably stitched me up there," James said.