Former Dereham Town striker Danny Wright is celebrating after reaching the promised land.

After a decade-or-so of near-misses, the frontman finally earned promotion to the Football League on Saturday when Cheltenham Town beat FC Halifax 2-0 to seal the National League (Conference) title in front of their own fans.

Wright, 31, has spent a large chunk of his career trying to get out of the top-tier of the non-league game. And now, after going so, so close with Gateshead and Wrexham, the former Magpies player's dreams have become a reality.

Wright, who sat out the weekend's win through suspension, said: 'It's unbelievable for me to say that I'm going to be a Football League player, after nine seasons of being a Conference player I can finally say I've got there.

'It's the Football League for me next season if the gaffer (Gary Johnson) wants to sign me up – hopefully he does as that's been my dream for my entire career.

'It's great for the players and everyone involved and looking back at the job in hand at the start of the season and what has been achieved it's been incredible.'

Wright joined relegated Cheltenham from Kidderminster in the summer and soon became a big hit with the Robins.

Twenty-one goals in 42 games helped the ex-Attleborough ace, who made his part-time breakthrough with Dereham Town in the Thurlow Nunn League (Eastern Counties), become a regular until he got sent off for an alleged stamp against Grimsby.

'It is more special for me as I've been so close before and the disappointment has overshadowed what had been great seasons with those clubs,' Wright also told the Gloucestershire Echo.

'So to get over the line finally is a much nicer emotion. It's unbelievable and we will enjoy the last two games now and enjoy our summer looking back on a job well done.'

After leaving Dereham to join Histon in 2007, the hitman's career continued on an upward curve.

Stints at Cambridge United, Wrexham, Forest Green, Gateshead and Kidderminster followed before he arrived at Cheltenham.