Gary Setchell insists promising goalkeeper Alex Street still has a future at King's Lynn Town – despite convincing experienced shot-stopper Danny Gay to return to The Walks yesterday.

The 30-year-old rejoined Lynn after leaving AFC Sudbury as Setchell looked set to allow current number one Street to join Holbeach United on loan until the end of the season.

And even though Street said on Twitter he hadn't agreed a deal to play for the Tigers, the Lynn boss made it clear he wasn't forcing the popular player, known as Pedro, out of the club.

Setchell said: 'Alex had verbally agreed to go on loan to Holbeach after I'd given him the reasons why I wanted him to.

'But now he's had a change of heart and wants time to think about his options. Pedro is a great talent and we're going to keep him. The door is never closed for Pedro because he's a 21-year-old lad with a lot of experience behind him already.

'Alex is a very, very good goalkeeper and he's been brilliant for us, but he has made – by his own admission and I'm not slaughtering the lad – two or three big errors this season which hadn't happened in the past two years and perhaps he has lost his confidence.'

Street has been an almost ever-present between the sticks since joining the re-formed Lynn from Wisbech Town, where Setchell managed him, in 2010.

However, he now appears to be out of favour after making mistakes against Wellingborough Town and Brigg Town – and the former Norwich City youth, academy and reserve team keeper's arrival.

The PE teacher – who made 11 Football League appearances for Southend United - played for the Linnets, his hometown team, in 2009 before the original club was wound up in the High Court. Since then he has also played for Needham Market.

'He became available and everybody in and around the town knows what a good solid goalkeeper he is, plus he's always played at a decent level,' said Setchell of his new signing.

'I want to strengthen the squad all the time and I honestly believe at 30 he's now coming into his peak. He'll give us a little bit more experience at the back.

'He's a well-travelled non-league footballer. He's an ultimate professional. He brings a noise and presence with him which perhaps a young goalkeeper doesn't do as well as an experienced one.

'I know he can't wait to get started and hopefully we can start picking up one or two clean sheets and clearing the box a bit earlier. We've conceded a few from set pieces and hopefully he can help bring a bit of steel to those situations.'