Winchester City's FA Vase final hero Andy Forbes could be on the verge of a dream move to former Premiership outfit Sheffield Wednesday.

The Second Division club are interested in signing the man who plundered 76 goals during an incredible 2003/04 campaign.

Owls boss Chris Turner contacted former Hillsborough colleague and close friend Gordon Watson, the ex-Saints striker, to ask if he could supply a dossier on Forbes, pictured above.

And even if Wednesday don't make a dramatic swoop for the man who has bagged 350 goals for Andover and Winchester since 1999, the signs are that FA Vase winners City will part company with Forbes this summer.

Isthmian Premier newcomers Eastleigh are leading the chase for the man who found the net a staggering 76 goals last season, but there have been inquiries too from a handful of Football League and Conference clubs.

Exeter City have asked about both Forbes and Winchester's out-of-contract skipper Danny Smith.

And fellow Conference outfits Woking, managed by ex-Saints midfielder Glenn Cockerill, and Forest Green Rovers are also keeping tabs on 25-year-old Forbes along with Colchester United of the Nationwide Division 2.

Winchester's director of football David Malone confirmed: "We're resigned to listening to offers.

"We have one bid on the table which is close to what we're looking for, but Forbesy's such an intricate character that I wouldn't bet my house on him agreeing to go."

Sheffield Wednesday contacted City the day after their 2-0 FA Vase triumph over AFC Sudbury at Birmingham.

However, Wednesday have also lodged bids for two experienced Football League strikers - Luton Town's Steve Howard and Scott Taylor of Blackpool.

Malone said: "Chris Turner, the Wednesday manager, was at the Vase final and I believe he wants Forbesy but can't get anyone to authorise the money.

"But it looks very much as though someone will come in for Andy and if they meet the valuation we have of him (believed to be £30,000) then we're happy to let them talk to him.

"But we won't sell him to the first person that comes along. It's only fair to Andy that we keep all the options open."

Watson said: "I was asked by Chris Turner to compile a report on Andy Forbes.

"From the people I spoke to, he seems to have all the attributes.

"But I'm told he's a homely kid - a lot of clubs have watched him in the past and you have to wonder why no-one has really made an offer for him."

A large part of Malone would dearly love to keep Forbes at the Denplan City Ground, but the former Reading trainee is only contracted for another season and he confessed: "We've got a valuable asset here and if we don't sell him now he could just walk away for nothing.

"Getting a decent fee would be compensation for losing him but, by the same token, we'd be more than happy to keep him."

At just 21, Smith would still command a fee even though he is out of contract.

The former AFC Bournemouth midfielder is keen to get back into the professional ranks but, somewhat surprisingly, the only interest so far has been from Exeter and Dorchester Town.

Malone said: "Danny could do a decent job in anything up to Division 2 level but not one Football League club has made an offer."

Winchester have already begun their hunt for a new striker. They have made a bid for Bashley's Richard Gillespie, but the Foresters have not yet replied.

Malone - a former Bash chairman - quipped: "If Derek Binns (Bashley vice-chairman) is short of a couple of bob to ring me back, I'd be happy to pay!"