Last season’s Conference Golden Boot winner John Akinde believes he does not have a point to prove after returning to the Football League with Barnet and is confident he belongs there.

Akinde hit 31 league goals – and 33 in all competitions – last season as the Bees were promoted to League Two as Conference champions for a record third time.

The campaign was the culmination of two excellent seasons in the top tier of non-league football for Akinde, who struck 18 times the previous year with Alfreton Town.

And having dropped out of the Football League after struggling to make the grade with a number of sides in League One and Two, Akinde is now relishing his return to the elite 72, even if he does not feel he has a point to prove.

“No, the goals did not flow regularly but I did not play regularly either so I feel that was a massive thing for me,” stated Akinde. “I feel like I need to be playing to do well otherwise it is hard to get into the swing of things so hopefully I get that this time and score some goals like I did last season.”

Indeed, Akinde notched just 12 times in the Football League in 48 starts across spells with seven clubs – most of them loan deals – before joining the Reds in 2013 but the 6ft 2in hitman claims there is little difference between the re-branded National League and League Two.

“I am looking forward to it a lot,” said Akinde. “I feel that is where I should be and where all the boys should be – as we proved last season. And we all want to come in and show what we can do.

“I do not think there is that much of a gap,” he continued. “You have just got to go in and work hard. You will get the few players that give you that quality and make the difference but generally I think it’s quite similar.”

The 25-year-old picked up on Saturday where he left off last season, rattling in a 22-minute hat-trick against Southern League Premier Division side Hungerford Town in Barnet’s first pre-season fixture.

And there was double cause for celebration in the Akinde family as younger brother Sam came on in the second half to score the Bees’ sixth. The former Welling United and Dover Athletic frontman is currently training with Martin Allen’s side hoping to win a contract for next season.

Assessing his sibling’s performance, Akinde said: “He took that goal well and I thought he played well as well. He has done well.

“I think he is a good player. I know what he has got, being my brother, and he would be a good asset.

“The gaffer asked me about him last season and told him to come in pre-season to have a look.”

You can read Martin Allen's views on the 6-1 win over Hungerford by clicking here.