Luke Joyce believes his best is yet to come in a Stanley shirt as he closes in on a new deal.

With the out-of-contract midfielder turning 26 next month, he says he is just coming into his prime.

The Reds have offered the two-year extension Joyce is looking for and he hopes to agree personal terms after manager James Beattie returns from a family holiday this weekend.

“For a midfielder, 26 to 29, 30 is probably your peak,” said Joyce, who is based in Atherton.

“I’ve played quite a few games now and had the experience of being captain, so hopefully I’ll be producing my best football over the next few seasons – and I hope to do that at Accrington.

“I turn 26 before the season starts and the club’s offered me a two-year contract so I need to make sure it’s the right one because when that contract finishes I’ll be 28.

“It’s fantastic to have that security because we’ve just moved house and the missus has got a baby on the way, which is due in August, but the deal has got to be right for myself and for the club.

“I’m sure we’ll get it sorted. I want to stay and the gaffer wants me to be there as captain so that’s great for me.

“I look forward to going into work day in, day out, and I’m only 35 minutes from home so the last thing I want to do is uproot my family by moving.”

Beattie’s break has caused a slight delay in negotiations and although Joyce has been in contact with his new boss via text, he’s spoken regularly with assistant manager Paul Stephenson.

Joyce, who joined Stanley on a free transfer from Carlisle in 2009, was buoyed by the fact that, after being appointed, Beattie made it clear he wanted to keep him as captain.

“It was great for someone like James Beattie to be saying those kind of things,” he said.

“We got on really well when he was in the playing squad and he’s someone I really want to play for and work with, alongside Paul Stephenson and Paul Lodge (first-team coach), who I also have a good relationship with.

“There’s no problem on that side and I’ve enjoyed being captain. I like to think I learned a lot about myself last season, being involved in a relegation battle as captain; hopefully I’ll become stronger next year for it.”

Will Hatfield became the 12th player to sign on for next season, putting pen to paper on a new one-year deal last week.

The 21-year-old was also the fourth player to commit to Stanley following Beattie’s appointment – after Laurence Wilson, Dean Winnard and James Gray.

Joyce said: “You can’t really decide until you know who’s going to be the man in charge and I think it was a good appointment by the club.

“Everyone knows Beats, the type of character and the type of guy he is. The lads that have already signed up, it shows that they’re hungry and want to play for him. It’s a really good group of lads and that’s why it’s important to keep that core. I think that’ll be good for next season.”

Joyce, who was handed the captain’s armband after Andy Procter was sold to Preston last year, has made 177 appearances for Stanley, scoring five goals.

Last season was his first full campaign as skipper and he feels the Reds’ successful battle to beat the drop will stand them in good stead.

“You have to dig deep and find it within yourself to keep going,” he added. “It’s all right when everything’s going well, you’re in the play-offs and everyone’s singing your praises. But you learn more about yourself in the tough times. It’s great for the young lads and even myself as one of the older players to have been through that experience because we know that, if we go on a run like that again, we can draw on what happened and not get into that situation again.”