FORMER Newport County AFC star Robbie Willmott has signed for Conference South club Ebbsfleet United.
The 25-year-old, who arrived at Rodney Parade in January 2013, was a key part of the Exiles side that won promotion from the Conference and established the club in League Two over the past two seasons.
Willmott made 89 appearances for County, scoring 13 goals, but was among 15 players to leave the club last month when he was not offered a contract extension by new manager Terry Butcher.
The former Luton Town and Cambridge United winger, who latterly played as a wing-back for the Exiles, was rumoured to be a target for League One Gillingham earlier this year.
But instead of being reunited with manager Justin Edinburgh at the Gills he will be 14 miles up the road in Kent at Northfleet, where Ebbsfleet are based.
Meanwhile, County boss Butcher is still waiting to confirm further additions to his playing and backroom staff.
“As soon as we have news we'll put it out very quickly, people obviously want to know,” he said.
“There are going to be radical changes on and off the pitch, but we aren’t going to delay any announcements; as soon as we can say anything, we will.
“A lot of chief executives and secretaries and chairman are in Portugal now,” he added.
“They are all putting their heads together and coming up with something, but a lot of the key people needed to make transfers happen aren’t around.
“But that doesn’t mean things should grind to a halt.”
Butcher has so far signed up goalkeeper Rhys Taylor and defender Scott Barrow from Macclesfield Town and striker Lenell John-Lewis from Grimsby Town.
Following the 15 departures, the trio of new arrivals means the current squad contains seven senior players – with goalkeeper Joe Day, defender Kevin Feely and midfielders Mark Byrne and Yan Klukowski retained from last season.
“We’ve been looking at the other clubs in the division, you have to do that, sometimes it is good to look at other clubs, sometimes it isn’t,” said Butcher.
“Luton have spent a lot of money, even transfer fees, which is certainly having a go for next year, with my good friend John Still setting his stall out.
“It is going to be a competitive League Two next year, that’s for certain.”
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