New Eagles...land

There has been plenty of incoming movement at Evo-Stik Southern League East club Bedford Town this week – headed by the permanent signing of veteran striker Paul Benson.

Benson, who joined the Eagles on loan midway through last season from Vanarama National League side Boreham Wood, has made the move to the New Eyrie a more permanent one.

Benson has gained promotion twice from the Conference. His first was with Dagenham & Redbridge in 2006/07, scoring 28 goals in 46 appearances.

In 2013/14, he banged in 17 goals from 36 appearances for Luton Town, as they climbed out of the Conference.

In between the two sides, he has also appeared for Charlton Athletic, Swindon Town, Portsmouth, and Cheltenham Town.

The 38-year-old was at Dagenham & Redbridge before signing for Wood in the summer of 2017.

Benson has also agreed to become a player-coach as part of boss Jon Taylor’s management team. He is in the latter stages of completing his UEFA ‘A’ license, which will provide a great bonus to the club going forward.

The Eagles have also brought in vastly experienced goalkeeper Nathan Abbey as a player and also as part of Taylor`s management team.

The 39-year-old has had a very well-traveled playing career which started at Luton Town back in 1995.

He went on to make well over 150 League appearances for the likes of Luton, Chesterfield, Northampton, Stevenage Borough, Boston United, Torquay United, Brentford and MK Dons.

In non-League football, Abbey has spent time at Kettering Town, Dunstable Town, and St Neots Town as well as being assistant and then joint/player-manager with brother Zema at Arlesey Town, sandwiched by a spell with St Neots as player/assistant manager.

Abbey will combine playing with monitoring the match analysis and also play a part in player recruitment.

The previous week saw the club sign six players to bolster the squad.

Also joining or re-joining the Eagles are Jordan Jarrold, Dean Dummett, Callum Donnelly, Tommy Hull, Taylor Rhiney and Jermaine Hall.

Defender Jarrold, who last played for the Eagles in 2015, has previously served the likes of Kempston Rovers and St Ives Town.

Midfielders Dummett, Donnelly and Tommy Hull, who can play in the centre of defence or midfield, have all re-signed from last season`s squad.

Central midfielder Taylor Rhiney arrives after spells with Stotfold, Letchworth Garden City, Langford, Crawley Green, Barton Rovers and Arlesey, having previously played for the Eagles in 2013/14.

Striker Hall was a key player in AFC Dunstable`s good 2017/18 showing in the Southern League East

He notched 24 goals from 43 games, taking his total for AFC to 111 in four seasons.

With the Eagles briefly in 2011, Hall has also been on the books at Crawley Green, Cranfield United, Dunstable Town and Barton Rovers.

Read More At: Non League Today