FAIRFORD TOWN have landed their summer marquee signing by capturing midfielder Connor Thompson from Swindon Supermarine.

Thompson's career started at Hartpury College and he went on to play for Baltimore Bohemians in the United States before returning to Britain and playing for Gloucester City. He subsequently joined Southern League outfit Swindon Supermarine.

Town boss Jody Bevan is delighted to bring Thompson back to Cinder Lane after a loan spell with the Hellenic Premier Division outfit.

“Connor is a player that I have known for a long time going back to his days in the junior and Academy teams at Cirencester," revealed Bevan.

"He would train with the first team from a young age and it was obvious then that he was a very talented player and I have followed his career since then.

"Connor played a couple of games for us last season and was absolutely first-class, both on-and-off the pitch.

"We've kept in touch since then and he had always said that if his circumstances changed he would love to play for us. His wife is just about to give birth to their first child and once I learnt that, he was keen to spend less time travelling with football and more time at home, I put it to him that Fairford might be a nice compromise."

Bevan revealed the feel-good family ethos at the club was a big carrot in hooking his main man.

He said: "He knows we try to do things as professionally as we possibly can and we try our best to be a really family-friendly club. The fact that his brother Mason is also with us was another positive factor. It's a huge coup for the club to sign a player of Connor's ability."

Fairford Town return to pre-season training again on Tuesday evening, ahead of their first friendly on Thursday, July 4 – when they host Mike Cook's National League North side Gloucester City.

Bevan hopes the capture of Thompson will act as a statement of intent.

He added: "It is a statement of intent of our ambition as a football club that we want to progress and move forwards. We hope for other players of the calibre of Connor will see this signing and consider joining Fairford in the future."