By Tony Hudd

Ashford Town manager Steve Lovell has made former Dartford player of the year John Guest, pictured, his 12th close-season signing ahead of Saturday’s Ryman League Division 1 South opener at Croydon.

The centre-half, formerly with Welling, Sittingbourne and Folkestone Invicta, moves to Homelands on a month’s loan with a view to a permanent transfer.

Lovell, who has assembled a largely youthful squad to comply with the club’s cost-cutting, admitted to needing greater experience.

He said: “I’m grateful to Dartford manager Tony Burman for letting me take John. He has the experience we needed and if the loan works out, then maybe a permanent deal can be sorted.”

Lovell confirmed that Guest, Darts’ player of the year in 2007-8, would make his Ashford debut against Croydon and said he was excited by the challenge of moulding a new-look squad.

In addition to Guest, the manager has signed goalkeeper Scott Chalmers-Stevens, Carl Harrold, Bryan Pearce, Ryan Norman, Ross Morley, Joe Fuller, Dan Scorer, Kevin Swaisland, Nicky Smith, Ricky McDonald and Ben Robbins.

Home fans will have the opportunity to judge the new-look side next Wednesday when Merstham become the season’s first visitors to Homelands.