Boss Neil Cugley expects new Folkestone recruit Nathan Green to be a big hit with the club’s supporters.

Invicta moved swiftly to bring another left-back in after Alfie Paxman left the Isthmian Premier club to re-join Dover.

Green, 30, played for Isthmian South East play-off semi-finalists Cray Valley last season but has previously turned out for Tonbridge, Dulwich Hamlet and Welling in the upper echelons of non-league football.

“He’s a completely different sort of player [to Paxman],” said Cugley who is close to making three further signings.

“He’s 6ft 2in and he’s a bit of a machine. I think it’s a brilliant signing for Folkestone.

“That’s one position we have wanted to get sorted and it’s one of the best signings I have made for a long time.

“I think he will be a really popular player with the fans because he’s so energetic, and he’s at a good age.

“He played higher before at Dulwich. When Dulwich went full-time - he’s a scaffolder by trade - and he didn’t go full-time. He’s one of those players I never thought I’d get to Folkestone!

“We’ve had Alfie playing there anyway but he’s now gone. When Alfie went, it was important to get him in.”

Cugley revealed striker Ade Yusuff - who himself recently agreed a new two-year contract at Cheriton Road - helped convince Green to sign.

He stated: “Ade signed the other day and he knows him well.

“To be fair, Ade helped get it over the line so he has done well for me there.

“Nathan came on Saturday and signed.”

Pre-season training begins this weekend for Invicta and long-serving manager Cugley admits his squad for the new season is now starting to take shape, as Cugley prepares for a 26th consecutive season at the helm.

Cugley commented: “It’s getting there now.

“I looked at the squad we had at the end of March and quite a few have gone since then. So it feels better now than having seven or eight players signed on!

“We are very close to [having] what we want. It’s been hard work but it’s getting there.

“They are quality players that we have brought in to replace quality players that have left.

“But we are still looking for a couple more players because we had a squad of 16 or 17 players last year, and a lot of them have gone.”

The news comes after Folkestone signed goalkeeper Bailey Vose and former Hythe player-boss James Rogers last week ahead of their first friendly against Gillingham on Saturday, July 2.

Folkestone were also officially crowned Reposs Fair Play Award winners at the weekend's Isthmian League awards dinner while Green made the Isthmian South East managers' Team of the Year.