Midfielder Billy Knott has joined Gillingham.

The former Chelsea trainee was released by Bradford City this summer and arrives at Priestfield on a free, signing a two year deal.

Knott’s arrival comes just 24 hours after the announcement that fellow midfielder Mark Byrne had joined the club.

The 23-year-old has been with Bradford for the past two seasons and played against the Gills twice during the previous campaign, helping the club earn a play-off place in League 1.

The previous season he had been part of the club’s famous FA Cup run, that included beating his former club Chelsea 4-2 at Stamford Bridge in the fourth round.

Gills boss Justin Edinburgh said: “I am delighted with the signing and when someone of his quality became available, I was first to make contact.

“I met the boy and showed him around the club and he knows what we are about.

“He came up against us a couple of times last year and he liked the way we played and knew what we were about as a football club and as a team.

“He is a very creative goalscoring midfielder. He is a very good deadball specialist, he knows this level very well and is a very bright talent.”

Knott made one substitute appearance for Sunderland during a three year stay and as a youngster featured for England in the under-16, under-17 and under-20 sides.

He had loan spells at AFC Wimbledon, Woking, Wycombe and Port Vale before making a permanent move to Bradford in 2014.