DELIGHTED Hastings United boss Darren Hare believes he has signed a Football League keeper in Lenny Pidgeley.
The 32-year-old stopper has agreed to join the Ryman South club and will also assist Hare on the training pitch as a coach.
Pidgeley ended last season with National League side Forest Green Rovers, who he joined from Ryman Premier Leatherhead in March.
Starting his career at Chelsea, Pidgeley made two appearances for the Blues before featuring in the Football League for Watford, Millwall, Carlisle United and Bradford City.
He dropped into Non-League with Newport in August 2012 and helped the Welsh club to promotion through the Conference play-offs.
He spent time on loan at Mansfield Town in 2014-15 before being released by Newport and signing for Leatherhead in January.
Hastings boss Hare told the club’s website: “I’m absolutely delighted we have managed to secure Lenny’s signature. I have always wanted to target an experienced keeper and I have to say they don’t with much more experience than Lenny has.
“He is still a Football League keeper in my opinion and this move signifies his desire to want to be successful and also the fact he is willing to drop into the lower divisions to continue and further his career. It also shows the ambition of the board and the football club.
“His knowledge and experience of the game is second to none and it would have been somewhat remiss of me not to tap into that as a new manager so I am also very happy to say he will joining our coaching staff as player coach to support me and Watty (Steve Watt, assistant).
“I believe we have a very experienced and knowledgable base now to propel this club into the future it can aspire to aim for.”
The U’s, meanwhile, have also signed youngster Harry Stannard on a one-year deal after the former Gillingham winger impressed in pre-season.
