Newport County have signed Welsh international midfielder Andrew Crofts on a one-year deal.
The 34-year-old will arrive at Rodney Parade with 438 league appearances behind him, including a season in the Premier League with Norwich City, and 29 Welsh caps. Crofts launched his career at Gillingham, where he was a team mate of County boss Michael Flynn.
“I’ve been speaking to the gaffer for a couple of weeks now and as soon as we started talking, I was really interested in joining the club. I’m really excited to sign for Newport County,” said Crofts.
“I played with Michael Flynn at Gillingham and he was a winner. I loved playing with him and I can’t wait to play for him now with him being my gaffer.”
Crofts won the last of his Welsh caps against World Cup finalists Panama in Chris Coleman’s final match in charge. He has vast experience of playing across the Football League.
“This is a massive signing for the club. Andrew is someone I know well from our time playing together at Gillingham and he’s gone on to have a fantastic career making nearly 500 career appearances and playing in the Premier league with Norwich City,” said Flynn.
“He’s the ultimate professional and he’s in fantastic condition. He’s shown real enthusiasm to sign for us and still has ambitions of playing higher. Hopefully, that will be with Newport County.”
Crofts becomes the fifth new signing in the past few weeks. He joins defender Fraser Franks, midfielder Charlie Cooper, winger Keanu Marsh-Brown and striker Jamille Matt on the books and will fill the big gap left by the departure of Ben Tozer to Cheltenham Town.
Newport County 2018
New Signings
Andrew Crofts, Fraser Franks, Charlie Cooper, Keanu Marsh-Brown, Jamille Matt
Under Contract
Joe Day, David Pipe, Dan Butler, Robbie Willmott, Matty Dolan, Padraig Amond, Lamar Reynolds, Scot Bennett, Jay Foulston, Momodou Touray, Mark O’Brien, Mickey Demetriou, Josh Sheehan
Released
James Bittner, Paul Hayes, Marlon Jackson, Calaum Jahraldo Martin, Jamie Turley,
Loan Players Returned to Parent Clubs
Ben White (Brighton & Hove Albion), Shawn McCoulsky (Bristol City), Emmanuel Osadebe (Cambridge United), Aaron Collins (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Tyler Reid (Swansea City AFC)
Transferred Out
Ben Tozer (to Cheltenham Town), Tom Owen-Evans (to Falkirk)