Gary Lockyer has joined Faversham Town after his surprise exit from Ashford United.

Captain Lockyer, the Nuts & Bolts’ record goalscorer and appearance holder, was released by his hometown club on Monday last week.

His departure alerted rival clubs but it’s Faversham who have won the race to sign the 33-year-old striker, who scored more than 100 goals for Ashford.

It’s his second spell with the Lilywhites, having previously joined them from Ashford in the summer of 2023.

With summer signing Ibrahim Olutade out on loan at AFC Whyteleafe and a shortage of goals up front, manager Steve Watt couldn’t pass up the chance to sign a No.9 of Lockyer’s pedigree.

“It’s an area we’ve not quite got right this season,” said Watt.

“We’ve got very good players, we just don’t feel we’re getting the return of goals we need from a No.9 to achieve what we want to achieve.

“Ibz has been out on loan, we’ve got Eniye (Amgbaduba) and Josh Strouts has been very good, but we just felt we needed to bring in a proven No.9.

“It was a case of let’s try and bring someone in, a fresh face, and hopefully it’s the change and the difference we need.”

Watt hadn’t expected Lockyer, who finished top scorer in the FA Cup two seasons ago, to be an option.

“It’s hard to find strikers at this stage of the season. They’re normally all taken,” added Watt.

“When someone like Gary becomes available, you have to explore it, and with his goalscoring record at this level, I think it would be really silly of me not to try and bring him in.

“I’m delighted he’s joined us. Everyone’s time at clubs comes to an end. I don’t know the ins and outs down there.

“Did I think he would be available this year? No. So it does come as a surprise but everyone makes decisions in the best interests of their football club and they’ve seen fit to make this change.

“He’s an absolute club legend there at Ashford and always will be. If he feels like he’s got a point to prove, or to prove them wrong, hopefully we can benefit from that.

“We’re just delighted to have him. It adds to our firepower.

“He knows the quality of the group he’s coming into and the chances he’s going to be getting presented with each week with the creativity we’ve got in the team.

“It’s not as if we don’t score enough goals but you don’t often see a team that wins leagues or wins promotion that hasn’t got that No.9 who’s scoring.

“You see that name on the scoresheet every single week and we felt we needed to bring that in.”

Lockyer knows Faversham and chairman Gary Smart well from his previous stint at Salters Lane.

That put them in a strong position to clinch his signature.

“He knows the club and the club know him,” said Watt. “Gary (Smart) is a bit part of bringing him in as well.

“They got on really well before and they’ve kept in touch since he was last at the club.

“This is why treating people right is always important because you never know when things come back around and you might need that player again.

“I’m pretty sure he’ll come in and hit the ground running.”

Faversham, in fourth, visit second-bottom Eastbourne Town tonight.