THE NEW Saints have secured the services of former Chester man Blaine Hudson after he penned a deal with the Oswestry club.

The 6 ft 4 former Norwich City has also spent time further up the A483 with Wrexham having started his career with his native Norwich City.

A spell at Cambridge United followed as well as loans ot clubs around East Anglia before he came west to Wrexham. 

Hudson admitted that he's followed TNS's results since moving to the area and is looking forward to getting started.

He said: "As soon as I knew Craig Harrison was interested, I told him I wanted to come and play for him.

"I'm excited to have signed a professional deal and I just want to get settled somewhere. I had two years at Wrexham where I thought I would be settled and then Chester too, which wasn't to be.

"To be able to move down the road is great - there's not many of them any more.

"I like to put myself about in the opponent's box. I used to head the ball a lot in the National League and I'm looking forward to the way Craig's times play."

Harrison felt Hudson's experience at National League level and his part in a largely miserly Chester defence made him an attractive offer.

"In adding Blaine to the squad, we're bringing in someone with leadership qualities," said Harrison.

"He brings height to the team and it's probably something we could do better with. Everyone knows how good we are on the ball and that's not going to change; I'm not going to sign anyone who can't play.

"He's got good experience with more than 200 National League games and he's a good age too at 25.

"Blaine's got a good goalscoring record from set-plays, so he's an added option in both boxes.

"It brings great competition to the team as Phil Baker has moved on as has Mihai Leca and James Jones hasn't re-signed.

"It was an area we needed to add to anyway."