Cambridge United defender Tom Bonner has put pen to paper on an 18-month contract to continue Jamie Day’s overhaul of the squad at the PHB Stadium.

The 26-year-old centre back is a product of the QPR youth academy from where he moved to Northampton Town while gaining experience on loan at Bedford Town, Nuneaton and Heybridge Swifts. He spent two seasons with Hinckley United and another at Ilkeston Town before making a move to Dartford in 2010.

At Princes Park he enjoyed three seasons and promotion with the Darts from the Conference South and was a mainstay of their first season in the Conference. This brought him to the notice of Cambridge United for whom he signed a two-year deal and he was part of the side that won the FA Trophy and promotion into the Football League in 2013/14.

He had a three-month loan spell with Dover at the end of 2014/January 2015, contributing to a real upsurge in the Whites’ defensive record and he played in their FA Cup tie against Crystal Palace. Having opted not to extend his stay at Crabble, Fleet have now concluded the deal with Cambridge to bring him to north Kent.

Vice chairman Peter Varney told FleetOnline, “Tom received a number of offers from other clubs, but this move suited his circumstances and matched his long-term ambition. I have seen some ludicrous sums bandied about in relation to what this club is spending but the fact is similar deals were on offer to Tom elsewhere and he opted for this one for footballing reasons and to further his own career development as much as anything else.

“I’d particularly like to thank Cambridge United for allowing this transfer to progress so smoothly in the course of our negotiations.”

Fleet boss Jamie Day said, “Tom will be a fantastic addition to the team. He is a player I have tracked for years and he will add good quality and experience which we need at this stage of the season and I look forward to working with him.”