Left-sided midfielder James Dobson is the Fleet’s first signing of this week as he arrives from Dagenham & Redbridge on a season-long loan.

The 28-year-old former Sutton United player moved up to the National League with the U’s in 2019 after a series of eye-catching performances for Slough Town where he twice won promotion, bagged a player of the year award and was the Rebels’ leading scorer for two seasons running.

James started out on scholarship forms with Oxford United and learned his trade as a youngster with the likes of Oxford City, Chesham United and Aylesbury United. He joined Slough for the first time in 2014, winning his first promotion with the club that season.

But it was his second spell with Slough from 2016 where his career really ignited and he scored 62 goals in 185 games in Berkshire. Some 26 of those goals came in Slough’s 2017/18 promotion from the Southern League Premier and he won the club’s Golden Boot award in successive campaign as well as goal of the season in 2016/17.

In 2018/19, he flourished once more at the higher level in the National League South, helping Slough to the FA Cup Second Round, catching the eye of Sutton United as he helped defeat them en route.

Paul Doswell paid an undisclosed fee for him for Sutton in January 2019 and he played 18 games for the Surrey side before moving on to Dagenham & Redbridge and signing a two-year contract under Peter Taylor. He played 22 games in the National League for the Daggers last season, ending the campaign with a loan spell at Hemel Hempstead Town.

Although primarily a wide left-sided operator with a powerful left-foot in open play and set-piece situations, James can also operate on the right.

If you would like to sponsor James or any of our new playing squad this season, please email [email protected] or call 01474 533796.