Simon Walton is looking forward to be a part of an “exciting” project after signing for the club last week. 

31-year-old Walton, who joins the club from Maidstone United, is motivated by the energy which has been in the clubs direction over the past four or five weeks.

The centre-half is looking forward to combining both his playing abilities with some coaching, where he will help both Paul Doswell and Ian Baird with some of the younger players develop.

When speaking about joining the Hawks, Walton said: “I’m excited to be here. I’ve had a little look around, spoke to the gaffer and had a chat about the season and I am excited to be a part of what hopefully will be an exciting project here.

“I wouldn’t have come here if not (an exciting project). I know the gaffer and Bairdy well, I know that they have been a part of some very exciting projects in the past and this one the gaffer sold it to me.

“Just being here and looking around and listening to everything that’s going on it’s going to be an exciting time and that’s the draw for me that there’s exciting times and to be a part of what the gaffer’s trying to do is going to be a big thing for me.”

And Walton is looking forward to mixing both playing alongside some coaching this season, haven last season taken caretaker charge of Maidstone United for a spell following the departure of Harry Wheeler.

“I’m going to be a player first and fulmost. I’m only 31 so I’ll be concentrating on the playing but with the little taste I had last year of being a coach its something that the coach thinks I can bring to the table.

“I’ll be helping out but as the gaffer has said previously my aim and my focus will be on playing because I still believe that I have a hell of a lot to offer on the pitch.”

Part of Walton’s remit as a player coach will be to develop some of the younger players in the squad, namely Alfie Rutherford, Bradley Tarbuck, Benny Read and Jonah Ayunga alongside some young, local talent Paul Doswell will bring in during pre-season.

On that he commented: “The gaffers renound for having a good blend.

“There’s going to be a lot of experienced players but at the same time there’s gonna be some exciting young players around the place, if I can help them out in any way, shape or form allbeit.

“Alfie had a trememdous season last season in the league above and I’m sure he’ll want to kick off where he finished last season alongside Jonah, Benny Read and people like that we’ve got a good blend.

“If they can tap into the experienced players and tap into what they can add then it will be a successful season.”