[themaclad]

Cheltenham Town have signed free agent midfielder Scot Bennett.

Bennett, 33, has failed to agree new terms with Newport County after eight years with the Welsh side.

He reunites with his former manager Michael Flynn, who took over as Town boss earlier this month.

The former Exeter City player has scored 11 goals in 352 games for the Exiles and was part of the side that beat Leicester City in the FA Cup in 2019.

[themaclad]

Cheltenham Town have signed full-back Ryan Haynes on an undisclosed contract.

The 28-year-old joins the Robins after being released by Northampton Town.

Haynes is the third player to join the club this week after midfielders Scott Bennett and Harry Pell joined on Friday and, like Bennett, played under new Cheltenham boss Michael Flynn at Newport.

“The message is very clear. We’d like to be challenging at the top end of the table and that’s why I’m here," Haynes told the club website.

[themaclad]

Cheltenham Town have signed former Wrexham captain Luke Young and ex-QPR defender Arkell Jude-Boyd.

Midfielder Young, 31, was released by the Welsh club last month, having led Wrexham to back-to-back promotions from the National League to League One under the ownership of Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

He played almost 250 times for the Red Dragons in a six-year spell at the Racecourse Ground after four years at Torquay United.

Young began his career at hometown club Plymouth Argyle, for whom he played more than 100 times after making his debut as a 17-year-old in January 2011.

Cheltenham have not disclosed the length of Young's deal.

Jude-Boyd, 21, spent part of last season on loan at National League South side Torquay United where he scored six goals in 17 appearances.

Having joined QPR as a nine-year-old he came up through the club's ranks but failed to break into the first team.

He links back up with director of football Gary Johnson and newly-appointed assistant manager Aaron Downes, who were in charge at the Devon club last season.

[themaclad]

Cheltenham Town have signed goalkeepers Owen Evans and Joe Day as they prepare for life back in League Two.

Evans, 27, returns to the club after being released by Walsall, where he spent two seasons.

He initially joined the Robins on loan in 2020 and made 45 appearances before his move to the Saddlers.

Meanwhile, Day, 33, has joined from Newport as player-coach after previous goalkeeping coach James Bittner departed for Barnsley.

While at Newport, Day worked with now-Cheltenham manager Michael Flynn.

"Joe is someone I know really well," Flynn told the club website., external

"He's a fantastic lad with a good temperament and he's still a very good goalkeeper.

"He'll be coming in as a player-coach and I'm very comfortable having him in to do that. I think he'll be a very good acquisition for the football club."

[themaclad]

Cheltenham Town have signed striker Liam Dulson from non-league football.

The 22-year-old scored 26 goals last season, starting the campaign at Ware and then helping Bedford Town win promotion via the Southern League Division One Central play-offs.

Cheltenham said he has signed a "long-term contract", external with the League Two club.

“The last few seasons in non-league have been really good. I’ve slowly improved each season with goals and now I think is the time to step up," Dulson said.

Robins boss Michael Flynn said: “Liam is somebody I’ve kept an eye on for a number of years now.

“He’s a striker with a lot of good attributes. He can score with both feet, he’s a very strong lad and he’s come in and already kept up with the lads in the running.

“He’s very hungry and I’m hoping he’s going to be a gem.”

[themaclad]

Cheltenham Town have signed midfielder Ethon Archer after he impressed during a trial with the League Two club.

The 21-year-old was a free agent, having recently left Torquay United at the end of his contract.

Cheltenham director of football Gary Johnson signed Archer for Torquay in November when he was Gulls boss.

"I'm really grateful for the opportunity given to me here at Cheltenham and I can't wait to give it all I've got to help make this club successful," Archer told the Robins' website., external

Cheltenham have not disclosed the length of Archer's contract.

"He's going to be a real handful for the players he comes up against," manager Michael Flynn predicted.

[themaclad]

Cheltenham have signed midfielder Harrison Sohna after a trial period with the club.

The 22-year-old was formerly on the books of Aston Villa, where he made his senior debut in the FA Cup in 2021, and Sunderland, where he clocked up four more cup appearances, but he has been without a club since last summer.

The Gloucestershire-born player has featured in all three of Cheltenham's pre-season fixtures so far.

"I've known Harrison for a while - I had him in with me for a long time at Swindon but we just weren't able to get something over the line," Cheltenham manager Michael Flynn said.

"His attitude is first class and he's a very talented player."

[themaclad]

Cheltenham Town have signed defender Lewis Payne on a season-long loan from Premier League side Southampton.

The 20-year-old has been with Saints' academy since the age of nine and made his first-team debut in the EFL Cup in 2022.

Payne, who can operate at wing-back, spent last season on loan with League Two club Newport Countym where he played 31 games, and having also previously had a spell with Eastleigh.

“I watched Lewis a lot last year when he was at Newport and I’ve looked at him when I’ve been at other clubs as well," said Robins manager Michael Flynn.

“Lewis is someone who is very good technically, coming from what is now a Premier League club who have got a very good academy."

Payne is Cheltenham's second signing this week after midfielder Harrison Sohna joined following a trial period.

[themaclad]

Cheltenham Town have signed former Shrewsbury Town striker Ryan Bowman and brought in West Ham defender Levi Laing on loan.

Bowman, 32, left Shrewsbury at the end of last season after a three-year spell in which he scored 22 goals in 135 appearances in all competitions.

He netted the winning goal against Cheltenham on the opening day of last season.

Laing, 21, has made one senior appearance for West Ham, in the Europa Conference League.

He played academy football for Brentford and Arsenal, before joining the Hammers in 2021.

The two arrivals take the tally of Cheltenham's new signings this summer to nine in total.

[themaclad]

Striker Aidan Keena has left League Two side Cheltenham Town to rejoin League of Ireland club St Patrick's Athletic.

The 25-year-old began his career with the Dublin club, who are now managed by former Republic of Ireland boss Stephen Kenny.

Keena left St Patrick's to join Scottish side Hearts in 2017 and had spells at Hartlepool and Falkirk before returning to Ireland to join Sligo Rovers in 2022.

He joined Cheltenham the following year and played 66 times for the Robins, scoring seven goals - six of which came in his first 20 appearances.