Defender Omar Beckles has become the latest addition to David Artell’s squad after he agreed a one year deal with the Football Club ahead of the new season. The deal also includes a 12-month option.``

The 28-year-old becomes Artell’s fifth major capture of a busy transfer window following the arrivals of forwards, Offrande Zanzala and Mikael Mandron, defender Donveron Daniels, and more recently, our former captain Luke Murphy.

The London-born defender joins Crewe Alexandra after rejecting fresh terms on offer at his former club Shrewsbury Town.

The vastly experienced Grenadian International possesses vast experience in the game having come through the youth ranks at Millwall.

After failing to make the breakthrough with the Lions, he elected on a move to Spanish football when joining Jerez Industrial in 2010 through Glenn Hoddle’s Academy scheme.

When that affiliation with Hoddle’s Academy was terminated with Jerez, he returned to the UK to join Boreham Wood in March 2011.

A successful period in non-league over the next five seasons saw him win Aldershot’s Player-of-the-Year award in 2015 and earn that chance at League level again with Accrington Stanley.

Beckles went on to make 50 appearances for Stanley, scoring four goals before securing a move to Shrewsbury Town for an undisclosed fee in the summer of 2017. He collected an EFL Trophy runners-up medal in his debut season following Shrewsbury’s defeat to Lincoln City at Wembley Stadium.

He went on to make over 100 appearances for the Shrews, scoring seven goals in all competitions before he elected for a new challenge this summer.

Beckles’ versatility in defence allows him to play in his more favourable central position, but he has also played at right-back. He has now amassed over 300 first team appearances and has been capped four times by his country.

Everyone welcomes Omar to the Football Club as our latest addition.