Dover Athletic manager Martin Hayes has completed his squad rebuilding with the signing of former Chelsea and Grimsby centre-back Steve Watt.

The 26-year-old Scot has been training with the Whites in pre-season and put pen to paper after Saturday’s 12-1 victory over VG Oostende at Crabble.

Watt was spotted by Chelsea while he was playing for Aberdeen juniors and spent four years at Stamford Bridge during the Jose Mourinho era.

He then joined Swansea before returning to Scotland to play for Ross County.

Watt moved south of the border again at the start of last season to join Grimsby, where he made 25 appearances for the Blue Square Conference club.

"Getting Steve is a big plus for the club," said Hayes.

"He’s a big lad with bags of experience of playing at a higher level and it means we now have good options at centre half."

Former Whites striker Adam Birchall put in a good word in to lure Wattt to Crabble.

"I told Steve that if part-time football was what he was looking for, or he needed to take a step back, then Dover was the best thing," said Birchall

"I re-created myself there, worked on my mind and got it all back again."