A forward who counts Arsenal, Liverpool and Crystal Palace among his former clubs has signed for Herne Bay.

Banton, 30 in December, had started the season at Isthmian South East Sittingbourne but now has joined Ben Smith’s Isthmian Premier outfit.

He came through the youth ranks with the Gunners and was a young professional with Liverpool, Leicester and Palace before making more than 50 appearances over two spells at Plymouth.

Banton, who plays out wide or up front, also counts MK Dons and Wycombe among his former clubs.

“We are really excited to get [the signing of] Jason over the line. He is a player that we have looked at before but missed out on a couple of times,” Bay boss Smith told the club website of Banton who made his Palace debut in a 2013 FA Cup tie against Stoke.

“Jason has got good experience from his professional days as well as from the league we are currently in, with the likes of Bishop’s Stortford and Kingstonian.

“He's a player that will add a lot of quality to us and that experience which we have been missing and crying out for, to be honest.”

Third-bottom Herne Bay this Saturday are at fifth-placed Enfield having lost 3-0 last weekend at home to Hastings.

Smith added: "We haven’t started the season as we would have liked, but signings like Jason and the movement we are going to be doing over the next week or so will be to try and improve that experience across the squad.

“There have been some outs, but we are working very hard on some ins and those will come with experience.”

After the announcement, Banton said on Twitter: "Let's go to work."

Others to have recently signed for the Winch's Field club include former Maidstone and Tonbridge striker Jake Embery and midfielder Che Krabbendam.

While at Sittingbourne this season, Banton made seven competitive appearances - which included four starts.