AFC Telford today swooped for one of Chasetown’s FA Cup history-makers to strengthen their defence - as Rob Pacey exited the New Bucks Head.Vaughan Thomas, who turned 30 yesterday, has agreed non-contract terms with Telford after helping Charlie Blakemore’s side become the lowest ranked team ever to reach the third round of the FA Cup last week.
Thomas played a vital role in that run - scoring a goal in the first round victory over Team Bath - and has been an ever-present for the BGB Southern League Midlands Division outfit in major competitions this season.
And manager Rob Smith is delighted to recruit a player who he previously signed for Willenhall and who has also had spells at Redditch and Studley.
“A fit Vaughan Thomas is as good as anyone around,” said the Bucks boss of a player who will be available for tomorrow’s trip to Solihull Moors.
“He can be a bit ungainly at times but he is a big strong defender. He has played in a back three at Chasetown so knows what that is about and he does not get fazed by things.
“With our budget requirements we can’t just go signing players willy-nilly from a higher league so sometimes you have to look lower down and I think Vaughan will do a really good job.
“If Vaughan had been fit when we first came here he would have been our first signing back then and we have kept an eye on him since.”
Smith admitted former Doncaster Rovers man Pacey would have been released regardless of whether the Thomas signing had been completed.
“Rob is a genuinely great lad - one of the nicest I’ve met - and it wasn’t a pleasant thing to have to do to release him,” he added.
“For the first 10 or 11 games he has played a massive part in helping us get off the flying start. But by his own admission, over the last five or six weeks he has become a bit of nervous wreck and we can’t afford that heading into big games.”
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