Former Gillingham and Hythe Town midfielder Darren Oldaker leaves promoted Dorking Wanderers for National League Chesterfield

Darren Oldaker has moved north as his career continues to head back in the right direction.

The midfielder has joined top non-league side Chesterfield three years after quitting the Gills.

Oldaker mutually agreed to a termination of his Gillingham contract in August 2019, just seven months after signing a deal until the summer of 2021. He left the club after much early promise under former boss Justin Edinburgh but was one of the first to leave when Steve Evans took over.

He quit the club after making 21 league appearances saying at the time: “I felt it was only right for me to look after myself and move on.”

He moved around several non-league clubs, enjoying a couple of spells at Hythe Town before a successful time of it with National South side Dorking Wanderers last season, winning promotion with them in the play-offs and becoming a hit with the fans.

Oldaker will now join Chesterfield when his Dorking contract expires at the end of this month.

Commenting on the move, he told the Spireites’ website: “I’m absolutely delighted to sign for such a big club. I literally just want to get going now.

“It was a tough moving away and moving everything up here, but I’m more than happy to do it. I can’t wait.”

Oldaker added that the Chesterfield boss Paul Cook had shown interest in him from since his time at Gillingham, saying: “He’s clear of what he wants from me as a player at this club and I’m ready to do it for him.”