Ramsgate sign goalkeeper Aiden Prall from Sheppey United while manager Ben Smith discusses summer transfer plans and pays tribute to departed striker Joe Taylor

Ramsgate have landed a top-class replacement for injured goalkeeper Tom Hadler.

Title-winning No.1 Hadler is facing months on the sidelines after suffering a serious knee injury.

He tore his ACL in Rams’ 4-0 win at Hythe on Good Friday, a result that clinched the Isthmian South East championship, and has since had an operation.

With Hadler out of action, Ramsgate have signed Aiden Prall from Sheppey.

Widely seen as one of the best keepers in the league, it was announced last week that Prall would be leaving Holm Park after three years with the Ites.

And his next destination is Isthmian Premier new boys Ramsgate.

“I always said to the chairman (James Lawson), if we ever didn’t have Tom, Aiden Prall would be the one I’d go for,” said Rams boss Ben Smith.

“He likes the way we play and we’ve been able to get him in.

“He’s been offered a lot of money to go elsewhere but he’s turned it down to come to us.

“I think it’s a really good signing.

“He’s a nice kid as well, which always helps.”

Ramsgate are working hard on other targets in light of recent departures.

Joe Ellul, Lee Martin and record goalscorer Joe Taylor have all moved on since the end of the season.

Smith says Ramsgate need to go in a different direction after losing the experienced trio.

“We’ve got some hard work to do to replace those,” said Smith.

“You can’t replace a Lee Martin, you can’t replace a Joe Taylor, you have to slightly change your approach.

“You’re not going to get the identical player.

“We’re not going to get a player that scores 50 goals.

“It’s very hard to replace that but what we have to do is find a player that can support more people contributing with goals and maybe adding in different areas.

“We’re hard at work doing that, we’ve identified