Tonbridge Angels manager Jay Saunders on Kodi Lyons-Foster’s arrival | Ex-Gills and Dover striker Stefan Payne also joins while Scott Wagstaff is named captain

Tonbridge boss Jay Saunders believes he’s landed the ideal replacement for departed defender Alex Finney.

Finney left for Eastbourne last month, just a couple of weeks after joining from National League South champions Ebbsfleet.

That saw Saunders step up his pursuit of Kodi Lyons-Foster, a player he’d already held talks with this summer.

The 26-year-old, a former Spurs academy man, arrives at Longmead after five seasons with National League Aldershot.

“To be honest, I’d spoken to Kodi earlier in the summer,” said Saunders, who has also signed striker Stefan Payne from Welling.

“We’d made contact and he didn’t want to commit, he was keeping his options open and he had to make that decision whether he was going to try and stay full-time, like he was at Aldershot, or go part-time.

“We’d stayed in contact and I made him aware I was interested when we had Finney.

“Once Finney left, it was, right, let’s really try and push it and get it over the line.

“Obviously Finney’s got experience and I felt it was important we got someone else who had that experience but I didn’t want someone who can’t move any more.

“Kodi’s someone who’s a good age, he’s still mobile and I just felt it was a good fit for us and for him.

“I’ve always liked Kodi. He’s come up against my sides for years.

“When the chance came I just felt it was right for everyone for him to come in.

“He’s missed out on a lot of training, where he was waiting to see what was happening, so we’ve got to get him up to speed, but he’s a good player and a good talker.

“He’s been at a higher level for a good few years but he’s been on loan at this level (with Welling last season), so he knows the league.”

Payne, meanwhile, joins Tonbridge after scoring 11 goals for Welling in