Northampton Town boss Stuart Gray has signed former Hereford United defender Dean Beckwith on an initial one-year deal with an option for a further 12 months.

The 6ft 3in centre-half becomes the second ex-Hereford player to sign on at Sixfields this summer following the earlier addition of striker Steve Guinan.

Beckwith, 25, came up through the youth ranks at Gillingham but after loan spells at Dagenham & Redbridge and Margate he signed for Hereford in July 2005 having made 2 first-team appearances for the Kent club.

In his first season at Edgar Street he played a major role in helping the Bulls regain their Football League status and he was a key member of Graham Turner's League Two promotion winning squad in 2007/08.

12 months ago he was linked with a move to Wolves, and this summer he has been chased by a number of clubs.

Beckwith made a total of 152 appearances for Hereford in his four seasons at the club, scoring 5 goals.

"I am delighted to have secured Dean," said Stuart Gray.

"He is a good age, has a good amount of games under his belt and he is a player who has impressed me.

"A year ago he was being linked with a move to the Championship, and I think the move here will give him a fresh start and hopefully help him kick on.

"He is another one who has won promotion from this level before so he knows what it takes. He is also a player with a decent fitness record and is hungry to take both his career and the club forward.

"There were a few clubs keen on him, so we are pleased to have got him and he is a major signing for us."

Dean's arrival means that the contract offer to Mark Hughes has now been officially withdrawn, with the club keeping the contract on the table for almost two weeks beyond the regulations set out in the Football League's re-engagement procedure.

"We kept Mark's offer open for a while after the June 16th deadline, which we were not obliged to do," said the Cobblers boss.

"We did not hear back and we could not wait indefinitely for a decision and so we have moved on. Mark does not now have a contract offer on the table from ourselves and he has been officially notified of this in writing.

"We thank Mark for his efforts and wish him well for the future, but I am very pleased to have got Dean in and he and the rest of the lads are looking forward to starting training later this week." 

Want to be Dean's player sponsor for next season? You can be for just £425 + Vat. Or you can be his kit sponsor for just £110 + Vat. For more details please contact Lisa Redmond on 01604 683734 or email commercial.admin@ntfc.tv