Ashford United have made their first new signings of the summer.

Manager Gary Alexander has brought in full-back Ollie Rowe from Hastings and followed-up by signing Lea Dawson, who captained Cray Wanderers last season.

He then added former Tooting and Mitcham centre-back Antonio Simeone, who played at Whyeleafe last season.

Rowe made 42 appearances for Hastings in the league in 2017/18, and has previously played for Eastbourne Borough and Lewes.

Dawson, who plays in centre midfield, scored 10 goals in 50 games for Wanderers while Simeone divided his time between Whyteleafe and Molesey where he played 27 games, scoring five times.

Boss Alexander told the club's website: "I’m delighted to welcome Ollie Rowe to Ashford for the coming season. He comes with a great reputation as a player and person with the sort of characteristics we want at the club. I’m sure he will go on to be a great addition for the Nuts and Bolts.

He added: “After winning the battle to sign Lea Dawson I can’t say how pleased I am when he became available. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t get a meeting with him. He’s a player I admire and I’m very pleased to have him on board.

“I am pleased to have secured the services of Antonio. He’s a player with a wealth of experience and knows the league. I’m sure he’ll be a great addition.”

Alexander admits competition to sign players is fiercer than ever with all but five of United's rivals in the renamed Bostik League South East now within 60 miles of Homelands.

He explained: “It’s going to be competitive for players. It’s a free-for-all now.

“Everyone talks to everyone and you’ve got to get your points across, sell the club to people and hope they come to you.

“But it’s their decision, it’s out of our hands. Because loads of money doesn’t change hands, it becomes the player’s choice.

“I work on loyalty and handshakes. If someone gives me their word, I trust them and I hope they can trust me.

“If I meet somebody now and they give me their word, I expect them to and honour it. That’s the sort of character I look for.

“If someone shakes my hand and leaves, they’re not the sort of character I want, so in a way, I’d be happy with that.”

It will be a new-look Ashford which lines up in August although Alexander isn’t planning a total overhaul.

He said: “We had a few youngsters involved at the end of the season and I’ve asked them to stay around because they’ve got bright futures.

“We weren’t a million miles away at the end of the season. We were competing, we just didn’t have that cutting edge on how to win football matches.

“Silly mistakes were costing us and that’s something I have to look at. I don’t think we need to be making 10 or 11 changes but certainly I’ll be looking to bring five or six in.

“It was a difficult time to come in at the club. Ashford don’t deserve to be where they are in that league. They deserve to be competing and that’s down to me to do my recruitment and make sure I’ve got the right personnel to give us the best chance.

“But you take nothing for granted. There are some good sides in there and sides who ended the season in real good form.

“It’s going to be a tough league because it’s close and there’s a lot of derbies in there, which is always tough.”

Goalkeeper George Kamurasi has left Ashford after clocking up more than a century of appearances.

Kamurasi played 101 times for United, keeping 31 clean sheets.

Boss Alexander explained: “Due to personal reasons, George and myself have come to a mutual agreement for him to be released from the club. I feel it’s the right thing for both parties involved and I wish him all of the best and look forward to seeing him again when our paths cross in the future.”