Hythe Town have added some Premier League class to their promotion push by signing former Arsenal player Zach Fagan.

Fagan spent 12 years with the Gunners, playing some of the time alongside Zak Ansah, his new Cannons team-mate.

He moved on to Welling and was most recently with Farnborough in Evo-Stik Southern Premier South.

Fagan has dropped down a level to sign for Hythe and showed his class on debut in a 2-0 win over FC Romania in the FA Trophy.

“He was excellent on Saturday,” said manager Sam Denly. “He’s been training with us and he’s a good player.

“He’s played at higher levels, got good pedigree and he looked good on Saturday. He’s another big signing for us.

“Zach and Zak came through the Arsenal academy and played together a number of times.

“It’s been hard to get the deal over the line because he’s got an agent and clubs were looking at him.

“Zak Ansah came originally because he knew a few of the players and wanted to play football and enjoy it, which he’s doing now. Hopefully, Zach Fagan will be the same.”

Fagan played the holding midfield role on Saturday with Chris Kinnear still nursing a groin injury.

Denly said: “He glided through the game. You can tell he’s a proper player.

“He hasn’t had loads of football lately so it’ll take him time to get match fit but I’m sure there are good things to come from him.”

Hythe will host Bishop’s Stortford in the FA Trophy first qualifying round on October 27.

Before that comes a league game at Three Bridges on Saturday when the Cannons could go second in Bostik South East with a win.

Denly said: “Our away form isn’t horrendous but it isn’t as good as we want it to be. If we want to maintain our league position, our away form’s got to improve. Three Bridges is always a hard place to get a result.”

Kinnear should be fit to play on Saturday while Charlie Webster and Billy Lewins both return.