Wideman Will Saxon is Runcorn Linnets manager Billy Paynter's first new signing ahead of the 2023-24 season.

Will, 25, joins from fellow Pitching In Northern Premier West outfit Kidsgrove Athletic, having returned for his second spell with the Staffordshire club in September 2022 after two years at Leek Town.

An eye-atching player, Will's 30 appearances for The Grove last season featured an impressive home outing against Runcorn on April 1st as we memorably triumphed 1-0 in Billy's first game in charge.

Will had begun the season at Leek, scoring twice in as many games.

He had featured for the Harrison Park club in all three games against Linnets in 2021-22, appearing as a sub in the first of our two successive Play-off semi-final victories over the Blues.

Will had first burst on to the scene with Kidsgrove in 2018-19.

His two outings against Runcorn that season brought a 2-1 away defeat for The Grove in February 2019 and a 5-0 victory the following month.

Given our manager's knowledge of the Stsffordshire football scene, from his time coaching in Port Vale Academy, it is perhaps no surprise that Billy has returned to Staffordshire to begin recruiting from outside the existing Linnets squad.

However, Will lives in Cheshire and while much of his career so far has been spent in the neighbouring county, he also had a spell at Step 3 - in Northern Premier League Premier Division - with Nantwich Town, who he joined in June 2019.

It was from the Dabbers that Will moved in July 2020 to Leek, where his personal highlights included a hat-trick against Market Drayton Town in January 2022 and a spectacular 20-yard effort at Clitheroe in September 2021.

Hopefully, there will be many more magic moments for him at APEC Taxis Stadium.

Welcome to Runcorn Linnets, Will!

All our summer signings are subject to approval by the FA and/or the NPL.