MARTIN GRAY has made one of his best ever signings, believes the Darlington manager, after bringing in Kevin Burgess from Whitby Town.

The 27-year-old centre-back yesterday signed a two-year deal with Quakers after joining on a free from the Seasiders where he had been for seven seasons and made 276 appearances.

A proven performer in the Evo-Stik Premier Division, Burgess moved to the Turnbull Ground in 2008 after leaving Darlington, where he worked under Gray when he was assistant to Dave Penney.

He joins Tom Portas and Graeme Armstrong in making the move to Quakers and Gray will hope he is as successful as his former team-mates were in their first season with the club.

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The manager certainly has no doubts about Burgess, saying: “It’s up there as one of the best signings I’ve made at the club. He’s played in the league we’re going into for seven years and been one of the best centre-halves, so I’m delighted to sign him and I know I wouldn’t be happy to lose him.

“He’s a player I’ve admired for a long time. I had him at Darlington as a YTS. He did his first year at Middlesbrough, I took his second year at Darlington and he did a year or two as a pro as well.

“It was his attitude that stood out for me. He’s a winner, he’s a leader, horrible to play against and exactly what I look for in a defender.

“He wants to win the ball and that’s what defenders should be judged on, not stepping out and being a ball-playing centre-half. That’s always a plus, for me it’s about doing your role right.

“He’s honest, a great character, a hard worker and he’ll fit in because that’s what we’ve built our club on.”

Whitby boss Darren Williams, however, is disappointed to lose a third player to Darlington.

“It was Kev’s decision to leave,” Williams told the Whitby Gazette. “He’s been at the club a long time and it was an opportunity to change and go on something new that’s not the same season after season.

“I’ve not a bad word to say about Kev since I’ve been at the club – he’s been fantastic.

“He was injured most of last season which didn’t help but he’s a great lad to work with and committed fully, and shows that in every game he plays in. We didn’t have him for a lot of last season because of an Achilles problem and lost him again towards the end, pulling a hamstring at Nantwich. If you lose any key player, it tends to be a tough season.

“I’m disappointed to lose a player to Darlo but we don’t have deep pockets.”

Although Chris Hunter and Alan White formed a strong partnership at centre-back last season, Gray knows he needs to think long-term as the latter is now 39.

The manager has now made three summer signings - Rob Youhill from Harrogate RA and Adam Nowakowski from Harrogate Town the others – but he will not be bringing in a right-back.

“Gary Brown did very well at right-back and I don’t want to chop and change things,” said Gray, who is on the verge of bringing in a new reserve goalkeeper. “Kevin Burgess is an out and out centre-half, we know what we’re getting with him.”

Burgess made two appearances in his first Quakers spell. He came off the bench in May 2007, a 5-0 defeat to Stockport County, and was a substitute in an FA Cup defeat the following season at Northampton Town before joining Whitby on loan and then making the move permanent.

Burgess will face a reunion with his former Whitby team-mates on Saturday, August 1 when his new team plays a pre-season friendly at the Turnbull Ground.