Crawley have signed a new wideman – with a bit of help from Jamie Vardy.

Ashley Nathaniel-George, previously with Aylesbury, Potters Bar and Hendon, has signed a two-year deal.

He was been on Reds’ radar for some time and was most recently scouted at a trial staged by Vardy’s V9 Academy.

The 23-year-old spent last season with Isthmian League premier division side Hendon and scored 17 goals in 59 games.

Crawley director of football Selim Gaygusuz said: “We have been tracking Ashley for a while.

“Then we scouted him again at the Jamie Vardy Academy trials a couple of weeks ago. There were over 40 players there and Ashley stood out. He’s quick, loves to take defenders on and has got a good goalscoring record.

“Among our fans I guess there will be the inevitable comparisons to Panutche Camara, who we signed last season, but they have different styles and Ashley is a bit more experienced and he is really determined to take this opportunity to make a career for himself in the Football League.

“I know how keen he is to get started and the chance is there for him and it’s up to him to grab it.”

England striker Vardy started his academy with the aim of helping non-league players break into the EFL or Premier League.

He said: “I don’t have to do any of it but I know what I had to do to get to where I am and, playing in non-league, I was playing against players who should have had pro clubs.”