ALDERSHOT manager Terry Brown has outmanoevred Kingstonian in the race to sign striker Tim Sills.
The arrival of the former Camberley and Basingstoke forward, who was Kingstonian's top scorer last season with 28 goals, is good news for Aldershot, but has left the Ks seething with fury.
The Ryman League outfit consider that Sills, a free agent, has broken a gentleman's agreement to stay with the club.
Manager Kim Harris said on the club's website: "Tim agreed to a new contract, but we told him we wouldn't submit it to the FA until things were sorted out. We left it as a gentleman's agreement.
"Tim has now reneged on the deal. He did not inform me he was going and, the worst thing is, we have lost him for a free because we didn't put the contract in."
Kingstonian fumed as Sills, who lives at Ash Vale, completed a free transfer to Aldershot, but Terry Brown had a simple answer to their complaints.
"He's out of contract, he's a local boy, and he wants to play for Aldershot in the Conference. It's my job to get the best for Aldershot and I'm entitled to speak to any non-contract players.
"I have sympathy for Kingstonian. They're in a difficult trading position and not able to offer contracts to players.
"I firmly believe Tim will do a job for us and I think he'll form a great partnership with Roscoe D'Sane."
The manager was forced to move for a high-class striker, with Aaron McLean's future at the club unclear, and Sills, like D'Sane an England Semi-Professional international, would seem to fit the bill.
He certainly impressed for Kingstonian at the Rec last season and in previous years, during his time at Basingstoke, Aldershot fans would have wonderered how such a classy local player had slipped through George Borg's hands.