Blue Square Premier side Rushden & Diamonds have announced the signing of midfielder Jon Challinor from rivals Exeter City.

Challinor, aged 26 is an attacking midfielder, who often plays 'in the hole' between midfield and attack.

He joins the Diamonds after a successful season with Exeter, where he scored 10 goals in 36 first-team appearances.

With 41 games and 12 goals in the 2005/06 season, Jon has proved an important part of Exeter's fortunes in the Conference.

A regular for Aldershot in the two seasons before his move to Exeter, Challinor was surprisingly released by the Shots, despite 21 goals and 74 appearances.

Challinor has also had spells at St Albans, Cambridge City and Stamford, whom he joined from Nene Park in search of regular football.

Initially part of the Rushden & Diamonds youth team, he struggled to find regular football as Brian Talbot bought in Carey and Hanlon in pursuit of promotion to the Football League.

"We are very delighted to have Jon back at Nene Park," manager Garry Hill told the club's official website.

"He is a player with a wealth of experience in the Conference through his time at Aldershot and Exeter. He is a midfield player who has proven his ability to get goals into double figures in a season.

"Together with Curtis Woodhouse we shall have a formidable force. I am really very pleased."



Very disappointed with this news, Challinor was one of our best players and selling him to promotion rivals is ridiculous imo.
He said he wanted to join a league club, as it was maybe the last chance he would have, so I can't believe this.

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