FORMER Bury captain Stephen Dawson has signed for Hereford.

The 33-year-old midfielder had two spells with The Shakers, the second ending with the club’s expulsion from the Football League.

Dawson was first at Gigg Lane from 2008 to 2010 before returning in 2017.

He suffered a serious knee injury weeks into his return however and his frustrations continued last season, Dawson making just seven appearances in all competitions, the last coming in the Boxing Day defeat at Mansfield.

The experienced campaigner hit the headlines recently by having a confrontation with Shakers owner Steve Dale live on talkSPORT as the club's crisis deepened.

After amassing nearly 500 Football League appearances with Bury, Mansfield, Leyton Orient, Barnsley, Rochdale and Scunthorpe, Dawson has now dropped into the National League North however.

The move will see him link up with his former Orient manager Russell Slade, who he played for between June 2010 and January 2012. 

“I’ve worked with Stephen before and he is someone who will bring a great deal of knowledge and experience into the team,” said Slade on the midfielder's arrival at the weekend.

“He’s a player who can really drive us forward during games, he’s a leader out on the pitch, he’s got a great tempo, fantastic attitude and can be a real influence on games.”