We are pleased to announce that striker Donovan Wilson has become our third new signing of the summer after signing a two-year deal.

Most recently at Sutton United, the 26-year-old made 41 appearances in all competitions for the West London club throughout the 2022-23 season and joins the Mariners on a free transfer after signing a two-year deal.

After coming through the youth setup at Bristol Rovers, Wilson joined Wolves and spent four years there after an initial loan spell. Short-term spells with Port Vale and Exeter City sat either side of a stint in Spain with Segunda Division B club Jumilla along with eight of his Wolves teammates.

A permanent move to Burgos – another Segunda Division B club – followed and, after making nineteen appearances for them, he returned to the UK after signing for Macclesfield Town before joining Bath City for the 2020-21 season.

In that spell, he impressed sufficiently with six goals in nine league matches to be picked up by Sutton United with his goals helping them seal promotion from the National League, scoring seven from sixteen outings.

That pre-season saw him make the permanent move to Sutton and, after two seasons with the Gander Green Lane club, he now moves to Cleethorpes on a two-year deal.

On the recruitment of Wilson, Mariners manager Paul Hurst said: “I think Donovan gives us something that we haven’t had for a little while in terms of his mobility and his pace.

“He’s also a good size, he can do a little bit of everything. Having watched him, I think his biggest strength is his energy and pace that will frighten defenders.

“I watched him quite a lot when he was at Wolves, so we’re going back a few years admittedly, when he played wider quite often when I saw him. He’s changed into being a more central striker since then who can also play as a ten.

“He’s been at Sutton for the last couple of seasons so he knows what the level is about and he’s a player I believe has a lot more to come.”

After signing his deal with the Club, Wilson added: “I’m buzzing to be here and I can’t wait to get going!

“My agent told me that there was some interest in January so I knew that but, this time, it’s come about quite quickly, maybe ten days ago. I did a Zoom and spoke to the gaffer and it all went well. I was happy as soon as we’d done that to get the deal done.”

Are you interested in being Donovan’s kit sponsor for the 2023-24 season? If so, please contact our Commercial Manager Matthew Disley by emailing matthew@gtfc.co.uk.

UTM