Monday 3 August 2015 17:04, UK
Notts County have signed former Crewe defender Thierry Audel.
The Magpies have snapped up the Frenchman on a one-year deal after he impressed in Friday's friendly defeat against Scunthorpe.
Audel, the 16th new arrival at Meadow Lane this summer following the club's relegation to Sky Bet League 2, will add competition for places at centre-back and will challenge Haydn Hollis and Scot Bennett for a place in the heart of Ricardo Moniz's back four.
"Thierry is all out aggression," said head of recruitment Guy Branston.
"His stand-out performance for me last season was against Bristol Rovers when he stood out dominating Jermaine Easter. I liked how he dealt with a player of that pedigree and when you've got a player who came out of nowhere like Thierry.
"I knew I wanted to get to know this player more and I contacted him at the start of the summer and kept in touch with him during the last few months. He's a clever footballer and he came across as a really nice lad and I'm pleased to get him for the football club.
"He's an experienced player who the youngster at the club can learn from. We needed a bit of size and a bit of presence. He'll challenge everyone at the football club being so good with the ball at his feet and he can play pretty much everywhere."
Audel, 28, was released by Crewe at the end of last season and insists joining Notts County was an easy decision.
He said: "I had a few offers but honestly it wasn't what I was expecting and Notts County was the best thing that could happen to me this summer.
"The gaffer wants to go back into Sky Bet League 1 and hopefully with me adding to this group we will have a good group to go up."
"We played well (against Scunthorpe on Friday) and the gaffer wants that and I hope that through the season we'll improve and we'll get better and show what we can do."
