BILLERICAY Town boss Craig Edwards has admitted that he is ‘absolutely delighted’ to have brought Rob Swaine back to New Lodge.

The defender was a fans’ favourite during his previous spells with the club, and headed home the goal that secured the Ryman Premier title in 2012.

Swaine, 28, was released by Bromley earlier this week after handing in a transfer request.

And Edwards is pleased to have been able to bring his former captain back to the club.

Edwards said: “I am absolutely delighted to bring Rob back.

“Rob was my captain when we won the league and we had a fantastic side that year.

“It’s an area that we needed to brush up on so I’m pleased to have brought him in.

“But he will miss the next three games so we will have to make do without him.”

The Basildon-born central defender started his career at New Lodge, but departed for Thurrock in 2007.

After three years with Fleet, Swaine joined Chelmsford City.

But after making only two cup appearances for the Clarets, Swaine returned to Billericay and led Town to the Ryman Premier title.

Swaine left New Lodge for a second time in 2013, as he joined Bromley.

The defender skippered the Kent side to the National League South title, which saw the club win promotion to the top flight of non-league football in 2015.

Edwards will be hoping Swaine will shore up a defence that made two errors to allow Tilbury to equalise and knock Blues out of the Essex Senior Cup on Tuesday.

Goldy Capela fired Billericay into a fifth minute lead, but the Dockers’ Reece Hewitt lobbed goalkeeper Jake Giddens from 35 yards after a poor clearance to draw the visitors level with just five minutes to play and take the quarter-final clash to a penalty shoot-out.

The visitors held their nerve to win the penalty shoot-out 4-2 and the defeat killed off Billericay’s hopes of making it to a second Essex Senior Cup final in three seasons.

Edwards added: “I am disappointed to have gone out of the competition.

“We made a number of changes and the boys that came in didn’t do themselves justice.

“After a really bright start we got sloppy. We got an early goal and I couldn’t see them scoring.

“Two calamitous errors led to them scoring what was a great goal and it went to penalties with it feeling like it wasn’t going to be our night and it wasn’t to be.”