Ethon Archer has become the latest attacking addition to the Town ranks, with the left winger signing from Cheltenham Town.
Archer, who turned 23 last Thursday, will continue his immediate development with the League Two club, with the Robins retaining his services on loan until January.
The south Londoner completed his medical over the weekend after playing his part in Cheltenham’s 1-1 draw at Salford City on Friday night.
After finalising paperwork at The Brache, he told LTFC+: “I’m delighted to be here and so happy this deal got over the line. As soon as I heard about it I thought it was a no-brainer, something I definitely had to go for.
“This is a very big club. It’s been in the Premier League not too long ago, in the Championship last season, and I know they have aspirations of getting back to that level, so this is something I definitely want to be a part of.
“The facilities are unreal. I can’t wait to get going here in January and I just know it’s going to aid my development, 100 per cent.”
Manager Matt Bloomfield added: “We are really excited to invest in Ethon and are looking forward to his future career with us. He’s had a rapid rise in the last couple of years after stepping up from Non-League football, and he’s hungry and determined to progress even further.
“Playing a key role in Cheltenham’s first half of the season will be valuable for his development, and we’ll be watching him closely over the next few months, then look forward to welcoming him fully in January.”
The story so far
Born in Croydon, the left winger grew up in nearby Wallington and after leaving school, he joined the Kinetic Academy, studying at the same time as training on a daily basis.
At 17, Archer gained experience in men’s Non-League football with Whyteleafe, playing a handful of matches for the Isthmian League South East Division side before Covid brought a temporary halt to his progress in 2020.
By his own admission, he then “bounced about a lot”, playing on the Power League courts across the road from his home before joining another local Step 4 club, Bedfont Sports, for a spell in 2021/22, then moving to Sutton Common Rovers, who soon loaned him to Combined Counties League side Horley Town.
After impressing there, Archer joined Raynes Park Vale ahead of the 2022/23 season and really found his feet, scoring 15 goals as the south-west London outfit won the Combined Counties Premier Division title.
In that summer of 2023 he went on trial at Scottish Championship club Ayr United, but eventually signed for Welling United, then in National League South, who immediately sent him out to play games at Isthmian Division One South East side Three Bridges.
After scoring twice in his first seven appearances for the Sussex club at the start of the 2023/24 campaign, a week’s trial at Torquay led to Gary Johnson, the former Cambridge, Bristol City and Yeovil manager, signing him for the National League South club.
The move to Devon meant Archer putting his full-time jobs, which had ranged from working in retail, as an Amazon delivery driver and a matchday steward at AFC Wimbledon, behind him to concentrate on full-time football.
He impressed during his 26 appearances for the Plainmoor outfit, who went into administration before the end of the season, leaving Archer again looking for a club.
Offers from other National League South clubs were made, but with Johnson becoming director of football at Cheltenham, Archer was taken on trial once again during pre-season.
He eventually signed a two-year deal with the Robins just over a year ago and featured in all 46 of their League Two matches in the 2024/25 season, scoring seven goals and one in the FA Cup win at League One Rotherham, and earning an improved contract in March.
He will now spend the next four months continuing his EFL education with Mike Flynn’s squad, and we look forward to welcoming him as a fully-fledged Hatter in the new year!
