SIMON Heslop has become York City’s ninth summer signing after turning down a new deal at National League rivals Wrexham and agreeing two-year terms at Bootham Crescent.

The Minstermen have stolen York-born Heslop from under the nose of former boss Gary Mills, who snapped the 29-year-old midfielder up for the Welsh club on a six-month contract from Torquay in January.

Heslop has made 336 appearances and scored 23 goals during a senior career that has encompassed spells in Sky Bet League One and Two, as well as in the National League and one appearance at Championship level with first club Barnsley.

A 63rd-substitute appearance during a 7-0 drubbing at West Brom proved Heslop’s only outing during six years as a professional at Oakwell.

In that time, though, he was loaned out to then National League quintet Kidderminster, Tamworth, Northwich, Kettering and Luton, as well as League Two Grimsby.

He played for Luton in both legs of City’s 2010 play-off, semi-final triumph over the Kenilworth Road outfit, before moving to eventual Wembley winners Oxford the following season, where he made more than a century of appearances in the Football League.

Heslop was subsequently released by the Kassam Stadium outfit in 2013, but moved up a division to join Stevenage.

Following the Hertfordshire team’s relegation that campaign, he spent a year with Mansfield before his stints at Torquay and Wrexham last term.

Along with reaching the play-offs at Luton, Heslop has also experienced National League relegation with part-time Tamworth in 2007.

He has become City chief Jackie McNamana’s first midfield reinforcement, meanwhile, following Luke Summerfield and Russell Penn’s decisions to move on this summer.

Of the Minstermen’s other close-season recruits, seven (Jack Higgins, Alex Whittle, Shaun Rooney, Ben Barber, Ben Clappison, Josh Robinson and Matt Fry) have been in defence with Richard Brodie the only striker to have arrived at Bootham Crescent so far.

Along with first-team professionals Nick Kennedy and Tyler Walton, City now boast a 17-man squad, although forwards Vadaine Oliver and Jake Hyde remain on the transfer list.

That number could also rise to 20 if, as McNamara expects, Danny Galbraith, Michael Ingham and Callum Rzonca agree new terms.

Those still on board from last season are Scott Flinders, James Berrett, Matty Dixon and Reece Thompson.