Former Cambridge United and Leyton Orient defender Josh Coulson agrees to join Newmarket Town after recent King’s Lynn Town departure

Newmarket Town have pulled off a big transfer coup with the confirmation that they have reached an agreement to sign Josh Coulson.

The 36-year-old will arrive at the Tristel Global Stadium with a wealth of experience from his long spell within the professional football ranks.

Coulson came through the youth system at his boyhood club Cambridge United, for whom he made a total of 324 senior appearances. The centre-back was part of the U’s side that won the FA Trophy at Wembley in 2013/14, as well as being a key figure in the club’s return to the Football League during the same season.

He later went on to have stints with Leyton Orient and Southend United before spending the last three years captaining King’s Lynn Town.

However, Coulson was one of a number of players to leave the Linnets at the end of the 2024/25 campaign and despite receiving plenty of interest from elsewhere, he has opted to link up with Michael Shinn’s Jockeys.

Newmarket boss Shinn said: “Josh is a really big signing for us. He’s someone I’ve known for a while and we’ve always sort of half spoken about him coming over one day, but this summer felt like our most realistic chance.

“When someone like Josh becomes available they’re always going to get lots of offers from lots of levels, so we’re pleased that he has decided to join us.

“The fact that we were even in a position to sit down and have a conversation with Josh shows that we’re moving in the right direction.

“He’s got real experience and he’s a real leader. In Tom Williams and James Chivers, we recently lost two players that were leaders on and off the pitch and so it was important we replaced them – Josh will do so much for us as a group.”

Coulson has become the third new addition to agree to join Newmarket ahead of their second straight term in the Isthmian League North Division after attacker Emmanuel Osei and midfielder Sam Coombes.

And news of his arrival has come two days on from Ally Conway’s move to Bury Town being confirmed.