FORMER Wrexham AFC midfielder Paul Rutherford has become Bala Town's fifth signing of the summer transfer window.

Lakesiders manager Colin Caton has been busy bolstering his squad with Calum Woods, Daniel Walker-Rice, Bradley Bauress and former Wales international Dave Edwards having also signed on at Maes Tegid.

Bala, who finished third in the JD Cymru Premier last season, are set to take on Northern Irish club Larne in the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League.

The signing of 33-year-old Rutherford, who spent five years at The Racecourse with Wrexham, will certainly provide them with some further experience.

Rutherford started his career coming through the ranks of Liverpool’s academy, before making a switch to Chester City’s Youth Team.

After spending four years in Chester’s first team, he would move on to Barrow AFC who were playing in the National League.

The Midfielder was part of the Barrow side that won the 2009-2010 FA Trophy at Wembley after a 2-1 win over Stevenage.

He went on to make 150+ appearances over a four year spell for Barrow, before moving to Southport who were also playing in the National League.

Following a three year spell with Southport, making just shy of 100 appearances, Rutherford would move on to Wrexham FC.

Now after a five year spell with Wrexham and 180+ appearances later, he joins the Lakesiders just two weeks before they kick-start another European campaign.

The club will be looking for a repeat of last year when they advanced through the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League for the first time ever - Chris Venables' goal handing them a famous 1-0 win over Valletta in Malta.

That set up a huge clash away at Belgian giants Standard Liege, where Bala fought bravely only to lose out 2-0 in the end to the full time professional club and European veterans.