Oxford United today swooped to capture the player regarded as the best left-winger in non-League football.

They have signed Mitchell Cole, the England C star, from Stevenage Borough on a two-year contract.

Cole, 24, who was at Southend United from 2005-2007, has made 121 appearances for Stevenage, scoring 20 times, and featured in 32 Stevenage games last season as they won the Conference title, including both matches against Oxford, who have joined them in League Two after winning the play-off final.

First called up to the England C team at the age of 17, Cole found the net seven times in 14 games for England C.

He is Oxford United’s eighth signing of the summer.