Lewes sign former Brighton Women’s midfielder Kirsty Barton | OneFootball

Stephen Flynn / SPP

Lewes have signed experienced 30-year-old midfielder Kirsty Barton from fellow Barclays Women’s Championship side Crystal Palace.

Barton played 36 times for Palace, having initially joined on loan from Brighton in 2011, helping them to a fourth-place finish last season.

She became Brighton & Hove Albion’s longest-serving player, having made 169 appearances in the Seagulls rise from the third tier to the WSL.

Barton told lewesfc.com: “It’s really daunting when you join a new team but I couldn’t ask for a better group of girls here, they’ve been so welcoming and the staff as well.

“I’ve got a lot of experience and I hope I can bring some form of leadership – especially with it being a young group of girls here, I hope I can help with their development.”

Scotland’s Jen Beattie retires from international football