Farnborough have boosted their goalkeeping options ahead of Saturday’s BGB Southern Premier clash with Mangotsfield United with the signing of experienced stopper Richard Barnard from Blue Square Premier outfit Weymouth.

The former Aldershot Town man has put pen to paper on a deal that runs until the end of the 2009/2010 season after his contract at Weymouth was terminated by mutual consent, and will provide real competition for current number one Lyall Beazley.

Barnard, 27, boasts an impressive list of clubs on his CV after starting his career with Millwall. He then moved to Maidenhead United before a successful spell with Aldershot Town, where he was part of the squad that won promotion to the Conference in 2003.

He also had a spell north of the border with Queen of the South before returning to Conference football with Weymouth this summer, where he has recently found himself second choice to Danny Knowles.

Barnard, who was born in Frimley, told the News he was looking forward to the challenge awaiting him at Boro.

“It’s a new challenge for me and I’m chuffed to bits to be here,” he said. “I left Weymouth because of financial, off-pitch reasons.

“But I kept in contact with Francis Vines during the summer and I gave him first refusal as soon as I became available.

“I know I’m not going to just walk into the side, but I’m looking forward to the competition with Lyall.”

He added: “I’m a local guy and I always keep a look out for Aldershot results, where I still have a lot of friends, and Farnborough’s as well.

“Farnborough is a club that is going places, with a good set-up and the stadium looks great as well. Hopefully I can add that bit of experience to the side and we can keep up the good progress.”

Barnard will have a real battle on his hands for the number one jersey as Beazley has been in superb form this season.

He has conceded just ten goals in 16 league games so far this campaign, and has made great strides from last season in a short space of time.

After trying to sign Barnard in the summer, boss Francis Vines admitted he was pleased to get his man, but he revealed that at the moment, Beazley is still very much first choice.

“I’m delighted to get Richard on board after missing out on him in the summer,” he said. “He has great ability and quality and he is a good signing.

“When we had problems with Chris Tardif, Richard was a player that stuck in my mind. But he had signed for Weymouth just before we really had the chance to speak to him.

“I have spoken to both Lyall and Richard about the situation, and right now, Lyall is still the number one. Lyall has been superb this season and has barely put a foot wrong, so he won’t just have to step aside now a more experienced keeper has signed.

“Richard knows that he won’t just walk into the side, and he will have to wait his chance, and for Lyall and young Simon Moore, it gives them a chance to learn from an experienced guy.”

Beazley, however, will require an operation at some point on a troublesome wrist that dates back to when the 21-year-old broke his wrist four years ago.

Vines admitted that with Barnard’s arrival, that may influence when the club decide to put Beazley in for the operation, but given that the recovery period could take up to four months, a decision has yet to be made.

“Lyall broke his wrist four years ago and he still has a small problem with that which needs to be sorted,” he said. “It will be done when the time is right for Lyall and the club.

“But it will be a lengthy recovery process. That needs to be taken into account, and we won’t rush into it, but now we have Richard on board that gives us an option.”

It is now likely that Simon Moore will head out on loan in search of regular first team football, leaving Barnard and Beazley to scrap for a starting berth, but Vines also confirmed today the departures of strikers Ray Spence and Tom Lyons.

Spence’s exit seemed only a matter of time after he was red-carded when playing for a Reading Sunday League side without permission, while Lyons has found himself way down the pecking order since his arrival from Lewes in October.

Vines said: “This draws a line under Ray Spence’s time with us. After what happened he was never going to play for us again and this makes that official.

“It is a different situation with Tom. Now that Mark Gamble is fit again and Marcus Richardson is performing at the level he needs to be, Tom was too far away from the side.

“He needs to be playing regularly but he is one for the future and we will be keeping an eye on his progress.”

Barnard is likely to make his Boro debut in the mid-season friendly with an RAF XI on Wednesday night at Cherrywood Road. (Kick off is at 7.30pm).