A huge coup for Isthmian League club Folkestone Invicta after signing striker Joe Pigott who last played in League Two.
The 31 year old links up with manager Jay Saunders, and has already turned out for his new side, in a 4-1 win against Whitehawk.
He played 70 minutes, producing an assist and also put the ball in the net but the flag went up just before being subbed off.
βοΈ πͺππππ’π π: ππ’π π£πππ’π§π§
From Leyton Orient to Folkestone Invicta, find out more about our latest signing.
Welcome to Cheriton Road, Joe. #fifc | π β«οΈ
β Folkestone Invicta (@FIFC) September 5, 2025
CLUB STATEMENT:
Folkestone Invicta Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of experienced centre forward Joe Pigott.
The 31-year-old reunites with manager Jay Saunders after departing League One outfit Leyton Orient earlier in the summer. Joe worked under Saunders at Maidstone United during the 2016/17 season, joining initially on loan from Cambridge United before making the move permanent in the summer of 2017.
In 2018, he signed for AFC Wimbledon from Maidstone United and became the first player to score at their new Plough Lane home.
Joe started out his professional career with Charlton Athletic, making 12 appearances in the EFL Championship before enjoying loan spells at Bromley, Gillingham, Newport County, Southend United and Luton Town.
Most recently, he has represented Ipswich, Portsmouth and Leyton Orient β spending last season back at AFC Wimbledon on loan, where he helped the Dons secure promotion through the EFL League Two play-offs.
Jay Saunders spoke about his latest acquisition: βIβm delighted to bring Joe to the club. Heβs obviously someone Iβve known for a long time and worked with before at Maidstone.
βWeβve kept in contact ever since and have been speaking frequently throughout the summer. The opportunity came up to get him in and he was keen to come down.β
βItβs a big signing for us and weβre fortunate to have him at the club. I know heβs had a lot of interest so for us to get him in is a big coup.β
βPigs is a very good player and a very good person. He joined up with the lads in training this week and has fitted in really well. Heβs someone that will add a lot to the good group weβve got already.
βHeβs got experience but is still at a good age. Heβll also be a big help to the younger forwards weβve got which is a massive bonus for us.β
JOE’S CAREER:
Youth career
β2012 – Charlton Athletic
Senior
2012β2016 – Charlton Athletic – 16 games (1 goal)
2012β2013 β Bromley (loan) – 8 games (4 goals)
2014 β Gillingham (loan) – 7 games (1 goal)
2014 β Newport County (loan) – 11 games (3 goals)
2015β2016 β Southend United (loan) – 51 games (12 goals)
2016 β Luton Town (loan) – 15 games (4 goals)
2016β2017 – Cambridge United – 17 games (1 goal)
2017β2018 – Maidstone United – 51 games (20 goals)
2018β2021 – AFC Wimbledon – 157 games (54 goals)
2021β2023 – Ipswich Town – 29 games (3 goals)
2022β2023 β Portsmouth (loan) – 44 games (7 goals)
2023β2025 – Leyton Orient – 42 games (4 goals)
2024β2025 β AFC Wimbledon (loan) – 37 games (4 goals)
2025β Folkstone Invicta
Interviewer: Hello Joe, first of all welcome to Folkestone.
Joe: Thanks for warm welcome, happy to be here.
Interviewer: Happy to have got this done?
Joe: Yes, it’s been in the pipeline for a couple of weeks and good to get over the line and finally signed up.
Interviewer: Jay’s someone you’ve obviously worked in the past, how much talk did he have to put into making this happen?
Joe: Yes, a fair bit, but Jay’s someone that I’ve holding such high regard to be honest on and off the pitch and it’s great to be working with him again.
Interviewer: I know you worked with Kevin Lokko as well, played with him Maidstone under Jay, any of the other boys that you might know?
Joe: Yeah obviously played with Kev at Maidstone but yeah I don’t really know any other boys but it was good to meet them in the training and yeah looking forward to getting to know them all a little bit better.
Interviewer: You mentioned you’ve been training this week, has it been easy settling in for you amongst the group?
Joe: Yes, obviously I’m at an age where I’ve done it a few times, so yes, it’s nice to adapt into everyone and training has been good so far, which has been much needed for me as well.
Interviewer: You’ve got quite a career under your CV, you’ve played some really big clubs like Charlton and Wimbledon, which is probably where people know you best from.
Joe: Yes, obviously, don’t want to back on my career too soon, I played for some good clubs over the years, had some good moments and had some bad ones obviously as well. I’m here to enjoy my football as much as possible and wishing for every success.
Interviewer: Tell us a bit about yourself as a player, you’re a centre forward?
Joe: Yes, I’m a centre forward. I’d probably say it does a little bit of everything. I can play number 10 as well. I like being on the ball, I obviously love scoring goals and love creating them just as much to be honest.
Interviewer: You’ve been down here today a bit around the ground, obviously you’ve got some work still going on but have you been liking what you’ve seen from both the ground down here and the training facilities?
Joe: Yeah, of course, yeah. I think it’s a really exciting time for the club, just looking around today, there’s so much going on, it’s nice bar area here. The club is an amazing place to kick on and I’m happy to be a part of that moving forward.
Interviewer: Personally, what are your personal goals for the season?
Joe: Obviously to finish high at the table as possible and to help the lads achieve that as well.
Interviewer: Looking forward to getting going on Saturday?
Joe: Yes, obviously can’t wait for my first game and just getting as many minutes goals as possible.
Interviewer: A home game but not quite a home but hopefully we’ll have a big crowd there to watch you in action.
Joe: Yes, of course. Some really exciting games coming up and so much to look forward to.
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Here’s how fans reacted on the huge coup for the Isthmian League club after signing striker Joe Pigott who last played in League Two…
@JamesMcGirr07: What a signing ππ»
@JimmyOMalley14: Wishing Joe P the very best at Folkestone.
@TMiles17: What a signing that is
@james0207_: Feed the π· and he will score
@pearcey33: Some signing that!
@cafcjoy69: Some signing that for that level
@nonleaguefinds: That is a unreal signing for @FIFC will surely score goals for fun at this level excited to see how this one turns out
@TheDarksideMUSC: How have we missed out on this one? FFS π€¦πΌββοΈ
@ThomasW47639460: Massive signing π€© Welcome @piggy_35 π§‘π€
@FIFCNoyz_Boyz: Stand out signing really showing our intention π β«οΈ
@adam_deadman: Ridiculous. Wish them all the luck in the world that management lot β€οΈ
@toptargets: When you see a great signing of this quality its important to give a shout out to the chairman, board and owners for their part in making it happen. Brilliant stuff from the management team, superb signing and a real statement.ππππ
@matmccarthy86: Wow. Didnt work at the O’s but thats a big drop
@ClarkixC: Thatβs one of the best signings ever made at this level surely, blokes knocked in 15-20 goals a season in league one recently π€£π€£π€£
@mjwmacca: Feed the pig π and he will score!
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