Dale Eve has signed for non-League side Forest Green Rovers until the end of the season after being released by Barclays Premier League team Stoke City.

The Bermuda goalkeeper had a spell at the Vanarama National League side in October and will be looking to prove to Ady Pennock, the club’s manager, that he is worth a longer deal.

Pennock, a former Stoke youth team coach, is a known admirer of Eve from their time together at the Britannia Stadium and described him as a “talented boy with a good future in front of him.”

Eve has joined Forest Green, who are top of the table, to provide competition for No 1 Steve Arnold, with Jonny Maxted recovering from a broken foot and Paul White leaving the club.

During his previous stint at the Gloucestershire club, Eve played in the televised 2-1 victory away to Margate in the FA Cup fourth-round qualifying match.

The 6ft 4in goalkeeper, who has had loan spells at Fleetwood Town, Nuneaton Town, Newcastle Town and Congleton, said he was determined to make the most of his opportunity at the New Lawn.

“This is a real test for me and I want to get as many games in as I can,” said Eve, who signed professional terms for Stoke in 2012. “I’m happy to be back and kept in touch with everyone when I was away. I enjoyed it a lot when I was here.”

After adding to his goalkeeping options, Pennock said: “He’s been here before and did very well. He has left Stoke now and with the situation with Jonny we needed that competition with Steve.”

Eve became one of youngest players to represent Bermuda when he appeared as a substitute in a 2-1 win at home to Barbados in a World Cup qualifier in 2011 at the age of 16.

He was part of coach Andrew Bascome’s World Cup qualifying squad last year, playing in Bermuda’s 1-0 defeat at home to Guatemala in the second leg of their second-round match in June.

Forest Green are away to Wrexham tomorrow.

• The Bermuda Football Association has confirmed that the national team will travel to St Kitts and Nevis to play two friendly matches in preparation for their Caribbean Cup campaign.

Bermuda will play St Kitts and Nevis’ Under-20 team on February 19 and a full international against their first team two days later.

Bascome’s side are away to Cuba in the Caribbean Cup on March 22 before taking on French Guiana at their final round-robin game on March 26.

Tickets for the French Guiana match will be available by February 26.