Banned Bath captain Alex Crockett signs for Bristol

Crockett should make his Bristol debut in March

Former Bath captain Alex Crockett has made the first step in rebuilding his career by signing for Bristol.

The 28-year-old former England Saxons centre is serving a nine-month ban for missing two drugs tests but is free to play again on 1 March.

He will train with the Championship club from January.

"I am delighted to have this opportunity to re-start my career with Bristol and it is a chance that I am determined to take," said Crockett.

"I will do everything possible to help Bristol get promotion back to the Premiership.

"I already have close ties with Bristol, having gone to school at Colstons and with many close friends in the area, I am really excited about the opportunity."

Crockett is one of three players who were banned for refusing to take two drugs tests after Bath investigated allegations of drug use at an end-of-season party on 10 May.

Both Crockett, fellow co-captain Michael Lipman and winger Andrew Higgins resigned from Bath in June, on the eve of an internal investigation into the missed tests, stating that "scurrilous and unsubstantiated allegations" had forced their exit and that they had not refused anti-doping drugs tests.

It's a new challenge for him and I'm sure he will bring with him a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge

Bristol coach Paul Hull

But in August the trio received nine-month bans from the Rugby Football Union for failing to undertake drug tests as Bath investigated allegations of misconduct with the suspensions beginning on the day they resigned.

Crockett and Lipman lost their appeals against the ruling in September.

Bristol said in a statement: "The club understands the circumstances surrounding Alex's exit from Bath Rugby and, after extensive conversations between himself and the club, are fully confident in his professionalism going forward."

Coach Paul Hull added: "The signing offers Alex a chance to rebuild his career back into top-flight rugby and in turn help Bristol build towards the future and, hopefully, a return to the Premiership.

"Alex is an outstanding player and a proven talent on the field. It was simply an opportunity we couldn't miss given his playing capabilities and our goal for promotion back into the Premiership.

"It's a new challenge for him and I'm sure he will bring with him a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge, as well adding further strength and depth to the existing squad."

Crockett represented Bath in 125 matches, scoring 21 tries.

Bristol were relegated from the Premiership last season and are currently in second place in the Championship, six points behind leaders Exeter after losing two of their 11 games so far.