The 25-year-old has signed a three-and-a-half year deal, after completing a trial and medical and attending the team’s summer training camp in Turkey.
Theobalds joined the Angels from Leatherhead in December 2018 and made 52 appearances for the club, scoring eight goals. He provided a creative force in central midfield as Tonbridge gained promotion to National League South last season.
And he will be long remembered for his stunning goal to equalise in the 86th minute of the Super Playoff final against Metropolitan Police, which led to victory in extra time.
Angels manager Steve McKimm said: “‘D’ was absolutely terrific for me, a manager’s dream. He arrived at Longmead when things were at something of a low ebb, particularly for me personally. He became a genuine leader on the pitch through his performances, putting new life into our promotion project. He made no secret of the fact that he felt he could at some stage play full-time football and I’m delighted that he has now been given his chance with Korona Kielce. He goes with all our thanks and very best wishes for the future.”
Meanwhile Christ Tiehi has signed a deal with the Angels that keeps him at the club until the end of this season.
The French-born midfielder joined the Angels in October from National League club Woking and will help to make up for the loss of Theobalds.
McKimm said: “I’m delighted that ‘Christie’ has decided to stay with us at least until the end of this season. He is more than filling the gap created by D’Sean’s departure. I believe he will play a significant role in the Angels’ league campaign as we aim to consolidate our position in our first season back in National South.”
A youth product of French second division side Le Havre from 2009, he made his first-team debut for them in last season’s French League Cup. He is an Ivory Coast youth international and played at the 2017 Toulon Tournament, reaching the final in which his team lost on penalties to England. He also scored against Wales in the group stage.
Tiehi comes from a footballing family. His father, former Ivorian international striker Joel, played for Toulouse and Lens, and his younger brother Jean-Pierre is in the youth team at Fulham.
The Angels are due to return to league action at home to Hungerford Town on Saturday (February 15, kick-off 3pm). However, Longmead has been consistently waterlogged because the heavy rainfall with only one first-team game played there in the last two months.
