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Southampton academy product Jake Hesketh has signed with Eastleigh FC.
Hesketh’s contract with Saints expired at the end of the season and he trialled with local rivals Portsmouth after.
With no contract offered at Fratton Park, Hesketh has remained local and has joined up with The Spitfires in the National League - one tier below the Football League.
| From #SaintsFC to the Silverlake
— Eastleigh FC (@EastleighFC) August 2, 2021
We are delighted to announce that @JakeHesketh has joined the #Spitfires on a permanent basis! ✍️
Hesketh made four first-team appearances for Southampton and looked a promising, playmaking midfielder.
However, injuries blighted his progress with the Saints first team and he was loaned out from the club to regain fitness, form and get some all-important match experience.
Hesketh enjoyed mixed loan spells at Burton Albion, MK Dons, Lincoln City and Crawley Town before his release in the summer.
At 25-years-old, there is plenty of opportunity for Hesketh to realise the promise he showed early in his career and both he and Eastleigh will hope this move will be his platform to build back from.
“Getting back and enjoying my football is what I want to do this year,” Hesketh said in a video interview with Eastleigh.
We at St Mary’s Musings hope he does exactly that and fires Eastleigh into the Football League.