Former Bournemouth midfielder Jake McCarthy 'could not turn down' chance to join Hawks after ending four-season Weymouth stay

New Hawks signing Jake McCarthy. Picture: Kieron LouloudisNew Hawks signing Jake McCarthy. Picture: Kieron Louloudis
New Hawks signing Jake McCarthy. Picture: Kieron Louloudis
Jake McCarthy insists stepping down a division to join Hawks was an opportunity he could not turn down.

And the former AFC Bournemouth midfielder is 'honoured' to be back at the club where he spent a brief loan spell earlier in his career.

McCarthy, 25, has signed a two-year deal with the National League South club after an incredible four seasons with Weymouth

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He was part of a side who reached the National League last term, having first joined the Terras when they were in the Southern League Premier South after leaving Bournemouth in the summer of 2017.

McCarthy captained Weymouth in spells during his four-season stay and netted seven times in 40 appearances in the fifth tier for the Dorset side last term.

However, with his contract coming to an end, the former Cherries man felt the time was right for a move - and he believes there is no place better for him then joining Paul Doswell's Hawks side in their bid to gain promotion from the National League South.

McCarthy said: ‘To be honest, I came to the end of the season with Weymouth, it’s what happens in football - there were a couple of things we didn’t see eye to eye on - Weymouth are a good club, I’ve got nothing against them, but I felt like it was time for a change.

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‘The opportunity came up to come to Havant and it wasn’t really one that I could turn down.

‘Stepping into full-time, training Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, it was something I was looking to do to improve my game and develop as a player, so that’s one of the main reasons I came.

‘All the facilities are excellent down here so I’m looking forward to getting going, really.

‘It’s a great honour to be back here; obviously, as soon as I spoke to Dos (Paul Doswell) and the opportunity came up it was one I was looking to grab straight away and I’m pleased to be back.'

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McCarthy made just six appearances for Hawks after joining on a brief loan from Bournemouth as a teenager in 2015/16.

Since then, he has amassed a number of senior appearances for Weymouth and is ready to come in and make a much bigger impact in his second stint at Westleigh Park.

McCarthy said: ‘I came on loan when I was about 17 or 18 from Bournemouth, it was when the club were down near the bottom of the league.

'I came in at National South with not much experience, played a couple of games at centre-back, did alright, but they then got an experienced head in to go and play centre-back at the time.

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‘They got a bit more of an experienced head in, it was a good experience for me to come and be on the bench, whereas before I wasn’t really used to being on the bench, I’d just played under-23s football.

‘It was a good experience and it’s good to be back - it’s definitely changed a lot since then.’

McCarthy follows former Oxford City pair Joe Oastler and James Roberts, along with Alex Wall, Josh Passley, Paul Rooney and Joe Newton, in joining Hawks this summer.

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