Former Southampton and Huddersfield midfielder joins Hawks after spending pre-season with Aldershot Town

The former Southampton and Huddersfield midfielder has linked up with Paul Doswell's side on a one-year deal less than a week before the club's National League South opener with Welling United at Westleigh Park on Saturday.

Gobern, 30, has endured a frustrating past 18 months in his career, but he says it's made him even more hungry to seize on his Hawks chance.

Gobern spent last season with National League Dover, who were unable to complete the campaign citing financial reasons amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The one-time Southampton youth product spent this summer without a club, but had been pre-season training and featuring in some friendlies for National League side Aldershot.

However, after receiving a phone call from Hawks boss Doswell at the weekend, Gobern insists it was a 'no-brainer' to make the move into the National League South.

‘Obviously it’s been a difficult 12 to 18 months for everyone with Covid so once I got the call, football’s my passion, so I was happy to be back,’ Gobern said.

‘It’s been difficult. It’s not something you’re used to, with Covid it wasn’t just myself, there were others in the same position (not playing).

‘Our season got cut pretty much 10 games in (at Dover last season) so it was just pretty much ticking over, keeping yourself fit and waiting for your contract to expire before you could go elsewhere.

‘I was training with Aldershot for three weeks and it was good to be back in.

‘But once I put pen to paper – it was a no-brainer to come here.

‘I pretty much had a pre-season there (Aldershot), to be fair. I had three weeks there, played three games, and I got the call from the gaffer and it was a no-brainer.’

Gobern, who featured 27 times for Southampton and made 75 Huddersfield appearances earlier in his career, is moving to Hawks with the ambition of gaining promotion.

And he told how those he approached about what the club was like only had positive things to say.

Gobern added: ‘It was more the ambition (reason for Hawks move). I’ve heard a lot of good stuff about Havant and what the gaffer and the staff are doing here.

‘There are some quality players for this level (in the squad), obviously last year I played with Pass (Josh Passley) and Roons (Paul Rooney) at Dover and I now what they can bring.

‘Just even training the past few days, there’s a strong squad that should be looking at automatic promotion.

‘Football’s a small world and you obviously chat to the lads you know. There were nothing but positive words about the gaffer, about the staff, about the facilities - for this level, this club shouldn’t be here.

‘I want to come here and do my best and take the club up.’