Michael Green ends decade-long Eastleigh stay to become Hawks’ 10th new close season signing

The experienced left-back, 32, ended his 10-year stay at Eastleigh to become the 10th new face through the door at Westleigh Park this summer.

Green arrives at Hawks having won the National League South title with the Spitfires in the 2013-14 campaign - during which he was an ever present, starting all 42 games.

And the left-sided ex-Port Vale player has made no secret of his desire to get back playing in the National League - where he has been with Eastleigh for the past seven seasons - at the first attempt next term.

Green, who played over 350 games for Eastleigh, told The News: 'That’s a big reason why I came here, I know what it takes to get out of this league and I’m quite excited to try to do the same with Havant.

‘I wasn’t playing as much as I’d like to (at Eastleigh), there were some young lads coming through and I wasn’t getting as much game time. I just wanted to move on to try to get some more game time, to be fair.

‘Obviously Havant are looking to get promoted so I wanted to be a part of that.

'I really enjoyed my time (at Eastleigh), it was hard to leave, obviously once you’ve been at a place that long. But this works for me, my family and the ambition of the club - it’s perfect.

‘I think it’ll play a big part (previous National South promotion). If you’ve done it before then you know what it takes.

‘I’m hoping that experience can be brought into the squad and hopefully we can do it.'

Green, who started 23 of Eastleigh’s 42 National League games in 2020/21, coming on as a sub in 11 other matches, was one of 10 new recruits who returned for pre-season training at Westleigh Park today.

But there was some familiarity in a new environment with the former Eastleigh player being team-mates with Abdulai Baggie last season, while Green was in the same title-winning Spitfires side as Jamie Collins.

And Hawks' latest recruit remains excited to see what the squad can achieve in 2021/22.

He said: 'He (boss Paul Doswell) has brought some very good players in, but so have quite a lot of the other sides so it’s not going to be easy.

‘We’re all going to have to make sure we’re on it all the time and I’m confident we can do well.

‘I’m looking forward to it now, it’s a fresh start, it’s not far from home so it’s perfect, really.

‘Everyone seems to be getting on well already, which is good. I knew a few of the lads anyway, obviously Bags (Abdulai Baggie) came from Eastleigh as well and I was with Jamie at Eastleigh - we both got promoted together.

‘Bairdy (assistant boss Ian Baird) was my first (Eastleigh) manager, so I know him as well.'

Hawks’ other close season signings are defenders Joe Oastler, Josh Passley and Joe Newton, midfielders Jake McCarthy and Paul Rooney, and strikers James Roberts and Alex Wall.