New signing James Roberts sold on Hawks’ ambition to return to top flight of non-league football

Hawks' ambition played a huge part in attracting new addition James Roberts to Westleigh Park.
New Hawks signing James Roberts in action for Oxford City last season. Photo by Alex Burstow/Getty Images.New Hawks signing James Roberts in action for Oxford City last season. Photo by Alex Burstow/Getty Images.
New Hawks signing James Roberts in action for Oxford City last season. Photo by Alex Burstow/Getty Images.

And the 24-year-old attacker is bidding to build on a fruitful season personally after swapping Oxford City to become Paul Doswell s first summer signing.

Roberts has joined the Hawks for an undisclosed fee on a two-year contract with the option for a further 12 months.

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The former Oxford United youngster was one of the hottest properties in the National League South last season.

Although it proved to be a very short campaign because of the pandemic, Roberts bagged 11 goals in just 15 league games prior to the season being declared null and void in mid-February.

Now he's eyeing improving on those scoring numbers in 2021/22 and helping Hawks to reclaim their seat at the top table of English non-league football.

Roberts told The News: ‘It’s a massive club and it’s going in the right direction - it has been for a few years.

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‘It’s important that having spoken to Paul, seen the way we’re going to play next year and the ambition of the club, that’s attracted me to what is hopefully going to be a fantastic time at the club.

‘There’s no point in going to a team who aren’t ambitious because it dampens your own ambition.

‘Paul was very, very clear that he wanted to be right up there and is expecting us to be fighting for promotion. It’s nothing less than I expect either.

‘There’s no way I would have come to a club that wasn’t ambitious and didn’t have that at the forefront of their mind.’

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Oxford City were fourth in the NL South when it was null and voided, just two points behind second-placed Dartford with two games in hand. Hawks were ninth, 12 points behind Oxford but with three games in hand.

'The team were having a fantastic season and thankfully that led to me having a fantastic season,’ said Roberts.

'It was not great for anyone that it got cut short, Havant included, but it is what it is and you can’t do anything about it now.

‘Hopefully next season will be uninterrupted, which I think it should be, and we’ll be right up there.'

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He added: 'There’s always the want to play at the highest level and the want to play at a place where you’re wanted and things can be successful for you.

‘I’ve chosen the place that I think is going to be most successful for me for next season and the future - I’m very positive that will be the case.

‘It’s always an interesting one when you move teams. The fact of the matter is that this is the decision I’ve made and I’ve made this decision for the ambition, the way the club is run, the way I spoke with Paul - it’s a decision I’ve made and one I’m really, really happy with.

‘Oxford were fantastic throughout it all, they’ve been understanding, they’ve dealt with things really professionally - as have Havant - so the decision I’ve made is going to be a really, really positive one.'