Jackson is proof Birmingham's Sunday strolls are paying off for Horndean

Horndean's Harry JacksonHorndean's Harry Jackson
Horndean's Harry Jackson
Michael Birmingham is a great advocate of getting out on a Sunday morning and watching the youngsters play.

By doing that he believes you can discover good young talent who can be developed to fit into senior non-league football.

He feels that is certainly the case with young Harry Jackson, who is quickly making a name for himself at Five Heads Park.

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'Two seasons ago I was out at 9am on a Sunday morning watching our youth team against a Portsmouth College Academy side,' said Birmingham.

'At the time I was talking to Jack Pearce, the Bognor boss, on the phone

'I told him that I had to go and would call him back because I had just seen a player that I had to talk with.

'It was the way that the youngster beat opponents and glided across the pitch.

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'The lad had scored five goals on his debut for United Services Portsmouth and been at Blackfield & Langley.

'I think that move had been a little bit too early for him.

'This is his second season with us and he is fantastic for us.

'We play him up top and he has scored 17 goals already for us this season.

'Last term he scored 30 goals in 34 starts and has a natural eye for where the goal is.

'He very much reminds me of a young Robbie Tambling.

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'Not only is he a natural finisher, he is also a great team player.

'His work-rate out of possession has come on a lot.

'Having the experienced figure of Zac Glasspool playing alongside him has also helped.

'He talks with the youngster all the time'

Birmingham continues to do a fantastic job at Horndean and has transformed the club.

From being a side that usually made the numbers up in the Wessex League premier division, they are now seen as genuine challengers.

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But Birmingham keeps insisting his side are 'punching above their weight.'

His main focus is on producing an exciting blend of enjoyable attacking football.

Everything else to him is a bonus.

'We are very much keeping our feet on the floor,' added Birmingham.

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