FC Halifax Town: Southwell hungry for goals at The Shay

The sought-after striker scored seven goals in 18 games for Guiseley last season after joining them mid-way through the season from Wycombe.

He rejected offers from other clubs to sign for Jamie Fullarton, and when asked what Fullarton did to attract him to the club, the forward replied: “What didn’t he do! He pretty much did everything he could, which is real credit to him.

“I’m not going to lie, there were other offers on the table, but the efforts he put in were ridiculous and made me feel really wanted.

“He did a presentation on my goals and how he could improve me as a player.

“There were numerous phone calls, just reinforcing how much he wanted to sign me.

“He told me he tried to sign me when I was 18 and that he’d tracked me for the last six years.

“When a manager says that, it’s nice to hear, so I’m looking forward to playing for him.

“It’s a big club, a Football League club from the fan base.

“It’s a club I’ve always looked at and thought ‘I would like to play there’, so I’m really pleased to be here.”

The 24-year-old admits settling on his next club was a “long, drawn-out process”, but is convinced he has made the right choice.

“That’s why it took so long (the interest from other clubs). it was hard on Jamie for a bit and the other clubs.

“I had three or four concrete offers, so my head was all over the place a bit.

“I did well towards the end of last season, I scored a few goals, which drew a lot of interest.

“I made it clear I wanted to stay as high as possible. It took a while to sort out.

“I was under contract at Guiseley, so it was a long, drawn-out process.

“But the way Jamie went about it and the way he tried to get me was really pleasing.

“It also took so long because I wanted to make the best decision for me as an individual so I can go further in the game.

“I’m ambitious to carry on progressing and I feel this is the right place to be to do that.

“Every player that has ambition wants to go as high as possible.

“You only have to look at what’s happened to Jamie Vardy and Lee Gregory having played at Halifax to know that anything is possible.”

When asked if he is confident he can score goals in the fifth tier, Southwell was unequivocal.

“Definitely,” he said. “In the last seven games, in the team bottom of the table, I scored five goals. And that was playing out wide, which isn’t my best position.

“I’m just really excited to think what I can do in a full season down the middle.

“I believe I can score 20-plus goals.”

Southwell was at home-town club Grimsby from the age of 10, progressing through their youth team and earning a two-year professional contract.

He then went to nearby Boston United, scoring 54 goals in two seasons, which earned him a move to Wycombe Wanderers.

“It didn’t work out how I would have liked,” he said.

“Wycombe had got players in my position so I was forced to play wide.

“I don’t think I got a fair crack of the whip there.

“I think I could have scored goals in that league. I’m still ambitious and I want to play as high as I can.

“I don’t think it’s a case of ‘going to League Two and I couldn’t do it’.

“I just wanted to play football in the second year there, so I took what I could get and went to Guiseley and really enjoyed my football again there.

“I played 18 games consecutively, playing every game for them, which was pleasing from a personal point of view.”

When asked what he will bring to Halifax, Southwell said: “A bit of everything. I like to go in-behind. I’m hungry for goals. I’m a goalscorer, that’s my main ambition.

“I think I hold it up well and I’m a good team player. If I’m not scoring, I’m not not doing anything. I’ll still contribute to the team.

“But as a striker you are judged on your goals.”