Ollie is back!

A statement on the club messageboard this afternoon confirmed that Eastleigh have completed the signing of Ian Oliver, who becomes the second ex-Eastleigh player to re-join the club following suit with Ian Baird's first summer signing ahead of the 2008/9 campaign - Danny Smith.

The message read as follows: "We are delighted to confirm that Ian Oliver has today re-signed for Eastleigh Football Club, having spent the last season and a half at Farnborough.

"Ian, who previously played at Swindon Town, was very keen to return to the Silverlake Stadium - and we look forward to him being a very important member of our 1st team squad in the season ahead.

"Welcome back Ollie!"

IAN OLIVER: Pictured above in action against Southampton in a pre-season friendly - July 2007

Player Profile by Jamie Montigue:

Ian is a very promising left back and emerged on to the scene of first team football at the Silverlake Stadium in the 2005/2006 season. Ian was almost ever-present at left back in the club's first season in the Conference South as he made a total of 38 appearances with another 5 as a sub.

He is a very enthusiastic player who is determined to succeed. He plays with passion, is strong in the tackle and more than comfortable on the ball.

Previously Oliver was on the books of Swindon Town along with Reading and AFC Bournemouth. With Saints legend Francis Benali joining the Spitfires in the summer of 2006, it had been difficult for Ian to cement a place within the side, and this led to Ian making a temporary switch to Winchester City in January 2007, on dual registration to give him the opportunity of first team football.

On his return to Eastleigh, Oliver grabbed the chance to get back in the side with both hands to finish the season as first choice full back and even netting a rare goal, one that will never be forgotten - a thunderbolt strike against rivals Havant & Waterlooville.

Having made just four starts and three as a sub for the Spitfires at the beginning of the 2007/8 season, Ian suffered a setback when a loan deal was agreed for the left back to join Farnborough FC in October 2007. The deal included a view to a permanent move which was put into place when Farnborough struck a long term deal with Oliver.

Ian is very popular with the fans and the news will surely result in a positive response. It will be great to see the likes of Oliver and Smith back in an Eastleigh shirt again this season, welcome back Ian.