Old guard exit as Spitfires head down Bridle path
By Wendy Gee - 
AS MORE new signings flood into Eastleigh, inevitably some of the old guard have had to move on.
Young frontrunner Andrew White had his contract cancelled by mutual consent this week as midfielder Ian Herring was starting a month's loan with Southern Premier outfit Chippenham Town.
Meanwhile 18-year-old former Portsmouth trainee defender Billy Tsovolos is returning to his native Australia to pursue a university career.
Both White, 20, and Tsovolos joined Eastleigh during the summer as part of the Spitfires' newly-launched player development scheme.
At the time, both fitted the profile the Spitfires were after - ambitious, young players released by Football League clubs who were looking for a route back into the professional game.
But some six months later, both have decided to go a different way.
Having shown initial promise at the start of the season, White - formerly of Reading and Gillingham - went off the boil and was loaned out to Blue Square Bet South rivals Dorchester Town.
But the Magpies terminated that deal this week and now his Spitfires contract has been cancelled too after consultation with his agent, ex-Saint Steve Wood.
Eastleigh boss Ian Baird explained: "Andrew felt he was under too much pressure from his family to become a professional footballer and he just wants to go home to London, get a job and play local football.
"He doesn't work hard enough to play at this level. He didn't turn up once or twice for Knighty (manager Ian Knight) down at Dorchester, so they sent him back.
"With Billy Tsovolos, it's entirely his choice to go back to Australia.
"Billy would probably have earned himself another contract here, but he didn't want to pursue a career as a professional footballer. It's a shame because he's a nice character and a real good lad."
Like Ross Bottomley, who recently returned to his old club AFC Totton, Herring was something of a jack of all trades and proved invaluable to Eastleigh when they were dragging themselves from the BSB South drop zone towards mid-table security.
But with the advent of major sponsorship from new club owners Bridle Insurance, Baird got the green light to make a host of quality new signings and the former Swindon, Forest Green and Salisbury utility man - nicknamed Spud - has dropped down the pecking order.
"Spud has got a tremendous attitude, but there are two or three ahead of him here now and he just wants to play football," said Baird, revealing that Frome Town also came in for Herring.
"It's disappointing with both him and Ross because they're good lads and I'm also disappointed that things haven't worked out for Andrew White.
"But some have got to come and some have got to go. It's just the way it is in football."
AS MORE new signings flood into Eastleigh, inevitably some of the old guard have had to move on.
Young frontrunner Andrew White had his contract cancelled by mutual consent this week as midfielder Ian Herring was starting a month's loan with Southern Premier outfit Chippenham Town.
Meanwhile 18-year-old former Portsmouth trainee defender Billy Tsovolos is returning to his native Australia to pursue a university career.
Both White, 20, and Tsovolos joined Eastleigh during the summer as part of the Spitfires' newly-launched player development scheme.
At the time, both fitted the profile the Spitfires were after - ambitious, young players released by Football League clubs who were looking for a route back into the professional game.
But some six months later, both have decided to go a different way.
Having shown initial promise at the start of the season, White - formerly of Reading and Gillingham - went off the boil and was loaned out to Blue Square Bet South rivals Dorchester Town.
But the Magpies terminated that deal this week and now his Spitfires contract has been cancelled too after consultation with his agent, ex-Saint Steve Wood.
Eastleigh boss Ian Baird explained: "Andrew felt he was under too much pressure from his family to become a professional footballer and he just wants to go home to London, get a job and play local football.
"He doesn't work hard enough to play at this level. He didn't turn up once or twice for Knighty (manager Ian Knight) down at Dorchester, so they sent him back.
"With Billy Tsovolos, it's entirely his choice to go back to Australia.
"Billy would probably have earned himself another contract here, but he didn't want to pursue a career as a professional footballer. It's a shame because he's a nice character and a real good lad."
Like Ross Bottomley, who recently returned to his old club AFC Totton, Herring was something of a jack of all trades and proved invaluable to Eastleigh when they were dragging themselves from the BSB South drop zone towards mid-table security.
But with the advent of major sponsorship from new club owners Bridle Insurance, Baird got the green light to make a host of quality new signings and the former Swindon, Forest Green and Salisbury utility man - nicknamed Spud - has dropped down the pecking order.
"Spud has got a tremendous attitude, but there are two or three ahead of him here now and he just wants to play football," said Baird, revealing that Frome Town also came in for Herring.
"It's disappointing with both him and Ross because they're good lads and I'm also disappointed that things haven't worked out for Andrew White.
"But some have got to come and some have got to go. It's just the way it is in football."
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