Ex-Saint leaves Eastleigh for Basingstoke

By Wendy Gee -

EX-SAINTS youngster Jordace Holder-Spooner has left Eastleigh to sign for Blue Square Bet South rivals Basingstoke Town.

The 19-year-old Reading-based winger was released from St Mary’s last summer having joined Southampton at the age of 14.

He was part of Saints’ academy intake of 2009 which included England starlet Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

He played his first game for Eastleigh in a 4-1 pre-season friendly win over a Saints XI last summer and made his competitive debut as a substitute against Basingstoke on the opening day of the campaign.

The pacy, powerful wideman went on to start 12 games for the Spitfires, scoring three goals, but his season was interrupted by a bad ankle injury sustained against Romsey in the Hampshire FA Senior Cup which sidelined him for nine weeks.

His Eastleigh contract expired at the end of May and, although Baird had talks with his agent about the possibility of keeping him, Holder-Spooner chose to play closer to home with Basingstoke.

“Being out injured for that length of time didn’t help Jordace, and his girlfriend having a baby meant he lost his focus a bit, which is not unusual,” said Baird.

“In one way I’m disappointed to lose him because the lad’s got tremendous ability. But in another way I’m not. He was supposed to be on the bench for the Hampshire Cup final but arrived 20 minutes late.

“He didn’t seem to have a watch.

“Hopefully Basingstoke will get him one so that he turns up on time for training and games!

“Jordace needs to reassess and realise he’s got to put in 100 per cent effort if he’s going to make it as a pro or at high level of non-League.”