Baird gets best of both

By Wendy Gee -

IAN Baird reckons Jamie Slabber's handsome return of 21 Blue Square Bet South goals for Eastleigh last season proved him right in letting go of fans' favourite Andy Forbes.

But with Forbes now on his way back to the Silverlake Stadium, the Spitfires boss believes the club can have the best of both worlds.

Slabber - one of just six senior players retained by the club - will again spearhead the attack next term.

And 32-year-old Forbes - scorer of 143 goals in 268 appearances during six seasons with Eastleigh - is likely to concentrate on his alternative role as a central defender.

Prior to parting company with the Spitfires when his contact expired last summer, the Reading-based marksman had been placed on the transfer-list - and subsequently removed again - by ex-Saint Baird who was frustrated by his lack of consistency.

Initially Baird indicated he would be keeping him for 2010/11, but he concluded that, taking his age and number of games he had played over the previous two seasons into account, re-signing Forbes did not represent value for money.

Forbes subsequently signed for BSB South rivals Woking but, having struggled to make an impact at Kingfield, he was reunited with ex-Eastleigh boss Paul Doswell at Sutton.

He finished the season as the Us' second highest scorer with 15 goals in 34 games as they roared to the Ryman Premier title, but was released last week because Doswell had "a strict budget" to adhere to.

Admitting his main reason for offloading Forbes last summer was financial, Baird explained: "My issue was that he was well remunerated and living in a bit of a cocoon where everyone said 'oh, that's Forbesy' if he didn't play particularly well on a cold, wet horrible night away from home. But it was never, ever personal between me and Forbesy.

"The club was always very loyal to him and even continued to pay him when he snapped his Achilles away from football.

"Forbesy put in some fantastic performances for Eastleigh, but he also put in some poor performances and I just felt last summer that we could get better value for money elsewhere.

"I chose to go with Jamie Slabber - and I was proved right and everyone else was proved wrong!"

If it was a straight choice between 26-year-old Slabber and Forbes for a frontline berth this coming season, Baird would undoubtedly make the same decision again.

But the beauty of Forbes is that he is also a highly competent centre-back and will make the ideal replacement for Chris Holland, who has joined Havant & Waterlooville.

"I don't see it as a gamble to sign Andy Forbes. He can play in a variety of positions," said Baird.

"Forbesy's played up front, at centre-half, at right-back or on the left-hand side of a midfield four.

"He knows all about us and I know him. In our situation it's a big plus to sign a player who can fill three or four different positions."

At the age of 32 and with a history of injury, Forbes - the 2004 Non-League player-of-the-Year - can no longer expect to call the financial shots.

"Forbesy realises he can't command the money he previously could," said Eastleigh's director of football Dave Malone.

"But he's a different man now. He's married with a family and he wants to enjoy his football.

"We see him as a dual-purpose player and financial terms are right for us.

"Every time Forbesy has played at Eastleigh he's been outstanding, just as he was at Barrow in the FA Cup two seasons ago.

"He's still capable of scoring goals too as he proved at Sutton. I'm very surprised they let him go.

"I've always liked Forbesy as a footballer and always will. I think this is an excellent move for him and for Eastleigh."