Bubb now the No 1 target

By Wendy Gee - 

EASTLEIGH plan to atone for missing out on Bognor's Jason Prior by bringing another proven marksman to the Silverlake Stadium.

The Spitfires are in talks with Aldershot Town about the possibility of loaning former Farnborough hot-shot Bradley Bubb for the rest of the season.

Bubb, 23, is currently on loan to Eastleigh's Blue Square Bet South rivals Basingstoke Town.

But with that deal due to expire at the end of the week (January 7), Spitfires boss Ian Baird hopes to strike a deal with Shots manager Dean Holdsworth to bring the Grenada international to Stoneham Lane.

Baird, who was due to talk to Holdsworth again last night, said "It's like anything. It's not done 'til it's done, but I've made an enquiry with Dean Holdsworth and he's semi agreed it.

"Bradley's a decent player. I made a couple of enquiries for him earlier in the season, but we couldn't afford him at the time."

Finances though, are no longer a problem with Baird's budget now boosted by generous sponsorship from the club's soon-to-be majority shareholders Bridle Insurance.

Bubb boasts an outstanding scoring record in a career that has taken him from the Spartan South Midlands League with Chalfont St Peter to the npower League Two.

He netted 38 times in two years for Chalfont before banging in 35 goals in a single season with Beaconsfield SYCOB in the Southern One South & West.

A move to Farnborough followed where he scored 40 times in 88 games over two seasons and was a member of the side that finished runners-up in the BSB South last term.

That clinched him a full-time contract at Aldershot, but Bubb, who represented Grenada in the CONCACAF Cup in the USA during the summer, has found opportunities limited at the Recreation Ground.

He has made 11 appearances for the Shots, starting just one npower League Two match at Dagenham & Redbridge.

"He hasn't been playing first-team football at Aldershot and has been on loan," said Baird.

"We need to add a few more guns up front and ideally we want someone with experience and a good scoring record who will give us genuine pace. Bradley fits that category. I think Basingstoke would like to keep him, but it comes down to a wage thing."