KELV CAN HELP ME POWER ON

Spitfires ace looks to Davis

- By John Lyons

UPBEAT goalkeeper Nick Townsend is relishing the chance to work under Eastleigh manager Kelvin Davis - and aims to take inspiration from him.

Townsend called time on a seven-year stint with EFL side Newport County earlier this month and has now headed south to join the Spitfires.

One of his major motivations was to play for Davis, who enjoyed a highly successful career between the sticks for the likes of Luton Town, Wimbledon, Ipswich Town, Sunderland and Southampton.

Davis, 48, played in the Premier League for Sunderland in 2005-06, but it looked a long way away when he slipped back to League One with Southampton in 2009. However, back-to-back promotions with Saints in 2011 and 2012 once again took him back to the top flight.

"I've had defenders and midfielders as managers before so it's exciting to have someone who understands my thought processes," Townsend, 30, told The NLP. "One of the first things he said was that when he was at Southampton he never thought he would play in the Premier League again and that your career is what you want to make it.