WESSEX Division 1 newcomers VT FC are ready to give ex-Saint Kevin Gibbens a route back into senior football.

The midfielder has already had a run-out for Vospers in their 2-2 friendly draw with Lymington Town and manager Dave Diaper is keen to get him on board for next season - but only if it's what the player wants.

Gibbens's is an all-too-familiar story of a bright, young footballing talent gone to waste.

Still only 24, he was tipped for a big future at The Dell, where he made eight league and cup starts for his home town club.

But despite his blossoming reputation as an all-action box-to-box player with a good range of passing, he was released two summers ago.

He could have gone to Oxford United but opted to drop into non-League football with Basingstoke Town. After an impressive season there he moved to Eastleigh for a tribunal-set fee of £2,000, but he lasted less than a season before being shown the Ten Acres door.

Citing "lifestyle reasons" as his reason for parting company with Gibbens, Eastleigh boss Paul Doswell said: "We wanted Kevin to be more professional about things. From time to time he would tend to go out on a Friday night and it became a bit of an issue."

Gibbens has not played for another senior club since leaving Eastleigh, but he was introduced to Diaper by his friend Scott O'Rourke, the VT goalkeeper.

Diaper said: "I think he's just been playing Sunday football, but he turned out in a friendly for us and you can see the talent is still there - it just depends on what his appetite's like. We need to make sure he's focused enough to play at this level. It's down to Kevin at the end of the day. He's not the first player to have gone out of the professional game earlier than he should have done."

Vospers have also signed centre-back Mark Foster from Bishop's Waltham and ex-Gosport Borough midfielder Nicky Goater, adding to their earlier capture of striker Steve Wheatland from Blackfield & Langley.

A clash with cricket at Portsmouth Road means VT must play their first two 'home' games of the season at their opponents' ground - at Alton Town (August 14) and BAT (August 24).

Don't miss Saturday's Pink for the full story.