STRIKER Paul Sales says he is "gutted" to be leaving Blue Square Premier new boys Salisbury City after the best two seasons in 17 years of football.

But from a practical point of view, the Chandlers Ford-based marksman feels that returning to his old club Eastleigh will suit him down to the ground at the age of 33.

Sales netted 110 goals in 227 appearances in two spells with Salisbury - and none more important than over the last two seasons when his formidable partnership with Matt Tubbs helped fire the Whites to successive promotions from the Southern Premier and the Conference South.

But, ironically, Whites' success has worked against him with many of the players now training full-time and the club travelling to all corners of the country as part of the national Conference set-up.

Sales had not started a game for Salisbury this term. He came off the bench against Droylsden and Ebbsfleet and was a non-playing substitute in Saturday's 4-1 win over Crawley Town.

That was all the invitation Eastleigh needed to make their move for the aerial raider who, just over two years ago, headed the goal that won them promotion to the Conference South. The clubs yesterday agreed an undisclosed fee and the deal is due to be sewn up over the next couple of days.

Sales, who works for an insurance company in Chandler's Ford, said: "I'm gutted to leave Salisbury, but I'm getting on a bit and I need to be playing regularly.

"It doesn't help that they're travelling all over the country now and I'd be having to take a full day's holiday from work each time.

"They're a great group of lads at Salisbury and I'll miss them. It's a well-run club and Nick Holmes, Tommy Widdrington and Neville Beal have been really good to me.

"But Eastleigh's a good club too with some good players - and it's on my doorstep."

For full story see today's Daily Echo.