DIRECTOR of football Dave Malone is tipping Richard Gillespie as the player to put a smile on the faces of Eastleigh fans next term.

Malone shares the supporters’ disappointment over the departure of popular frontman Andy Forbes, who this week signed for Blue Square Bet South rivals Woking.

But he reckons the best has yet to come from 25-year-old Gillespie, who was voted players’ player-of-the-year in his first season as a Spitfire.

Despite his tender age, Gillespie had earned himself legendary status at his former club Bashley, scoring 173 goals in just over 300 games for the Southern League outfit.

Initially it looked as if the step up in standard might be beyond him as he flitted on and off the subs’ bench in an injury-hampered start to the campaign.

But his pace and willingness to run the channels and nip behind defenders soon paid dividends, leaving him with a respectable 15 goals in his debut Blue Square South season and 18 in all.

“Gilly had a bit of a shaky start and I remember people coming up to me in September-time asking why we’d signed him,” said Malone.

“He didn’t score his first goal for us until the FA Cup game at Witney towards the end of September, but since then he’s been a revelation.

“Provided he stays fit next season I’d have an even-money bet that he’ll score 25 goals or more.

“He’s a different sort of player to Andy Forbes, but he shares some of the same characteristics as Forbesy and, importantly, he’s five or six years younger.”

Such is Eastleigh’s faith in Gillespie that, had Forbes stayed, Malone doubts whether he would have been utilised as a striker.

When called upon, Forbes excelled as an emergency central defender and team boss Ian Baird had indicated that he now saw him more as a centre-half than a centre-forward.

“Some of that comes down to the emergence of Richard Gillespie,” said Malone.

“I would have said that Forbesy’s opportunities as a goalscoring forward next season would have been limited by a fit Gilly.

“Had he stayed, Forbesy would probably have started the season as a centre back, which is not his favourite position.”