THE chance to bring Jamaican World Cup star Deon Burton to Eastleigh was too good for Richard Hill to turn down.

“Let’s be honest, if someone rings you and tells you Deon could be available and he’d like to play for Eastleigh, you’re not actually going to say ‘no’, are you?” smiled the Spitfires boss after signing the ex-Portsmouth, Derby and Sheffield Wednesday striker until the end of the season.

At 38, Burton is in the twilight of his career, but Hill says Eastleigh fans should be “pinching themselves” that a player of his calibre wants to assist the Vanarama Conference play-off push which continues at home to rock-bottom AFC Telford tomorrow.

“There have been a couple of questions about Deon’s age, but he’s still in good shape and he’s obviously looked after his body,” said the boss.

“Of course I’d like to sign a 28-year-old Deon Burton, but he’d probably be earning a hundred grand a week in the Premier League!

“Deon’s a very good player and I can’t speak highly enough of him in the dealings we’ve had.

“He came to training on Tuesday and did great. I told him it wasn’t a trial, but sometimes managers just want to see a player running around and Deon was happy with that.”

Reading-born Burton, who boasts 56 caps and 12 goals for Jamaica, arrives with a wealth of League experience.

He commanded a fee of £1.5m in 1997 when he switched Portsmouth for Derby’s Pride Park.

The 5ft 9in frontman has also played for Brentford, Rotherham, Charlton, Gillingham and Azabaijani side Gabala, among others.

Just released by Scunthorpe United, he last played competitively on loan at York City where he suffered a knee injury in his second game.

Burton is the Spitfires’ fifth signing in a month following Brian Howard, Harry Pell and loanees Joe Partington and Dan Walker into the Silverlake.

Walker, a rapid wide man, arrived from Braintree Town just ahead of last week’s postponed game at Kidderminster.

“He’s a wide right player who came on against us this season when we beat Braintree 1-0,” Hill explained. “He came on on the left-hand side and tore us to bits.

“He’s had a couple of little injuries this season, but I’ve liked him for quite a while. I actually offered money for him before the August transfer deadline but it got turned down.”

With left-back Michael Green available after suspension and skipper Dean Beckwith training again following a shoulder problem, Hill has options available tomorrow.

“I said all along I’d like a squad of 20 players but I couldn’t get all 20 of the calibre I wanted before the August deadline and I wasn’t going to sign people for the sake of it,” he said.

“When we were losing against Grimsby my only choice was to put on Macca (Craig McAllister) and Yemi (Odubade, now on loan at Woking), but I’ve got more options now. It’s taken until this point of the season to get them. People know who we are now and they want to play for Eastleigh. You wouldn’t believe the calibre of player agents are calling me with.”

Lowly Telford made the Spitfires work for a 4-3 win in Shropshire on December 20.

New Bucks manager Steve Kittrick, appointed later that month, has also been busy in the transfer market, making five signings.

The former Guiseley boss has recruited midfielder Jack Rea from Bradford Park Avenue, ex-Chester defender John Disney and former Derry City midfielder Danny Ventre.

He has also secured loan deals for young Everton defender Ben McLaughlin and 20-year-old Bolton Wanderers full-back Glenn Matthews.