“Man, this guy. They say he’s got Shakira hips because of the way he dances with the ball,” Eastleigh defender Vince Harper tells me, stifling a laugh: “It’s crazy.”

Staying local, former Saints midfielder Jake Hesketh has found a new home in football after 17 years with the St Mary’s outfit that gave him his steps in the professional game.

The 2013-14 scholar of the year was rewarded with two Premier League appearances as a teenager in 2014-15, later scored versus Crystal Palace in the League Cup and played in the Europa League.

But following his release from Saints this summer, Hesketh went straight from Premier League to non-league, signing a permanent deal with fifth division Spitfires.

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“I think it will serve me well in life,” Hesketh told the Daily Echo of his Saints education. "Let alone just in football. How they bring players and people up is second to none.”

Daily Echo: Jake Hesketh scores in the EFL Cup third round versus Crystal Palace (Pic: PA)Jake Hesketh scores in the EFL Cup third round versus Crystal Palace (Pic: PA)

His new manager, Ben Strevens – who is a former Eastleigh player himself, as well as having won a handful of promotions in the EFL during a 20-year playing career – is under no illusions of Hesketh’s talent.

“On the ball, I can’t teach Jake anything,” the 41-year-old admitted. "The quality he’s got is unbelievable,

“He’s played at a higher level than I can, the coaches that have been around him are much better than me.”

Daily Echo: Eastleigh manager Ben Strevens (Pic: Tom Mulholland)Eastleigh manager Ben Strevens (Pic: Tom Mulholland)

Centre-back and 2020-21 Eastleigh player of the year Andrew Boyce has been struggling to keep tabs on him in training.

“You can see his quality," the strong, former-EFL defender insisted. "He gets the ball in tight areas, I’ve done it myself a couple of times, you’ll get tight against him.

“Then you think ‘right, I’ll bully him here and get the ball off him’ and he just wriggles away from you. He does things so smooth.”

So why is the technician not leading the National League for goals and assists? Why have you not even heard his name resurface as Jeff Stelling reads out the division’s half-time and full-times?

Daily Echo: Jake Hesketh representing Saints B during the 2020-21 campaign (Pic: PA)Jake Hesketh representing Saints B during the 2020-21 campaign (Pic: PA)

It seems there is more to the game at all levels than just having the quality, with Hesketh only named from the start in eight of 18 National League matches so far this season – and producing no goals to his name.

A frustrating beginning to what would have already been a shock to the system for the once top-flight hopeful had already boiled over into five yellow cards and a one-match suspension by mid-November.

After starting each of the first four and Eastleigh failing to win, Hesketh was subsequently reduced to a bench option and had to wait until matchday 12 before he was recalled from the off by Strevens.

“I just think people look at it from the outside and say, ‘he’s played in the Premier League, this is going to be easy for him,” Strevens added. "And that’s not how football works.”

Daily Echo: Jake Hesketh and Ben Strevens at the midfielder's announcement in August (Pic: Tom Mulholland)Jake Hesketh and Ben Strevens at the midfielder's announcement in August (Pic: Tom Mulholland)

He continued: “And it’s certainly not how it works in terms of the way people are as well.

“He’s played in the Premier League for Southampton and now he’s playing in the National League for Eastleigh, so when you put in context some say it will be easy for him but it’s also hard for the boy to get his head round and keep working hard at.

“He’s never really had a home, he’s had loans and been here there and everywhere.

Daily Echo: Jake Hesketh scores during a loan spell at Burton Albion (Pic: PA)Jake Hesketh scores during a loan spell at Burton Albion (Pic: PA)

“Me and him have had loads of frank conversations, I told him I wanted him to work harder off the ball because that’s what you have to do at this level.”

It is no secret to say that the lack of immediate impact by Hesketh was a surprise to supporters, but it is also no slight to say it was probably not a shock to staff.

Hesketh has now begun to adapt his role to playing more consistently as a wide-midfielder, rather than through the middle as he had done when he first arrived at the Silverlake Stadium.

After all, Hesketh is only 5-foot 6’ tall and plays his best parts of the game with his feet – for much of the league, it’s on the contrary with the body of seasoned professionals doing most of the work.

The former Saints man admits that this positional adjustment has helped him find it easier during a difficult period.

“With different teams you have different roles and responsibilities and it’s kind of getting used to when to go, when not to go if we’re pressing, if we’re not pressing,” Hesketh said.

“I find it easier being out wide, it’s a bit more straightforward. There’s your man, you just stop him from going forward, so it’s kind of learning different roles.”

Hesketh opened his Spitfires account during an FA Cup qualifying round replay with Folkestone Invicta, but showed what he is really capable of in the FA Trophy last weekend.

Daily Echo: Jake Hesketh scored in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round replay at Folkestone Invicta (Pic: Tom Mulholland)Jake Hesketh scored in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round replay at Folkestone Invicta (Pic: Tom Mulholland)

Against title-chasing Isthmian League Premier opposition (seventh tier) albeit, Hesketh hit a career-first hat-trick of good finishes but displayed an all-round gulf in class that few have the talent to exhibit.

The Spitfires soared to an expected 5-0 victory against Enfield Town and supporters left likely having learned little, but the expectation will now be on Hesketh to ensure that performance becomes a catalyst for improvement.

“I’ve really enjoyed it,” he says, reflecting on his move to the Hampshire side. “The boys have made it really easy and being local I haven’t had the moving side of things to deal with.

“That’s been a hell of a lot easier to settle in and get going.

Daily Echo: Jake Hesketh with Eastleigh's Sam Smart (Pic: Tom Mulholland)Jake Hesketh with Eastleigh's Sam Smart (Pic: Tom Mulholland)

“I think it’s a bit here and there, some of my performances have been okay but until Saturday I haven’t got the goals and assists and that’s what I’m getting judged on so hopefully I can kick on from there and cement my place, play well and get goals to go with it.”

His assessment is one Strevens agrees with, adding: “I said to him the type of player he is and the way he plays, he needs to score more goals, and needs to get more assists.

“I think he’s answered that Saturday with a hat-trick and that’s all I want to see from him.

“He’s fantastic when he’s in the mood, doing his bits and pieces, because let’s be honest you don’t get to see loads of that at this level.

“I want him doing well, I want him scoring goals, I want him playing because I know he can be a special player at this level, we’ve just to keep working hard at each other.”

Strevens finished: “And it goes both ways, he needs to have that trust in me that as a manager I can get the best out of him. I’m trying to tell him the right things and I want him in the team.”