LYLE Simpson has been set a challenge by Eastleigh manager Ben Strevens after he became the first-ever current academy EDS youngster to make his senior debut for the club on Saturday.
Simpson, 18, was introduced at the home of the oldest professional football club in the world, Notts County, as the Spitfires went into injury time trailing the hosts 2-1 in the FA Trophy.
Despite not having enough time to change Eastleigh’s fortunes, it was a proud moment for the teenager step in for Strevens and his depleted squad in front of supporters at Meadow Lane.
Simpson has been scoring with regularity since he was a second-year scholar under Eastleigh coach Jason Brookes last season, continuing in the Elite Development Squad and on a dual-registration basis with Wessex League Premier outfit Brockenhurst this campaign.
Speaking to the Daily Echo, Strevens offered his message and motivation to Simpson.
He told us: “The biggest thing I saw from him last year was that he’s a goalscorer but also his all-round game, a couple things he needed to work on have come on huge in a year and I think that has come from being out playing regular men’s football, being in and around it.
“Every time I watch him, he scores. He’s got a knack for it which is an amazing habit to have and it doesn’t matter at what level. People always ask, ‘can you do it going up the levels?’, a goalscorer is a goalscorer.
“Yes, they might get fewer chances to score goals but the size of the goals don’t change. He’s doing great."
Simpson has six goals registered in the Wessex League Premier this campaign, with Brockenhurst sitting up in fourth in the table and facing a promotion fight.
That came after he scored four on the opening day of the 2021-22 National Academy League South versus Boreham Wood, now totalling 13 in that division and a further two in two Hampshire Senior Cup matches.
Strevens added: "I wish I made my debut away at Notts County, it’s a great stadium.
“I don’t want him to think that today he has made it, because he hasn’t. I want this to be a first taste of what can come if you keep working hard and keep doing what you’re doing.
“I think that is what I want him to take from this, don’t think he’s cracked it because he hasn’t but keep working hard.
“I have given lots of young boys chances over the years and the ones that take it with both hands are Rob Atkinson, Joe Tomlinson, Ben House, Ryan Hill, Vince Harper, all these boys.
“But there is a few who haven’t taken it with both hands because they haven’t worked hard enough, haven’t taken the chance they have been given. For Lyle now, this has to be a first taste, ‘this is what I want to do, I want to be a professional footballer for Eastleigh', that has to be his aim now.
“Carry on doing what he is doing, play men’s football and work hard and then hopefully we can integrate him into the men’s group next year, for him and a couple others the platform is there to show us every day what they can do.”
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