EASTLEIGH manager Ben Strevens described Ben House as “an excellent lad and an incredible young footballer,” and targets a long-term future in the Championship and beyond for the departing striker.
Former Reading academy forward House, 22, has completed a permanent move to League One with Lincoln City, after a year-and-a-half in Hampshire with the Spitfires.
Also an ex-Scotland under-21 international, House has netted 13 goals in 54 National League matches – but it his skill on the ball and his tireless workrate that has earned him most of the plaudits for Eastleigh.
He becomes the third young player in successive seasons to make a lucrative move to Football League One or above, following defenders Rob Atkinson and Joe Tomlinson who both now compete in the Championship.
“I’m gonna miss him, I’m gonna miss him loads,” Strevens told the Daily Echo.
“I love him to bits, think he is an excellent lad and an incredible young footballer. I’ve been quite hard on myself with Housey because I know where he’s capable of going."
Strevens added: “I had a conversation with the coaching team when Rob (Atkinson) left and I said he could get to the Championship or Premier League one day, that’s how I felt about Rob, and I feel quite strongly about Housey in the same way.
“Hopefully now where he’s going the coach might be able to get more goals out of him, because that is all that is missing. If he gets 15/20 goals going into League One, he will be in the Championship, and from there he can end up wherever.”
After 26 matches in League One, Lincoln face a potential relegation battle but currently sit four points off the drop zone.
House is the third reinforcement to arrive in attack alone this January, following Swansea’s Liam Cullen on loan and Portsmouth’s John Marquis.
The Spitfires boss described what he could add: “His work-rate, his team-play, no hassle any day, he’s a brilliant lad and I am going to miss him. It’s weird feelings, you know, you’re proud when these boys get their move.
“It’s a real nice moment but it’s also gutting, they are more or less irreplaceable, especially if they are going into League One. Then you go right, what do we next?
🎥 #ThrowbackThursday to last season's #EmiratesFACup Fourth Round Qualifying tie 👀
— Eastleigh FC (@EastleighFC) October 14, 2021
What a hit, @housey_97! 🚀pic.twitter.com/hwaJUMm3l5
“I believe in (Ryan) Hilly, Vincent Harper, I believe in (Sam) Smarty, I believe in them type of boys.
“My next aim is to try and get them to be as good as they can be and then hopefully I’m getting them moves into the Football League or they’re going there with us.
“I’ll be watching Housey’s results every week in League One and hoping he does well.
“I’m going to miss him, like I do Joe, Rob and all the boys who have left.”
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