Badgers win McCormick battle

Eastwood Town's joint manager Nick Hawkins has described new signing Rob McCormick as a 'great capture' for the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League's Badgers.

Delighted Hawkins said the recently relegated Premier Division outfit beat off stiff competition for the former Mansfield defender's signature after his departure from United Counties side Shepshed Dynamo.

Primarily a centre half, McCormick, pictured, made 22 appearances for the former NPL club last term, scoring twice. Former South Normanton Athletic manager Hawkins, who teamed up with Chris Shaw at the end of the season at Coronation Park to lead the club into the coming campaign, believes the signing signals their intent to build a squad capable of regaining the Nottinghamshire club's Premier Division status.

Hawkins said: "We are delighted that Rob agreed terms. He is a great capture for the club and a much sought after player. We fought off stiff competition for him and in the process I think we have shown our ambition for the forthcoming season."

After signing this week, McCormick revealed that Eastwood's plans matching his own ambitions played a part in the move. He's now looking forward to playing at Evo-Stik NPL level come August after settling his future.

The defender said: "I'm glad to be playing back at Step 4 level. After speaking with Nick and Chris I felt it was the right club to be at. It is one of the biggest clubs in Non-League locally and I have ambitions of getting back into full-time football myself. I see that there is an Academy in place here and the overall plans for the club match my own ambitions so I'm really looking forward to the new season."