LOBJOIT IS JUSTIN’S NEW GEM

SCORING 62 goals in 36 games at any level will get you noticed, and Northampton Town manager Justin Edinburgh is convinced he’s found an unpolished gem in Leon Lobjoit.

To call Lobjoit prolific doesn’t do him justice, and his average of more than 1.7 goals per game while at Buckingham Town has earned him another shot at League football.

The 22-year-old striker spent time as a teenager at Coventry and MK Dons and scored in a reserve team friendly during a two-week trial with the Cobblers. That prompted Northampton to give Lobjoit – who was plying his trade in the United Counties League – a two-year deal from next season, and Edinburgh claims his potential was too hard to resist.

“It is a gamble worth taking,” said Edinburgh. “My belief is the size of the goal doesn’t change, and the position of it doesn’t move. Obviously there is a step up in levels but Leon has had good grounding at MK Dons, Coventry and was on trial at QPR for a little while, but in a different position.

“Everything we have seen about him, we thought was good. There is a lot to work with, and he has a good attitude. He is somebody who realises that he has been given another opportunity and is desperate to take that.”

Edinburgh has history of finding Non-League gems having plucked striker Conor Washington from St Ives Town when manager of Newport County.

The boss said: “I have come through Non-League myself as a manager, so I am fully aware of the quality at that level,” added Edinburgh.

“They don’t all work out, but there are plenty of players out there capable of doing that, and hopefully Leon can follow in the same footsteps as Conor.”