Hassocks have pulled off quite the transfer coup with the signing of experienced midfielder Scott Kirkwood from Shoreham.
Kirkwood made his debut for the Robins in Saturday’s 1-0 win over East Preston, impressing in the centre of midfield as Mark Dalgleish’s side ground out back-to-back 1-0 victories for the first time in nearly seven years.
A familiar name to non-league football followers around Sussex, Kirkwood has played for a whole host of clubs in a glittering career which began at Brighton and Hove Albion and has also seen him represent England Colleges.
He joined Crawley Town in 2002 following his release by the Albion
but was unable to break into the Red Devils’ first team, going onto have spells with Horsham, Bognor Regis Town, Hastings United, Worthing, Lewes, Eastbourne Town and Whitehawk
Kirkwood won the Southern Combination League title in 2009-10 as part of Whitehawk’s all-conquering squad but his most successful spell at one club came during his time at the Green Elephants Stadium with the
Robins’ Mid Sussex rivals, Burgess Hill
Town.
He spent four seasons with the Hillians between 2012 and 2016 and was a key component in Ian Chapman’s 2014-15 side that lifted the Isthmian League South title and embarked on runs to the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup and the second round of the FA Vase, recording famous wins against Conference Premier giants Aldershot Town and Sutton United along the way.
Kirkwood moved to Horsham in the summer of 2016 for a second spell having previously represented the Hornets on-loan from Crawley at the start of his career.
He has played 86 times for Horsham in the Isthmian League, scoring nine goals and dual-signed for this campaign with Shoreham, for whom he has played most of his football this season with his last competitive game for the Musselmen coming five weeks before his Hassocks debut.
Welcome to the Robins, Scott.
