BRANDON Goodship says Weymouth “will always be a place that I call home” after his move to Southend United was announced on Monday evening.
Goodship has signed a two-year deal which includes a one-year option with the league one club, and departs after scoring 77 goals in just two years for Weymouth.
When asked if he had any last messages for the fans and the club, Goodship told Echosport: “Just reiterating what I have said before, that I am forever in their debt for giving me the chance to come and play and for the warm reception I was always given and like I said, it will always be a place that I call home.”
Goodship signed for the Terras two years ago, after being released by Yeovil Town, and went on to have a hugely successful two years with Weymouth, which earned his move back into the Football League via the move to Southend.
When asked if it felt like mission accomplished, Goodship replied: “Yeah 100 per cent, when I left Yeovil I just wanted to play to be honest.
“Mark Molesley phoned me up during the summer and said look it is a really big club, a sleeping giant in non-League, come down, you’ll score goals, you will be loved and see where it takes you and that is exactly what happened to be fair.
“Everything what he said came true, he said I could play in front of big crowds, good crowds for that league and it was, we were consistently getting 800 to 1,000 people in and bigger games surpassing 2,000, which for that level of football is astonishing really. It just gave me a platform to go and express myself.”
When asked how it felt to have secured the move, Goodship admitted that he was “buzzing” and thanked the coaching staff and players at Weymouth.
He said: “I’m absolutely buzzing to be fair.
“I said the other day that obviously most players that are playing non-League aspire to get back in the Football League and luckily for myself I have managed to do that, obviously thanks to the coaching staff and the manager at Weymouth along with the players that have given me the platform to go and impress people at a higher level.
“I am delighted that Southend have given me the opportunity to play back in the Football League.”
Weymouth fans will potentially not have to wait long to see Goodship again, with a pre-season friendly between Southend and Weymouth set to take place on Friday, July 12.
Goodship admits it will be odd to be going into the opposition dressing room but says it will be nice to be back.
He said: “Yeah 100 per cent, obviously I am not sure what the plans will be in terms of the playing team but hopefully I can be involved in that game.
“It will be nice to play back at the Bob Lucas, but like I said to my family it will be a bit weird being in the opposition dressing room after being in the home dressing room.”
Goodship said it is an opportunity that he could not turn down, but is grateful for the fans’ positive reaction.
Discussing the Weymouth fans, Goodship added: “I always sort of knew that I would be going with their blessing just because it was sort of an opportunity that I couldn’t turn down.
“It is not as though I am moving to a similar league club that has just offered me a few more quid.
“It is a big step up into the Football League and a chance for me to make a name for myself at a really good level of football.
“I will be forever thankful for the support I have received from the fans at Weymouth and it will always be held as a close place in my heart.”
