 He scored the first goal of his professional career, a winner against Nottingham Forest, on 21 March.He played regularly for three seasons, but when told by manager Peter Jackson that a new contract would not be offered at the end of the 2003–04 season, he chose to join League Two club Boston United in March 2004.After two years playing regularly, during which he made 85 league appearances, he moved nearer to his Lancashire home when he signed an 18-month contract with Conference National club Southport on 31 January 2007 on a free transfer.