Former Bradford City and Bolton Wanderers striker, Jamie Proctor, has signed for National League North side Southport FC ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Having departed League Two side Barrow at the end of the 2023-24 season, Proctor has now joined the 17th club of his career in Southport.
Proctor’s experienced career
The 32 year old striker has joined up with experienced EFL boss Jim Bentley at Southport having played for numerous clubs in the EFL during his career.
Proctor began his career with his hometown club Preston North End having come through their youth academy. He made 40 appearances for the Lilywhites and scored four goals. An unsuccessful move to Premier League Swansea City followed for the striker before having productive spells at Crawley Town and Fleetwood Town.
His 26 goals in 139 appearances for the two clubs saw him move to work under manager Phil Parkinson at Bradford City before following him to Bolton Wanderers. Despite a loan spell at Carlisle United in the second half of the 2016-17 season, he made 21 appearances for Bolton and won the first of his four EFL promotions as a player by finishing runners up in League One.
The 32 year old had a four year spell at Rotherham United but only made six appearances having suffered multiple serious injuries at the start of the Miller’s 2017-18 promotion season. On his return from injury, Proctor made a further 23 appearances for the Yorkshire club, including in the Miller’s 2019-20 promotion to the Championship.
Numerous loan spells followed at Scunthorpe United, AFC Fylde, Newport County and Wigan Athletic followed before joining Port Vale ahead of the 2021-22 season. Proctor’s first season with the Vale was arguably his best. The striker finished as the club’s top scorer with 13 goals from 34 appearances in all competitions to help the Staffordshire side to promotion from the League Two play offs.
Proctor spent last season at Barrow in League Two and scored one goal in 27 appearances for the Bluebirds. He now joins up with his former manager Jim Bentley at Southport in the National League North ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.
What could Proctor provide for Southport
Having completed the signing of Proctor, Southport manager Jim Bentley believes he has added a great addition to his squad:
“He is a good centre forward; he’s robust, a good target man, works hard, is knowledgeable and knows the game. We want good people in the club and he ticks those boxes in setting good standards for the rest of the group”.
The striker brings a huge wealth of experience to the National League North side having been a member of four promotion winning squads. The 32 year old has played in all three EFL divisions throughout his career and will lead the line for the side looking to return to the National League for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
Having won 50.5% of his aerial duels last season at League Two, it is likely that he will be able to transfer this to the sixth tier, allowing him to hold up the ball and bring others into play. Proctor becomes the Sandgrounders’ tenth signing this summer with a number of other experienced players joining him at Haig Avenue including former Sheffield United midfielder Danny Philliskirk and Stockport County defender Sam Minihan.
What are Southport’s chances of promotion?
With an experienced manager at the helm and a number of ex EFL professionals signing up for the upcoming campaign, there is a feeling amongst some that Southport could be one to watch this season.
Having finished 17th last season and only six points clear of relegation, the Sandgrounders had a rebuilding job on their hands this summer to ensure they aren’t battling out at the wrong end of the table this season.
They won’t be the only side who are looking to gain promotion to the top tier of non-league with the likes of Scunthorpe United, Chester and Kidderminster Harriers looking to battle it out for the title.
However, with a number of quality sides all capable of taking points off each other, Bentley and Southport will hope that their new experienced signings can give them a competitive edge in games against promotion rivals in what is likely to be a race for play off places in the National League North.