NEW signing Lewis Pemberton is aiming to inspire Felixstowe & Walton United to similar success as in his first spell with the club.

Pemberton, who has been reunited with former Needham team mates Liam Jones, Rhys Barber and Danny Smy at the Goldstar Ground, previously spent two years with the Seasiders.

He was a part of the team that won promotion to the Premier Division of the Ridgeons League in 2005/06 and then helped the club establish themselves in the top flight.

Pemberton then linked up again with Needham Market manager Danny Laws, who was in charge of the football school at West Suffolk College during the three years he was a student there, when he spent a season with Bury Town.

He was first choice right back at Needham as they won promotion from the Ridgeons League to Ryman League Division One North, until last November when he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury to his left knee, which kept him out for three months.

“After playing for the reserves I got back into the first team, but in my second game back we lost 5-0 at home to Leiston on Boxing Day and I didn’t play well.

“I didn’t play for a while after that, and so in February I went out on loan to Woodbridge Town. It was a joint decision with Danny – I wasn’t playing much and he needed to release some money out of his budget to bring in a striker.

“I liked it at Woodbridge – they play good football and it is a good set up.

“I had the chance to stay at Needham this season. Danny said he wanted me in the squad, although I was offered less money, so I decided to drop down and have less of a commitment.

“The travelling at that level can start to grate after a while, especially for midweek games when you are getting home late at night.”

Pemberton, perhaps surprisingly in view of his successful loan spell last season, chose to join Felixstowe & Walton this season over Woodbridge Town.

“I decided to come here because it was a new challenge – I knew what Woodbridge was all about – and also there is not a lot of difference in the travelling so money also played a part.

“Only time will tell whether I made the right decision, but I think we need to strengthen in certain areas and we will be alright,” he added.