Expect Southampton's Billy Sharp to seize his shot at the big time

The Southampton striker signed from Doncaster Rovers in January - and will face Manchester City in just under a fortnight's time.

Hotshot Billy Sharp has undertaken a slow route to make it to the top, and now he is there - Expect him to grab the opportunity with both hands.

It is a journey which has spanned the divisions below the Premier League, taking in the sights of both Rushden and Diamonds and Scunthorpe United.

It was at Scunthorpe he really made his name, scoring 33 goals in 2006-07, which led to him being signed by Sheffield United, the club where he began his career.

A player with the surname 'Sharp' appeared to be the perfect match for a club nicknamed the 'Blades', but it simply never worked out.

Signed in July 2007, he took until the following March to score his first league goal. He was loaned to Doncaster and then sold to them finally in July 2010 for just over £1 million.

His career picked up at Rovers, getting back on track scoring more than 40 goals for the club, and he was rewarded when Southampton came calling in January.

He scored nine times in 15 games for the Saints to aid their promotion push and the move has been perfect for both parties.

Looking at him in pre-season, the striker seems happier than ever, and ready to display the type of goalscoring form which made him so feared across the Football League.

He scored this weekend against Wolves in a friendly, his fourth goal in pre-season.

While Southampton face the toughest of starts when they play Manchester City at the Etihad in their Premier League opener, they will not be doing simply to make up the numbers.

Sharp will be delighted to be there, but also ready to make the most of an opportunity he never would have seen coming if he cast his mind back to last December, when his Doncaster side were rooted in 23rd place, staring at relegation.

He left a month later, and Rovers were indeed relegated to League One, and the club was in such a state that even if Sharp had remained, he would likely have ended up in English football's third tier once more.

He has been there before, and knows just how fortunate he is to have the opportunity to play in the top flight with Southampton, but will equally feel he has earned it for sticking at it over the years.

His form in pre-season shows he is determined not to let his big chance pass him by, and we are looking forward to seeing him announce himself on the big stage.

What do you think Sharp can achieve next season with Southampton?

Dan Coombs

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Dan Coombs is a writer who is keen to embrace the internet revolution. He first started writing for us in June 2011 and commenced his new role as Sports Editor in February 2012.

As a trained journalist he has met famous faces from Mr T to Boris Johnson. He once featured in an England World Cup music video too, but it did not make the charts.

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