Ambitious Southall FC have pulled off a major coup by signing former Brentford and QPR strike Rowan Vine.

The 34 year old, who started his career with Portmsouth, struck 13 goals in a season-long loan with the Bees back in the 2002-03 season, when he was just starting out.

Four years later, following a spell with Luton Town, Vine enjoyed another fruitful loan spell, this time with QPR, netting four goals in 10 games to earn himself a permanent move to the Rs.

He stayed at Loftus Road for four years but failed to recapture that early form, and had another less successful loan spell with Brentford before heading north of the border for spells with St Johnstone, Hibernian and Greenock Morton.

Rowan the Ranger: Vine in QPR action

Vine returned to England two years later and drifted into non-league football with Welling, Havant & Waterloovillle, Basingstoke and, most recently, Gosport.

But signing for Spartan South Midlands League Division One side Southall represents a huge step down for a player still plying his trade in the second step of the non-league game at the turn of the year. In fact, Southall play a full four levels below Gosport.

Vine marked his debut with two in Southall's 4-2 win at Harpenden last week, and was on target again at the weekend, but couldn't prevent his new side crashing out the FA Vase 5-2 to Cleethorpes Town.

The quarter-final clash with the furthest Southall have gone in the Vase since reaching the final in 1986.