By Craig MacKenzie

Chris Taylor and South Melbourne are a powerful combination.

So powerful in fact that they were able to pluck 23-year-old striker David Stirton from the clutches of rival suitors Port Melbourne, Hume City, Dandenong Thunder and Bentleigh Greens.

Stirton scored 11 goals last season for Bentleigh Greens who tried to retain his services but in the end no-one could match the magnetism of the Lakeside Oval.

"It’s fair to say that I was tempted by the offer from Port Melbourne," Stirton said.

"I was going to sign with Port and a big part of that was because [assistant coach] Jim MacLean was there.

"I know Jim well. I know he is a good coach and back in his day he was a very, very good player and I thought that Jim and [head coach] Eric (Vassiliadis) could make me a better player.

"But when South Melbourne came in for me then it just had to be South Melbourne."

Initial contact with South came via midfielder Stephen Hatzikostas who switched from Bentleigh Greens to South Melbourne last season during the June transfer window.

"Steve told me that Chris Taylor was interested and I contacted Chris through Facebook chat and that was how it all happened," he said.

"To tell the truth I didn’t have any hesitation in signing for the most successful football club in Australia."

Stirton has inked a one-year deal with South. It is his first professional contract.

Highlights in his CV include representing Victoria at junior level, signing a youth contract with Melbourne Victory, and making his mark at the elite club level in Victoria with Southern Stars then Bentleigh Greens.

Hume technical director Dean Hennessey, who coached Stirton at Southern Stars, was too late with his play for the young striker as Stirton was already formulating his aims for the coming season.

"When Chris and I were on facebook I asked him what his plans were for me and he said he knows that there are different positions that I can play in, wide left, up top, in behind," he said.

"I was happy with that because I actually don’t mind playing in behind (the central striker) as I think I’ve got a bit to offer there but overall my chat with Chris was good and it was very interesting to hear his opinion.

"Even if I do end up playing out wide I’d still aim to score more goals than last season."

Stirton has been overseas for the past few months and returns to Melbourne on January 4.

He is acutely aware that the 2015 PS4 NPL season kicks off on February 19 with a glamour clash between South Melbourne and Oakleigh Cannons.

"My pre-season already has started over here. Don’t worry about that," he said.

"I’ve been going to the gym almost every day and now that my dad has arrived here I’ll be doing daily ballwork sessions with him so I’ll be OK."

Stirton has long harboured A-League ambitions and was closing in on a senior contract with Victory until Ernie Merrick’s sacking in 2011.

"I was with Victory’s youth team but I was virtually training full-time with the first team and I’ve had ambitions to get back into the A-League for some time now.

"South Melbourne is probably the best club at which to try and further these ambitions because everyone’s always watching them.

"If I do well at South and score a few goals then hopefully my name can start getting thrown about."

While Stirton’s world revolves around football and has done since he was a youngster he also likes golf and admits to being a small-time foodie.

"There’s not much chance of playing golf the way the weather is over here right now but I do socialise a wee bit, nothing major and I like to go to different restaurants, Japanese, Indian.

"I quite like my food and that includes Stornoway black pudding and haggis."

When he’s not playing football or training Stirton is often watching and analysing the game he loves and he has been using Facebook and other social media to keep abreast of the Victorian NPL scene.

"I think Hume has made a few signings and I think they’ll be in for a good year," he said.

"Oakleigh Cannons obviously will be a good side again and Bentleigh have made a few signings, a few Queensland boys I see, so they should do well too.

"Look, it’s hard to say who is going to be challenging because it can change so much from one year to the next but I’m hoping that South Melbourne can be up there again."

Stirton knows most of his new teammates through playing against them and he’ll have no trouble assimilating into the squad.

And Souths fans will have no trouble getting used to his pace and lethal left foot.

They may not know about his free kick ability and the danger he poses in the air.

They also may not know about his aerobic capacity and pinpoint passing ability but they are about to find out.

It shouldn’t take them long to realise that their head coach has made yet another astute signing.