Report by John Edwards. Picture by Ilkeston FC photographer Craig Lamont.

Altrincham have increased their firepower by snapping up a player who can rightly call himself a rising star after signing free-scoring forward Zak Goodson from Ilkeston Town for an undisclosed fee (subject to FA/NL approval).

The 22-year old arrives at The J.Davidson Stadium with a burgeoning reputation that was further underpinned during Ilkeston’s title-winning campaign in the Pitching In Northern Premier League Division One Midlands last season.

He topped the Robins’ scoring charts with 21 goals - many of them eye-catching individual efforts - and rounded off the campaign by winning the NPL Rising Star award as the young player the judges felt made the biggest impact during the course of the season.

Unsurprisingly, he was also voted supporters’ player of the year at the New Manor Ground, and as he bids farewell to one club known as the Robins and joins another with the same nickname, Alty bosses are confident he will continue to thrive in an environment of full-time training and coaching.

Zak came through the Academy at Derby County and quickly made his mark at Long Eaton United, with 16 goals in 23 appearances, and Basford United, where he maintained a similar scoring ratio and notched their only goal in an FA Trophy defeat by Chesterfield in December, 2018.

On signing for Ilkeston in May, 2020, he was asked to describe his style of play and replied: “I’m a pacey striker who likes to get in behind or play on the shoulder and hopefully score a lot of goals.”

Interestingly, while referring to himself as a striker, he tends to operate more from wide positions on the right, despite favouring his left foot, in much the same way as Dan Mooney did prior to his move to Southend United at the end of last season.

He joins his new team-mates with some goal-poaching form behind him already this session after scoring an 89th-minute leveller against Leiston on August 13th and following up with Ilkeston’s only goal in a 2-1 defeat at Barwell two days later.

Welcome to The J.Davidson Stadium, Zak, and everyone at the club wishes you a happy and successful time in Alty colours.