By CHRIS LAKEYDion Dublin has backed King's Lynn's new signing Julian Joachim to be a huge hit with the fans this season - and reckons his former Aston Villa team-mate will end up being player of the season at The Walks.

By CHRIS LAKEY

Dion Dublin has backed King's Lynn's new signing Julian Joachim to be a huge hit with the fans this season - and reckons his former Aston Villa team-mate will end up being player of the season at The Walks.

Joachim was a surprise signing for manager Keith Webb and the Linnets seek to build on their Southern League title winning exploits of last season.

And Dublin reckons Webb couldn't have made a better signing to help Lynn in Conference South next season.

"I think it is a great signing, I really do," said Dublin. "I think Webby has pulled a rabbit out of the hat getting Julian.

"He is a very good player who makes things happen. He's dangerous and I think he will do very well for King's Lynn."

Joachim turned down offers to stay in league football to join Lynn, having helped Darlington reach the League Two play-off semi-finals last month - but Dublin says the change of scenery won't blunt his ambition.

"Julian likes his football," Dublin said. "He just wants to play and if you can get him playing 30, 35 games a season he will get you 15, 18 goals and that's what Webby is looking at him doing, as well as supplying assists for the other forwards.

"He will be a danger and I predict that he will be player of the season."

Dublin and Joachim were together for three years Villa Park in the last 90s and knows just what Conference South defenders can expect from the 33-year-old.

"He is very unpredictable to mark," said Dublin, who was in Norwich at the weekend as part of a promotional venture with electrical retailers Currys, having retired from the game at the end of last season.

"You never know if he is going to do a trick and go by you, or knock it and go by you, or cross it or take you on. He's very good at one-on-ones and he has a great right foot, let me tell you - he can strike a ball, a dead ball, very well."

Dublin, at 6ft 2ins, stood eight inches above his former strike partner, and says Joachim would benefit from having a similarly tall striker alongside him.

"I played with JJ a few times and he thrived on the flick-on," said Dublin. "But he has many skills - he will be good, very good for King's Lynn."