FORMER Cherries midfielder Danny Hollands has agreed to sign for National League club Eastleigh.

Hollands spent the recent campaign in League Two with Crewe Alexandra, where his contract is set to expire.

He joined Cherries from Chelsea in 2006 and stayed for five years, playing 219 matches and scoring 28 goals, including six in the 2008-09 Great Escape season.

Hollands also hit the target six times in the following campaign, as Cherries were promoted into League One.

The 31-year-old, who has since played for Charlton and Portsmouth, was eager to return south to be close to wife Natalie and triplet daughters Sofia, Annabella and Mia.

He started his career in non-league with Hampton & Richmond, before sealing a move to Chelsea, where he captained the youth team.

Hollands will join an Eastleigh side plotting to win promotion into the Football League under boss Richard Hill, who masterminded the club's National South title success in 2014.