sign for English Third Division club Walsall after being granted a new one-year work permit on Friday.

And now the former PHC striker has a tough job of trying to force his way into a Walsall side who continue to climb in the standings after a 1-0 win on Saturday at Chesterfield that preserved their unbeaten record away from home.

"I'm pretty excited about it, it's been a long time,'' said Lightbourne from his West Midlands apartment yesterday. "Now I'm hoping and waiting to get in the team. Hopefully in a week or two I'll be in the team.'' Lightbourne's bid for a first-team spot will begin in earnest today when he plays for the Reserves against Northampton. He admits it will not be easy to get into the team now that they have gone four matches without defeat. The Midlands club are presently ninth in the standings, five points out of first place.

"We haven't lost any games away from home and we have another away game on Saturday (at Darlington),'' said Lightbourne who celebrates his 25th birthday next week. "The only reason why I wasn't on the bench on Saturday was because they tend to put defenders on the bench for away matches.'' A tightening-up on the issuing of work permits to foreign players means that Lightbourne will have to feature regularly in the Walsall first team if his work permit, which expires at the end of the season, is to be renewed.

"It's definitely important for me to be part of the team every week because when it comes around to renewing my work permit they will look at that as well,'' the lanky striker explained.

"I feel I have the ability to do that, as long as they give me an opportunity, which I'm sure they will. They know the situation as well. If I'm playing regularly, or as a sub, it won't be a problem but I have to be a part of the first team. It's the same for any foreigner.'' Lightbourne was with another Third Division club, Scarborough, last season in his first crack at pro soccer in England.