YORK City’s new striker Emile Sinclair is determined to restore his reputation as a goalscorer.

The 27-year-old attacker hit a Championship hat-trick for Peterborough two-and-a-half years ago and scored 14 goals during a potent campaign in 2011/12.

But Sinclair, who cost Crawley £100,000 in 2013, has been allowed to leave City’s Sky Bet League Two rivals Northampton six months into the two-year Sixfields deal he signed in the summer.

Instead, he is now contracted to the Minstermen for 18 months and, despite netting just once in his last 31 outings for the Cobblers, is keen to add to his professional tally of 43 goals in 246 senior appearances.

He said: “Every new club is a challenge and you have something to prove to the fans, the club and your previous club and their manager, but I am coming here confident. It did not work out at Northampton, whichever way you look at it, so I’m under a bit of pressure but I would like to think I thrive on that.

“I played as a winger really until I went to Peterborough but, as a striker, you want to score goals. That’s what you are paid for and what your reputation is built upon so I’ve come here to do that.

“I like the ball to my feet so I can run at defenders but I like it in behind as well so I have space to run into. I like to isolate defenders one-on-one so I can use my pace, power and strength.

“I want to be known as a goalscorer and somebody who’s a threat. I also want defenders to come off the pitch knowing they’ve had a hard 90 minutes whether I have scored, made a goal or just done well for the team.

“Hopefully, I can get back to being known as a goalscorer here at York. I want to get as many goals as possible during the rest of the season – a goal a game, if not more.

“I’m also a winner who wants to win games.”

Sinclair’s opportunities with Northampton, who he initially joined on loan from Crawley last January, have been limited this season with injury and the form of the division’s 13-goal top marksman Marc Richards a contributing factor.

On his Sixfields struggles, the ex-Nottingham Forest and Mansfield forward, who scored for the Stags in his last appearance at Bootham Crescent during a 2008 Setanta Shield clash, added: “Myself and Marc Richards are complete opposites as players but he’s the top scorer in the league and, when you have a striker like that, he picks himself.

“You have to play him, even if he’s not performing, because he’s scoring goals. He’s done really well and is the captain too, so he’s good to have in and around the dressing room.

“In that position, all I could do was keep fighting, performing in training and take my chance if it came. But I didn’t think that chance was going to come at Northampton.

“I’ve had a few injuries this season but, when I have been fit, I’ve not really been playing. Everyone wants to play and, as a striker, you need a few games to get into form, so I went to see the manager and told him I wanted to further my career and do what’s best for myself.”

York Press:

WARM WELCOME: Emile Sinclair and York City chairman Jason McGill

The move also means an end to the long commutes Sinclair has been undertaking this term from his West Yorkshire base, admitting that his switch to City is attractive for geographical reasons too.

“I wanted to come back up north and I jumped at the chance to come to York because it’s only 25 minutes away from my home in Leeds,” he exaplained. “I’ve been travelling two-and-a-half hours every day to Northampton and that becomes hard when you’re not playing.

“That can get you down but I’ve just had to keep turning up for work and being a professional.”

Despite his new team hovering one point above the drop zone, the 6ft striker insists he is only looking in one direction – upwards.

“I want to start climbing the table,” he pointed out. “I know the situation the club are in but there are still a lot of games left and I saw what York did last season when they were near the bottom and ended up in the play-offs.

“If you get on a good run, it can take you all the way to the top in League Two. We can’t write the season off already and, if we get a few win, confidence builds and you never know where that can take you.”

Having shared a dressing room with City’s on-loan keeper Bobby Olejnik in the past, meanwhile, Sinclair is certain the team have the right man between the sticks to help push up the standings.

“I know big Bobby,” he smiled. “He’s a very good goalkeeper who was highly-rated when I was at Peterborough and I think he’ll do very well here.”