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Great academy players who never made it in the first team


norwaysaint

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For every Walcott, Bale and Oxlade Chamberlain, there are very very many who seemed like the next big prospect, but ended up either languishing in lower leagues or out of football altogether.

 

Not including players currently on saints books, who were the ones you really thought would be something, but weren't?

 

 

For me I was certain Leandre Griffit was going to be a huge star. One bad performance against a rampant Arsenal and he was pretty much done.

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Matt Mills doesn't really qualify for this as he played quite a few first team matches and even somehow got signed by City, before finding his place in the championship. Didn't realise he now plays in the Indian league, odd place to end up. His brother Joseph "Fish" never really played a bad game for us, but fell by the wayside as we looked to get better players for our rise. He's still only 29, but never really went on to a higher level than he played at with us.

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Wasn’t there a young lad of 18 by the name of Mark Paul who was signed in The late 90’s when Dave Jones was boss , and was quoted by one of our Scots to be “The new Michael Owen”. He never made a first team appearance and ended up playing non league football for Kings Lynn less than a year later. Still makes me laugh now, Les Reed would’ve been proud of that statement.

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Wasn’t there a young lad of 18 by the name of Mark Paul who was signed in The late 90’s when Dave Jones was boss , and was quoted by one of our Scots to be “The new Michael Owen”. He never made a first team appearance and ended up playing non league football for Kings Lynn less than a year later. Still makes me laugh now, Les Reed would’ve been proud of that statement.

 

I think we bought him from Kings Lynn as part of a package that included Saints playing a game at 'The Walks'.

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Often think of the lads who were thrown in and got relegated from League 1 for us. Most were so obviously not ready and can’t help but think it probably didn’t help them in their careers as many have gone on to have pretty mediocre careers at best, which given our academy record is a bit of an anomaly. One I really felt for was Kanye McLaggon who was breaking into the team and doing well at the end of that season but ruptured his achilles, and then the Liebherr’s took over during his injury and we never saw him again. Was in the Welsh leagues last I saw.

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Often think of the lads who were thrown in and got relegated from League 1 for us. Most were so obviously not ready and can’t help but think it probably didn’t help them in their careers as many have gone on to have pretty mediocre careers at best, which given our academy record is a bit of an anomaly. One I really felt for was Kanye McLaggon who was breaking into the team and doing well at the end of that season but ruptured his achilles, and then the Liebherr’s took over during his injury and we never saw him again. Was in the Welsh leagues last I saw.

 

Scored against Reading IIRC

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Just shows that we may rate the players watching them in the acadamy but if they dont make it here , they dont make it elsewhere and perhaps the professionals at the club do know a good player when they see one.

If the names mentioned went onto stardom perhaps we could point the finger but they didnt

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Often think of the lads who were thrown in and got relegated from League 1 for us. Most were so obviously not ready and can’t help but think it probably didn’t help them in their careers as many have gone on to have pretty mediocre careers at best, which given our academy record is a bit of an anomaly. One I really felt for was Kanye McLaggon who was breaking into the team and doing well at the end of that season but ruptured his achilles, and then the Liebherr’s took over during his injury and we never saw him again. Was in the Welsh leagues last I saw.

 

Reminded me of the Reading away game that season. Reading top of the league and unbeaten at home. The youngsters had a great day. One of the best performances I’d seen for years. Won, 2-1 if I recall.

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Tim Sparv was overshadowed by being in the U18's with Lallana, McGoldrick, Dyer, Walcott etc but has gone on to have a decent career. Currently playing for Midtjylland and has a load of caps for Finland.

 

Didn't he score against us in the Europa league for them?

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I remember being told that Steve Neville was a great prospect as a traditional type winger who (as it was described to me) could put in a Terry Paine quality cross. Saw him come on as a sub once, he had a turn of pace but little else. Spent his career at Bristol City, Exeter etc.

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I remember being told that Steve Neville was a great prospect as a traditional type winger who (as it was described to me) could put in a Terry Paine quality cross. Saw him come on as a sub once, he had a turn of pace but little else. Spent his career at Bristol City, Exeter etc.

 

His corners were quite terrible when at the Grecians, so much so we my son and I still call poor corners "Steve Neville" corners at St Mary's.

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Tim Sparv was overshadowed by being in the U18's with Lallana, McGoldrick, Dyer, Walcott etc but has gone on to have a decent career. Currently playing for Midtjylland and has a load of caps for Finland.

 

Yep, I thought Sparv would have become a first team regular for us. Never understood why we released him. Going back many years the one player who seemed destined for the top was Paul Masters, captain of the Shearer era youth team and looked to have it all. Now owns a cleaning business.

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I remember being told that Steve Neville was a great prospect as a traditional type winger who (as it was described to me) could put in a Terry Paine quality cross. Saw him come on as a sub once, he had a turn of pace but little else. Spent his career at Bristol City, Exeter etc.

 

Neville a real blast from the past - he’s spent the last 30 years coaching in Oz, still there -https://www.sorrentofc.com.au/steve-neville-technical-director/

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His corners were quite terrible when at the Grecians, so much so we my son and I still call poor corners "Steve Neville" corners at St Mary's.

 

From the early promise of a "Terry Paine" type cross which was high praise, to putting his own name of a p!ss poor corner. Quite a fall from his potential.

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Yep, I thought Sparv would have become a first team regular for us. Never understood why we released him. Going back many years the one player who seemed destined for the top was Paul Masters, captain of the Shearer era youth team and looked to have it all. Now owns a cleaning business.

I was also going to say Paul Masters. Shearer was the school year above, but in his age group Paul was the outstanding talent despite it including Paul Tisdale, Ncky Banger and Geoff Kenna. Lee McCrmack was another talent in that same youth team having attended Lilleshall.

 

In the year below I always thought Abdul Kamara would make it. I wonder what he's up to the days?

Edited by Chez
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I was also going to say Paul Masters. Shearer was the school year above, but in his age group Paul was the outstanding talent despite it including Paul Tisdale, Ncky Banger and Geoff Kenna. Lee McCrmack was another talent in that same youth team having attended Lilleshall.

 

In the year below I always thought Abdul Kamara would make it. I wonder what he's up to the days?

 

Some great players there. Abdul was a potential star, such a talented lad. Followed Ray and Rod Wallace to Leeds along with Bob Higgins. Faded after that.

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