Dom Ballard

[Lighthouse]

He made a fresh start at a club at a lower level where he was likely to get regular football and score more goals, fair play to him. A couple of solid L1 seasons and he’ll end up back in the Championship anyway, as a first team regular.

[egg]

1 minute ago, The Kraken said:

He’s 20 years old. Harsh to say he’s unproven at any level at that age. 

I’m sure there were various reasons why he left, and his path to first team wasn’t there. Hopefully the lad proves people wrong, especially after what he’s been through.

It's accurate to say that he hadn't done anything to suggest he'd do it at championship level. That's not to say he may have cut it given a chance. 

Regardless, the lad needed regular men's football. He probably wouldn't have got that here. 

[egg]

2 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

He made a fresh start at a club at a lower level where he was likely to get regular football and score more goals, fair play to him. A couple of solid L1 seasons and he’ll end up back in the Championship anyway, as a first team regular.

That's a more polished version of what I meant! 

[The Kraken]

We’re saying the same thing anyway. He wasn’t going to get a chance here, but looks like he’s hit the ground running. Which is brilliant given that, at only 20, he’s already a year behind given his horrendous injury. All Saints fans will wish him well and watch his progress with interest I’m sure. Good luck to him, just sorry we couldnt give him the avenue he needed.

[SuperSAINT]

20 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

He made a fresh start at a club at a lower level where he was likely to get regular football and score more goals, fair play to him. A couple of solid L1 seasons and he’ll end up back in the Championship anyway, as a first team regular.

He’s done really well & chosen a good club with the right manager.

Fingers crossed he stays fit and keeps scoring.  Happy for him.

[washsaint]

OUr club is rotten to the core.  Is anyone seriously saying Dom would be any worse than Archer or Downs?

Our genius of a manager seems like a terrible judge of a player and Robinson is also being treated appallingly having been our most threatening player at the start of the season.

[sockeye]

4 minutes ago, washsaint said:

OUr club is rotten to the core.  Is anyone seriously saying Dom would be any worse than Archer or Downs?

Our genius of a manager seems like a terrible judge of a player and Robinson is also being treated appallingly having been our most threatening player at the start of the season.

Regarding Robinson, I recall Martin did similar with Dibling in 2023-24. Perhaps it's a mandate from above - promising youth getting injured in the Championship season could prevent them from breaking out in the Premier League season. Doesn't really make much sense to me though.

[ally_uk]

Do we have a buy back clause ?

Secondly, why the fuck did we sign Downs...... 🤣

[Willo of Whiteley]

If only there was a sell back clause for Downs

Edited 12 October, 2025 by Willo of Whiteley

[Matthew Le God]

16 hours ago, washsaint said:

OUr club is rotten to the core.  Is anyone seriously saying Dom would be any worse than Archer?

What has he done to show he is better option than Archer?

Edited 12 October, 2025 by Matthew Le God

[spyinthesky]

I wish Dom the best of luck at Orient and beyond.
That said I dont think he would have added anything to our Championship squad going forward.
To my mind we need a physical main striker in the Lambert/Pelle mould.
If Dom proves me wrong, I think we have a sell on clause inserted in his contract.

[macca155]

6 games, 6 goals, continuing his scoring run from last season in the U21s. Meanwhile Saints spent millions on Downs.

Bizarre decision, keeping Dom, was the far less riskier decision. Especially as he was running into form.

Total conjecture as to whether he could bring that form into the Championship, but my gut tells me he will. Guess we'll see.

Anyway good luck to him, Orient must be overjoyed.

[SW5 SAINT]

6 hours ago, Matthew Le God said:

What has he done to show he is better option than Archer?

Scored 6 goals in 6 games in league 1….

Edited 12 October, 2025 by SW5 SAINT
Edit

[Lighthouse]

16 minutes ago, macca155 said:

Meanwhile Saints spent millions on Downs.

Bizarre decision, keeping Dom, was the far less riskier decision.

I’m sure if we’d signed a player who had just scored three goals in a season in League 1, instead of Downs, this forum would have been calm, reasonable and optimistic about the whole situation.

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, Lighthouse said:

I’m sure if we’d signed a player who had just scored three goals in a season in League 1, instead of Downs, this forum would have been calm, reasonable and optimistic about the whole situation.

If saints signed players with a nod of the mood on SaintsWeb, then we are run far worse than imaginable - and it is hard to imagine 

[The Kraken]

31 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

If saints signed players with a nod of the mood on SaintsWeb, then we are run far worse than imaginable - and it is hard to imagine 

Very true.

And besides, fans will always have a bit more patience with a home grown lad who has come through the academy rather than a dud who cost millions from Germany.

[AlexLaw76]

The lad has done the right thing for him. Better to be playing every week at this point in his career, get some attention, rather than be in and out of our side with balls jumped down the channels when he does play 

[Turkish]

9 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

If only there was a sell back clause for Downs

Still in his 6 month guarantee isn’t he? Mis sold or not fit for purpose is the get out clause 

[Tamesaint]

39 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Still in his 6 month guarantee isn’t he? Mis sold or not fit for purpose is the get out clause 

We would get our money back if we had aid with a credit card 

[Willo of Whiteley]

If Dom Ballard scores 25+ goals this season then yes you could argue he was worth keeping; but it’s not like he’d done anything prolific at senior level before.

He had a nasty injury which set him back, and also being prolific at U21 level doesn’t mean you’ll make it at senior level.

This could be his ceiling. Really pleasing for him to be having a good spell of form but let’s not get carried away that he was in any way worth keeping at this stage.

[OldNick]

19 hours ago, Turkish said:

Still in his 6 month guarantee isn’t he? Mis sold or not fit for purpose is the get out clause 

Should stop shopping at Temu

[Killers Knee]

23 hours ago, SW5 SAINT said:

Scored 6 goals in 6 games in league 1….

But we would have only coached all the talent out of him, it's the Saints Way.  Buy a player and make them worse, sell them at a discount for them to improve under professional coaching at their new home.

[Fitzhugh Fella]

On 12/10/2025 at 12:25, Matthew Le God said:

What has he done to show he is better option than Archer?

Er score 6 goals in 6 games?

[Matthew Le God]

5 hours ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

Er score 6 goals in 6 games?

At a lower level than Archer has scored in.

[Turkish]

2 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

At a lower level than Archer has scored in.

Hang on a minute when you were championing Bazunu as being the next great Southampton goalkeeper you referenced his performances in League one for Portsmouth and then also, crucially, referenced his performances for Ireland including clean sheets as evidence of his premier league credentials. What you failed to acknowledge was that many of these clean sheets had come against significantly lower level teams than premier league level, they included Luxembourg x 2, Azerbijan and Lithuania. You cant have it both ways.

[sockeye]

12 goals in 19 appearances for Leyton Orient!

4 goals in his last 3 home games!

Could this be yet another own goal by Sport Republic?

He's only playing in League One for now, but should we find ourselves in the Championship in the long term we may be missing him...

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

One of those that needed a fresh start. Fair play to him. Hope he does well in the future. 

Also here isn't he very much similar to Armstrong / Archer?

[lambtiss]

9 minutes ago, JohnnyShearer2.0 said:

One of those that needed a fresh start. Fair play to him. Hope he does well in the future. 

Also here isn't he very much similar to Armstrong / Archer?

The difference with Ballard is that he is still only 20 and his career is on the ascendant, that isn’t the case with Archer. I would like to have seen Ballard given another year to prove himself, especially as we had been relegated to the Championship. I still think we might regret this one.

[macca155]

Selling Ballard seems a bizarre move. The lad clearly knows where the goal is. Once he recovered from his injuries he was on fire for the U21s.

Instead of wasting money on Downs, he was the ideal person to have on the bench as backup to Armstrong and Archer. He'd have taken his chance when it came, I'm sure of that.

Good luck to him, I fear we are going to regret his sale 

[saintant]

1 hour ago, sockeye said:

12 goals in 19 appearances for Leyton Orient!

4 goals in his last 3 home games!

Could this be yet another own goal by Sport Republic?

He's only playing in League One for now, but should we find ourselves in the Championship in the long term we may be missing him...

He's finding his level for me and is not what we need but glad he's getting a few goals. The striker we need must be big, strong and powerful not another small guy who nicks a few goals. We are crying out for someone to lead the line.

[SNSUN]

He had a pretty bad injury so I'm glad he's showing what he can do at a lower level. If he continues to do well, we could always re-sign him anyway. He'll just cost more than had we kept him.

[AlexLaw76]

SO, we sold him and Edwards, when they would have been good for us next year when we are fumbling around trying to replace sold players

[Hawkswood]

1 hour ago, saintant said:

He's finding his level for me and is not what we need but glad he's getting a few goals. The striker we need must be big, strong and powerful not another small guy who nicks a few goals. We are crying out for someone to lead the line.

This is very much what I think. Half of my family are very big Orient fans. Home and away etc etc abd Ive also seen then a fair few times  and ironically was just talking to my brother today who is a lifelong Os fan. He said he's really coming into his own, doesn't stop running, very good technically, like a better Charlie Kelman....however, I do think this might well be his level, possibly championship at best, but for the moment nowhere near what we need. I know its always tempting to say, oh look what we've thrown away, but him moving was the best thing for him and possibly us.

[saintant]

29 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

SO, we sold him and Edwards, when they would have been good for us next year when we are fumbling around trying to replace sold players

Neither are what we need which is height, strength and power. We must get away from being a team that is easily outmuscled and that will only happen if those in charge do some sensible business in forthcoming transfer windows. 

[BarberSaint]

5 hours ago, JohnnyShearer2.0 said:

One of those that needed a fresh start. Fair play to him. Hope he does well in the future. 

Also here isn't he very much similar to Armstrong / Archer?

No.

 

He scores goals.

[Patrick Bateman]

3 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

SO, we sold him and Edwards, when they would have been good for us next year in league 1

fixed

[Matthew Le God]

12 hours ago, JohnnyShearer2.0 said:

Also here isn't he very much similar to Armstrong?

 

6 hours ago, BarberSaint said:

No.

 

He scores goals.

You don't think the current Championship top scorer scores goals!

[Charlie Wayman]

On 11/10/2025 at 18:21, The Kraken said:

We’re saying the same thing anyway. He wasn’t going to get a chance here, but looks like he’s hit the ground running. Which is brilliant given that, at only 20, he’s already a year behind given his horrendous injury. All Saints fans will wish him well and watch his progress with interest I’m sure. Good luck to him, just sorry we couldnt give him the avenue he needed.

It all comes down to timing and whoever is in the manager's chair, had he been here now under Eckert probably he would have been given the same chances as Bragg and Robinson. 

Orient took the risk on him at a critical time in the lad's career and it seems to be paying off. They deserve his success but they may not be able to hold on to him for long if he keeps notching up goals and assists at the current pace. Scouts will be watching and keeping tabs. 

 

[Charlie Wayman]

10 hours ago, Patrick Bateman said:

fixed

More fixation on your part.

Away with the doom and gloom, no way are we going to be relegated this season. 

[swedish dave]

......have followed Dom's progress since he was 16 playing in U18's.

He almost seemed to score for fun at times, and his goal tally was way above that

of JJ Morgan and Dibling, who were in the same squad.  Got badly injured whilst 

out on loan, but by the time he was fit , there was no-one left on the staff who knew

about his past, or his potential.  Bad deal for Saints, a good one for Orient who will 

surely be forced to sell him on at some stage. Saints (supposedly) have a meaty %

sell-on clause, but that will be no replacement in finding someone new of his ilk.

We could do worse than buy him back. The reward would be greater than the

shame of the inept decision to sell him in the first place.

Edited 7 hours ago by swedish dave

[Saint86]

He's 20 years old, playing for one of the worst sides in the league, and is joint top scorer. Pleased for him, but thats a right balls up by saints. The trajectory we're on he'll be above us in the football pyramid in a couple of seasons. Wouldn't be at all surprised if clubs look at him after this season if he keeps going like that. Top scorers in League 1 generally get picked up and end up playing at championship level, potentially even premier league level ultimatley.

Wonder if he'll follow a similar trajectory as Kane (albeit not to the same levels) - who had his first real senior experience at Leyton Orient as a teenager. Plenty of other strikers that have made their way up the pyramid from league 1 as well - Vardy, Toney and Lambert being just a few prominent examples. Billy Sharp as well, although with less success at top level.

Good luck to the lad, really pleased to see him getting regular minutes and goals - if he carries on improving you'd like to see him back at saints scoring for us as he clearly loves the club.

Edited 4 hours ago by Saint86

[Gloucester Saint]

Tricky one. I’m not adverse to criticising SR and the abject club leadership but on this occasion it’s easy to revert to hindsight.

Dom had a serious injury, hadn’t pulled up any trees after that at Cambridge, and isn’t the hold up player we’ve sorely lacked post-Che. He isn’t better than AA at this level, and Archer had prior form at Champ level.

As it’s turned with hindsight, I’d have loaned Archer out/sold him as he’s only been bothered v Birmingham, and given Dom a further opportunity, but it really does require hindsight. 

Edited 4 hours ago by Gloucester Saint

[Chez]

It was very unfortunate that he suffered the injuries he did, which effectively put him back a season and made it difficult for Saints as he came to the end of his contract. I guess they could have given him a new deal, but he hadn't really done enough to justify it, even if the potential was there. His lack of size and difference to AA and Archer also didn't help.  I know we have made serious money from Dibling, Morgan and Ballard, but it's a bit of a shame we haven't benefitted on the field more from this crop of talented youngsters. Hopefully we can find a few gems in the next batch...and keep them abit longer.

[Nordic Saint]

36 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

He's 20 years old, playing for one of the worst sides in the league, and is joint top scorer. Pleased for him, but thats a right balls up by saints. The trajectory we're on he'll be above us in the football pyramid in a couple of seasons. Wouldn't be at all surprised if clubs look at him after this season if he keeps going like that. Top scorers in League 1 generally get picked up and end up playing at championship level, potentially even premier league level ultimatley.

Wonder if he'll follow a similar trajectory as Kane (albeit not to the same levels) - who had his first real senior experience at Leyton Orient as a teenager. Plenty of other strikers that have made their way up the pyramid from league 1 as well - Vardy, Toney and Lambert being just a few prominent examples. Billy Sharp as well, although with less success at top level.

Good luck to the lad, really pleased to see him getting regular minutes and goals - if he carries on improving you'd like to see him back at saints scoring for us as he clearly loves the club.

He scored again, against Cardiff, at the weekend. I can see him at least making it to Championship level. That Cardiff team will be little changed next season when they are in the Championship.

It's not hard to envisage Ballard being a more prolific scorer than Archer at Championship level.

Orient fans already think that he's destined for a bigger club:

Jan 10, 2026 at 5:20pm buffalobill said:
Ballard is potentially the most valuable player we have on our books.
Only a matter of time until the vultures start circling

https://lofcforum.boards.net/t

[sadoldgit]

Would he get the same service here that he gets at Orient?

[Patrick Bateman]

5 hours ago, Charlie Wayman said:

More fixation on your part.

Away with the doom and gloom, no way are we going to be relegated this season. 

Oh I don't know. You read most of this forum, we're as good as relegated ..... 

[Crab Lungs]

5 hours ago, swedish dave said:

......have followed Dom's progress since he was 16 playing in U18's.

He almost seemed to score for fun at times, and his goal tally was way above that

of JJ Morgan and Dibling, who were in the same squad.  Got badly injured whilst 

out on loan, but by the time he was fit , there was no-one left on the staff who knew

about his past, or his potential.  Bad deal for Saints, a good one for Orient who will 

surely be forced to sell him on at some stage. Saints (supposedly) have a meaty %

sell-on clause, but that will be no replacement in finding someone new of his ilk.

We could do worse than buy him back. The reward would be greater than the

shame of the inept decision to sell him in the first place.

I read this like I would a poem 😭

[Tommy Mulgrew]

6 hours ago, swedish dave said:

swedish dave

I’m guessing - Welcome back, Dave; it’s been a while since I used to read your strangely-formatted posts on this forum.