jaycee
Player Valuation: £60m
So who was a player you thought wouldnt make it but did?
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My older brother had a trial with Sheffield Wednesday at Center half turned down, played locally on the local leagues scene for seasons though ..,
I should have joined my local cricket team .
...bit surprised at Fairclough. Perhaps, John Bailey as well from my era. Decent lads both of them. Loads of really good ones failed to come through, even from the ones who really wanted to be players. I’m sure that’s the same in any era.
jaycee
Player Valuation: £60m
I remember reading an Everton book(maybe Ratcliffes) were it mentioned a player,though not by name,who they said had everything,a superb player,but once they moved from schoolboys to signing the 1st professional contract, that the coaches who had been matey and joking started being a lot stricter and the lad couldnt take the criticism so packed in,ended up making a sort of career in non league,found it to be a sad and odd tale
...probably one of the lads in the photograph posted above by @Joey66. Sadly, talent alone isn’t everything. Indeed, players with more attitude than talent can come through because they are effective, especially defenders.
T LEAFE
Player Valuation: £40m
Did i ever tell you.....
T LEAFE
Player Valuation: £40m
On his day Gary was fantastic. Unfortunately there werent that many of them. Seem to recall he was on fire during a European campaign we had. Alas that campaign didnt last long either...
...class act, remember he chinned the lad from Altrincham who broke John Connolly’s leg.
Dario Terracotta
Player Valuation: £70m
I think the early comparisons of Gary Jones were of George Best,great ability but not consistent,I can remember my first real season watching the blues 1973-74 and in my minds eye as an eight year old he was ripping it up but seemed to hit the bar/post every game, his last game I'm sure was v Leeds,Bingham subbed him, Jones flicked the v's at him, down the tunnel and gone to Birmingham.
Dario Terracotta
Player Valuation: £70m
Little tale for you @Eggs ,lad I went to school with,didn't play for school team or anything, we were around fourteen/fifteen,anyhow I was playing for Southport Amateurs at junior level,this lad was signed on for another team a lot of my mates played for called The Dales,this kid very rarely played for them and when he did was an outfield player, they had our school keeper playing for them, one week the school keeper was ill before the game,"Steely" volunteered to go in nets, he'd seriously only ever gone in goal in the playground!!anyhow he had the proverbial blinder, everything hit him!!A watching Everton scout signed him on Schoolboy terms on the spot,(he was featured in the Young Blues spot in the programme a couple of weeks later!!)Suffice to say he was at EFC for about 18 months winning Lancashire Senior Cup v Man U and playing in Reserve Derbys at Anfield and Goodison,he went to Brighton under Jimmy Melia,never made the first team there either but played a pre season friendly v Real Madrid and kept a clean sheet!!Not bad for a no-hoper and as someone once said,"its a funny old game" lol
...ah, brilliant story, you never know the day. Growing up in the 60s and 70s was lots about street and schools football, there was always a chance of late developers. These days, Academy’s and organised kids footy results in most talent being known from an early age, even goalies!!
Dario Terracotta
Player Valuation: £70m
The annoying thing for us Blues at the time was he was a kopite too,doh!!
...ah, but just playing football is more important than being a professional footballer.
T LEAFE
Player Valuation: £40m
Very admirable and agreeable and tbh I prefer watching non league football now.
But would you sniff at £350,000 a week...?
It’s outrageous
...yep, it’s a great time to be an ordinary footballer, but sadly I know many young men who went down that route who have had sad lives. The money wasn’t the same then, but it was such a short career and lots couldn’t cope.