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Players who you wished they'd gave more of a chance

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Few good young players came through in the 90s and just never met their potential - in part because we were [Poor language removed] and the club an absolute circus at the time.

Michael Ball and Jeffers prob the most prominent examples. I mean Franny in particular was a clown - but you'd think both would have had way stronger careers if they had come through ten years later under Moyes, say.
 
Kever10 said:
Mostly younger players who had promise all the way through and then never got a real chance. Kissock, Ledson, Green, Walsh, Dowell. People will point to them finding a level, etc, but sometimes the difference between making it and not is a chance.

Always thought McFadden deserved more than he got as well.
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Ledson's the standout missed opportunity for me there. Aggressive, mobile and good on the ball.

Went on loan young and established himself as a first teamer in League 2. Then went up to League 1 and did very well and now in the Championship at PNE winning both Fans & Players player of the season awards. Another good season and I reckon someone like Leeds are hoovering him up.

Think he left Everton for nothing or near to it around the time RonKo and Walsh were warming up to spunk £20M on Morgan Schneiderlin.
 
Black Belt Jones said:
Few good young players came through in the 90s and just never met their potential - in part because we were [Poor language removed] and the club an absolute circus at the time.

Michael Ball and Jeffers prob the most prominent examples. I mean Franny in particular was a clown - but you'd think both would have had way stronger careers if they had come through ten years later under Moyes, say.
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Didn’t Ball have a bad injury that slowed him down, hence the move to Rangers ?

Jeffers got lucky with Super Kevin Campbell, as they gelled perfectly and could never reproduce it anywhere else.

Plus he was a massive bellend off the pitch.
 
COYBL25 said:
Didn’t Ball have a bad injury that slowed him down, hence the move to Rangers ?

Jeffers got lucky with Super Kevin Campbell, as they gelled perfectly and could never reproduce it anywhere else.

Plus he was a massive bellend off the pitch.
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He did yeah - was a genuine class prospect when he came through, a footballer, but ran into persistent injury issues. Recollect a story that he had excessive cortisone injections for an ankle I think it was with us, and then moved to Rangers and they couldn't believe how crocked he was.

That fitted the narrative of Walter and Archie being a pair of absolute diplodocuses with no regard for youth development, but I have no idea if it was actually true.
 

Eggs said:
…I liked what I saw of Vlasic when he was here, his running style reminded me lots of Jack Wilshire. Clearly the manager wasn’t impressed, good to see him back. Good player but perhaps lacking a bit of pace.

I liked Beningame, thought he had a chance to make the leap from Academy. Terrific engine and ability to break things up, would be a nuisance to play against. There was rumours about his attitude but it seemed first class on the pitch. Injuries at key times might have been an issue.

Going further back, Gary Jones looked a terrifically gifted footballer with promise in abundance but it never worked out. Alan Whittle played a key part in us winning a title in 1970 but he never turned out to be worlbeater he looked at that stage.
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Baningime looked like he belonged in our midfield when he broke through.

I am lost on what happened to him after those few games.
 

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