Exciting young Saints players who have not made the grade

[maysie]

It's fair to sat that over the years the Saints youth system has produced some excellent talent Le Tissier, Shearer, Walcott etc.

 

However, there have been many times when I have been excited by some players who have then failed to make the grade at the top level.

 

So to the nearly men....

 

I'll start with Frankie Bennett. Thought he was going to be awesome. Finished his career at Brislington.

 

Also Tim Sparv, although having a career in Holland thought he was going to be sensational

[Badger]

French kid,Leon Griifitt (?) during WGS time with us was meant to be a special talent but came to nothing.

 

Yoann Folly ?

 

Sarli a reserve striker.

[maysie]

French kid,Leon Griifitt (?) during WGS time with us was meant to be a special talent but came to nothing.

 

Yoann Folly ?

 

Sarli a reserve striker.

 

Leandre Griffit - he's currently a free agents. let's get him :-)

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leandre_Griffit

[Arizona]

Was never that excited about Folly, but Griffit and Sparv are definitely on that list. Nathan Dyer deserves an honourable mention. Championed as being as good, possibly better, than Theo in the youth team Swansea is a tad disappointing. Can't really call that not making it though, as they are above Saints.

 

Also

 

Andrei 'Shev' Pereplyotkin - Couldn't get a work permit, moved to Skonto Riga, spent last season on loan at Derby, made little impact.

 

Craig Richards - Vaguely remember he had a bad injury before he was released. Apparently now at Lewes.

[St Landrew]

French kid,Leon Griifitt (?) during WGS time with us was meant to be a special talent but came to nothing.

 

Yoann Folly ?

 

Sarli a reserve striker.

 

Folly now plays for League Two side, Dagenham & Redbridge.

[Smirking_Saint]

What about the 'torpedo' ?? Arias i believe his name was ??

 

Isn't Sparv a half decent holding MF now a days ??

[saint_stevo]

Theo Walcott

[TUS]

Mark Peters?

 

Scored over 40 goals for the youth one season ... shipped out on loan and released. Rupert revealed at a London Saints meeting that he had been loaned out to "ruff him up a bit" :-)

[saintalton]

jay lucas,

jacinto ela eyena,

dani rodrigues,

cederic baseya,

aaron davies,

nile ranger,

josh dutton-black,

kyle davies,

totti, scott bevan,

alan blayney, adrian caceres,

feliciano condesso, kyle critchell,

mike poate,

kevin gibbens,

andrew mcneil,

adam wallace,

mike williamson,

andy williams,

phil warner....couldnt really think of many, sh*t me i am sad

[Ozkeith2]

Tony Sealy

Tony Funnel

Austin Hayes

Nicky Banger

Ray Wallace

Richard Hall

Scott macdonald

All left us for lower leagues (or, worst still, Scotland) after promising starts. There was a kid with an Irish sounding name who was to be the new Steve Williams, but never got out of the reserves.

[The Majestic Channon]

Tony Sealy

Tony Funnel

Austin Hayes

Nicky Banger

Ray Wallace

Richard Hall

Scott macdonald

All left us for lower leagues (or, worst still, Scotland) after promising starts. There was a kid with an Irish sounding name who was to be the new Steve Williams, but never got out of the reserves.

Eammon collins?

[Window Cleaner]

jay lucas,

jacinto ela eyena,

dani rodrigues,

cederic baseya,

aaron davies,

nile ranger,

josh dutton-black,

kyle davies,

totti, scott bevan,

alan blayney, adrian caceres,

feliciano condesso, kyle critchell,

mike poate,

kevin gibbens,

andrew mcneil,

adam wallace,

mike williamson,

andy williams,

phil warner....couldnt really think of many, sh*t me i am sad

 

Wouldn't mind a couple of "failures" like Mike Williamson in our squad nowadays. On loan at Newcastle has had a few games in the first side since he's been there (end of Jan 10) and is being kept out by some sort of injury just now. Rather have him than Seaborne,Perry or Thomas, maybe even instead of Jaidi.

We just do not know how to recognise talent at SFC, unless it jumps out and bites us in the arse from time to time.

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

jay lucas,

jacinto ela eyena,

dani rodrigues,

cederic baseya,

aaron davies,

nile ranger,

josh dutton-black,

kyle davies,

totti, scott bevan,

alan blayney, adrian caceres,

feliciano condesso, kyle critchell,

mike poate,

kevin gibbens,

andrew mcneil,

adam wallace,

mike williamson,

andy williams,

phil warner....couldnt really think of many, sh*t me i am sad

 

Feliciano Condessa went to Villareal didn't he? Jay Lucas was alright as well.

[lambertsrightleg]

Nicky Banger

[Daren W]

Dani Rodrigues: Saw him several times and interviewed him for Beautiful South. Saw him play many times, a really nice lad. Remember him absolutely destroying Sailsbury on a pre season. We all turned up to see Dean Richards' first game and Dani was the one we were all buzzing about after the game.

 

Cosimo Sarli: Another reserve team super star who never made the step up

 

Mark Peters: Remember watching him playing for the youth team and thinking he was sensational. Then that Channel 5 documentary, The Academy, turned his head and he disappeared... A real shame..

[Window Cleaner]

Dani Rodrigues: Saw him several times and interviewed him for Beautiful South. Saw him play many times, a really nice lad. Remember him absolutely destroying Sailsbury on a pre season. We all turned up to see Dean Richards' first game and Dani was the one we were all buzzing about after the game.

 

Cosimo Sarli: Another reserve team super star who never made the step up

 

Mark Peters: Remember watching him playing for the youth team and thinking he was sensational. Then that Channel 5 documentary, The Academy, turned his head and he disappeared... A real shame..

 

Still I think Rodrigues lack of progress was probably more to do with his horrific injuries than lack of ability. Some players just don't find the same level afterwards,specially with 2 broken legs in short succession.

[Wade Garrett]

Tony Sealy

Tony Funnel

Austin Hayes

Nicky Banger

Ray Wallace

Richard Hall

Scott macdonald

All left us for lower leagues (or, worst still, Scotland) after promising starts. There was a kid with an Irish sounding name who was to be the new Steve Williams, but never got out of the reserves.

 

Never made it? Isn't he banging them in for Celtic, and got quite a bit of Champions League under his belt?

[Give it to Ron]

Never made it? Isn't he banging them in for Celtic, and got quite a bit of Champions League under his belt?

 

Now at Boro with a few other old Strachan faithfuls

[garryuk]

jay lucas,

jacinto ela eyena,

dani rodrigues,

cederic baseya,

aaron davies,

nile ranger,

josh dutton-black,

kyle davies,

totti, scott bevan,

alan blayney, adrian caceres,

feliciano condesso, kyle critchell,

mike poate,

kevin gibbens,

andrew mcneil,

adam wallace,

mike williamson,

andy williams,

phil warner....couldnt really think of many, sh*t me i am sad

 

Plays for newcastle at the moment so not doing too bad

[Channon's Sideburns]

Craig Maskell

Joe Blochell

La Ling

Kevin Gibbens

Dan Mountain (haha now ploughing a different furrow that still requires ball control)

[Fowllyd]

Tony Sealy

Tony Funnel

Austin Hayes

Nicky Banger

Ray Wallace

Richard Hall

Scott macdonald

All left us for lower leagues (or, worst still, Scotland) after promising starts. There was a kid with an Irish sounding name who was to be the new Steve Williams, but never got out of the reserves.

 

Eammon collins?

 

Eammon Collins it was - I remember Alan Ball tipping him as one for the future, and that at a time when we had a fair few handy youngsters around the place. He was quite a small lad as I recall, which may have held him back. Another I'd mention is Dave Puckett; scored shed loads right through the youth and reserve levels, looked like another Steve Moran (they were similar in age) but never really made it in the first team. Oh, and also Dave Madden, another 'new Steve Williams' - never made it with us, though he did play in an FA Cup final for Palace I think.

[Hatch]

Craig Maskell

Joe Blochell

La Ling

Kevin Gibbens

Dan Mountain (haha now ploughing a different furrow that still requires ball control)

 

 

I like that part more than the ball control bit.

[Tom]

Dani Rodrigues: Saw him several times and interviewed him for Beautiful South. Saw him play many times, a really nice lad. Remember him absolutely destroying Sailsbury on a pre season. We all turned up to see Dean Richards' first game and Dani was the one we were all buzzing about after the game.

 

Cosimo Sarli: Another reserve team super star who never made the step up

 

Mark Peters: Remember watching him playing for the youth team and thinking he was sensational. Then that Channel 5 documentary, The Academy, turned his head and he disappeared... A real shame..

 

Sarli was amazing! Dave Jones wouldnt give him a chance though! - he was knocking them in for fun in the reserves!

[fish fingers]

Sarli was amazing! Dave Jones wouldnt give him a chance though! - he was knocking them in for fun in the reserves!

 

But Dave Jones obviously knew what he was doing, Sarli last seen playing in the Italian regional leagues.

 

I saw Danny Rodriques play for Dorchester Town 3 years ago.

 

Totti last spotted on loan at Wimborne Town.

[Arizona]

More recently of course, Matt Patterson looks likely to be playing League 2 football next season. Shame, after the Millwall game on the opening game I thought we were on to something there.

[alki_in_korea]

i remember the merlin sticker book from i think 92. The young star from saints was neil/simon bartlett. Cant remember seeing him play though.

[jam]

Sarli was amazing! Dave Jones wouldnt give him a chance though! - he was knocking them in for fun in the reserves!

 

So was McGoldrick

[Arizona]

Kevin Miller now playing for Bodmin FC. It's all gone wrong for him.

[Clifford Nelson]

i remember the merlin sticker book from i think 92. The young star from saints was neil/simon bartlett. Cant remember seeing him play though.

 

Neal Bartlett was suddenly slung into the first team by Ian Branfoot, and played a few games on the trot and then disappeared.

 

Neal was a useful CM with good skills who could have gone on to establish himself if his head had been on the job of becoming a footballer. He couldn't focus on it and eventually ended up in non-league. I think he may have played for Vosper Thorneycroft.

[Scudamore]

Shayne Bradley

[david in sweden]

It's fair to sat that over the years the Saints youth system has produced some excellent talent Le Tissier, Shearer, Walcott etc.

 

However, there have been many times when I have been excited by some players who have then failed to make the grade at the top level.

So to the nearly men.... I'll start with Frankie Bennett.

Thought he was going to be awesome. Finished his career at Brislington.

Also Tim Sparv, although having a career in Holland thought he was going to be sensational

 

Depends how far you want to go back...I recall................

..Terry Spinner (early 1970's) who came at 16 with a phenomenal record for goal scoring. He'd scored over 100 goals a season and played for England Schoolboys IN Germany , in front of 70,000 German fans. England won and the lad scored a hat-trick. As a Saints Reserve, he scored more than 50 goals in just over 4 seasons, but wasn't the build or quality for first team football and when we were relegated he disappeared in the first Lawrie Mac " purge " of playing staff.

 

During this period we produced an enormous number of young strikers who rattled in goals at the youth /reserve level but never quite made it at First team level. Pat Earles, Ally MacLeod, Joe Blochel, Ian Juryeff and that fantastic super-sub Tony Funnell.

 

Academy coach Dave Puckett was one of the lucky ones to get " a career of sorts " with Saints and was the highest scoring Reserve striker at the time along with a youngster called ..Matt Le Tissier ..wonder what happened to him :yawinkle: but Steve Neville , Craig Maskell and Nicky Banger made headlines elsewhere.

 

Later names like Mark Peters set the place alight for one season (over 30 goals ) but never made it to the higher level.

[Tac-tics]

Cedric Baseya is on loan at Le Harve.

[Johnny Shearer]

Tony Sealy

Tony Funnel

Austin Hayes

Nicky Banger

Ray Wallace

Richard HallScott macdonald

All left us for lower leagues (or, worst still, Scotland) after promising starts. There was a kid with an Irish sounding name who was to be the new Steve Williams, but never got out of the reserves.

 

Was a very good centre half, sold to West Ham for over a £1m but then got himself injured after a season and wasnt ever the same. Therefore a bit harsh to say he didnt quite make it.

[Window Cleaner]

Eammon Collins it was - I remember Alan Ball tipping him as one for the future, and that at a time when we had a fair few handy youngsters around the place. He was quite a small lad as I recall, which may have held him back. Another I'd mention is Dave Puckett; scored shed loads right through the youth and reserve levels, looked like another Steve Moran (they were similar in age) but never really made it in the first team. Oh, and also Dave Madden, another 'new Steve Williams' - never made it with us, though he did play in an FA Cup final for Palace I think.

 

Eamonn Collins did make a sort of start on a career, followed Bally about a bit, first to Skate then to Colchester. Probably did play for our first team once or twice as well but was probably too small for first class football in the 80s

[SamKimish]

So to the nearly men....

 

Also Tim Sparv, although having a career in Holland thought he was going to be sensational

 

I remember seeing Tim Sparv captain Finland U-21s against England in the recent-ish U21 Football Championship. He scored a penalty and has made 8 appearances for the Finnish first team.

 

He signed for FC Gronigen in January who are currently in the Europa League Play-off places.

 

So I'd say he hasn't completely failed

[UniS]

Mark Peters is now playing for Combined Counties Premier side Badshot Lea (near Farnborough).

 

That's five whole leagues below the Football League. Although to be fair, Badshot Lea are a better than average side in the CCL.

[disconnect]

Tim Sparv and Cedric Baseya are the ones i'm really gutted about losing recently. Seen quite a few reserve matches with them and they were both definately ready, compared to the likes of Patterson and Gillett who were playing at around the times they left the club.

[Thedelldays]

I know (or knew) kevin gibbons when he played for saints...he had the talent (hence his run in the first team) but ****ed it all up the wall...would regularly go out on the pop in the week and get wasted and thought he was the big man...shame as he was a sound lad as well

 

oh well..

[Window Cleaner]

Tim Sparv and Cedric Baseya are the ones i'm really gutted about losing recently. Seen quite a few reserve matches with them and they were both definately ready, compared to the likes of Patterson and Gillett who were playing at around the times they left the club.

 

Baseya asked to leave, didn't you know that?

He was very unsettled and going down all the wrong roads.

[chocco boxo]

Abdul Kamara? Remember him because for some reason my old man kept a cutting from the football echo on the youngsters that Saints had signed. He said he would see how many made it! I think no one did but Kamara was highly regarded at this time?

[Redondo Saint]

I know (or knew) kevin gibbons when he played for saints...he had the talent (hence his run in the first team) but ****ed it all up the wall...would regularly go out on the pop in the week and get wasted and thought he was the big man...shame as he was a sound lad as well

 

oh well..

 

I heard that as well. A bit of Billy Big Bolox.

 

I remember him away at West Ham where he had a great game - 4-2 win in 98

 

Doing well at VT.

[saint_ben]

Was never that excited about Folly, but Griffit and Sparv are definitely on that list. Nathan Dyer deserves an honourable mention. Championed as being as good, possibly better, than Theo in the youth team Swansea is a tad disappointing. Can't really call that not making it though, as they are above Saints.

 

Also

 

Andrei 'Shev' Pereplyotkin - Couldn't get a work permit, moved to Skonto Riga, spent last season on loan at Derby, made little impact.

 

Craig Richards - Vaguely remember he had a bad injury before he was released. Apparently now at Lewes.

 

Craig is now playing in Australia

[saint_ben]

add adam sims now playing for yate town and appeared on deal or no deal!

[Stu Man Do]

Tony Sealy

Tony Funnel

Austin Hayes

Nicky Banger

Ray Wallace

Richard Hall

Scott macdonald

All left us for lower leagues (or, worst still, Scotland) after promising starts. There was a kid with an Irish sounding name who was to be the new Steve Williams, but never got out of the reserves.

 

Not sure Hall deserves to be on this list moved to West Ham for a couple of mill if I recall correctly. Got a career ending injury there and that was the end of that!

[whizzpop]

i remember the merlin sticker book from i think 92. The young star from saints was neil/simon bartlett. Cant remember seeing him play though.

 

yeah i remember him it was Neil Bartlett i'm sure.

 

What about Duncan Spedding, Steve Basham, Mark Paul circa 1997/98

 

and more recently:-Jamie Hatch, Cedric Besaya and Jamie White?

[saintsmike25]

Jacinto who was absolutely raved about by Glenn Hoddle, then spent his time here in the reserves.

[TijuanaTim]

About the time of the last game at the Dell, we went down to watch the scrubbers. They played a powerful West Ham reserve team and all the focus was on mainly Jermaine Defoe and to a certain extent Mark, some young phenom that had banged in a shed load for our youth team (his surname skips my mind).

 

Anyway the star of the show was Scott MacDonald, he was strong, skillful and full of liveliness. Looked a real prospect....was that kid called Mark Peters???

[asmithbu]

I have just joined this forum and can't start a new thread can someone do me a huge favour and start one containing the message below. Thanks.

 

----

 

I am a journalism student at Bournemouth University and I'm producing a radio package on Southampton playing at Wembley. I'm looking to interview a fan, over the phone for ten minutes, who watches the team regularly, has a good knowledge of off-the-field affairs and preferably has dealt with the media before.

 

If you would like to volunteer please contact: alexsmith78@hotmail.co.uk

 

Thanks

 

Alex Smith

[Dog]

I have just joined this forum and can't start a new thread can someone do me a huge favour and start one containing the message below. Thanks.

 

----

 

I am a journalism student at Bournemouth University and I'm producing a radio package on Southampton playing at Wembley. I'm looking to interview a fan, over the phone for ten minutes, who watches the team regularly, has a good knowledge of off-the-field affairs and preferably has dealt with the media before.

 

If you would like to volunteer please contact: alexsmith78@hotmail.co.uk

 

Thanks

 

Alex Smith

 

 

 

Pay a fiver like the rest of us!

[asmithbu]

Just have done, didn't realise it wasn't a free forum.