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Post by Gas Go Marching In on Aug 11, 2023 10:31:09 GMT
Not for me. It was obvious he was talented in the friendlies before the season started. I remember it very differently. Took him 10 league games to find the net and until that point looked as much a waste of time as Jamie White. It took him a while to put the ball in the back of the net but the quality was obvious. Anybody with a football brain could see that he was a talent. It was a matter of time before he started scoring regularly. |
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Post by Gas Go Marching In on Aug 11, 2023 10:32:56 GMT
Billy Bodin - came in as a National League winger with poor record & inconsistent spells. Turned very quickly into a skilful, goal scoring forward, who IMO at his prime could've played high end Champ football. Didn't he have injury problems before joining us? |
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Post by eric on Aug 11, 2023 10:33:22 GMT
Not for me. It was obvious he was talented in the friendlies before the season started. I remember it very differently. Took him 10 league games to find the net and until that point looked as much a waste of time as Jamie White. Have to disagree totally with that. If he was being judged purely on goals in those early games then yeah but it was obvious he had great technical ability, great movement, awareness of space, and vision. |
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Post by dudelebowski on Aug 11, 2023 10:37:13 GMT
I remember it very differently. Took him 10 league games to find the net and until that point looked as much a waste of time as Jamie White. Have to disagree totally with that. If he was being judged purely on goals in those early games then yeah but it was obvious he had great technical ability, great movement, awareness of space, and vision. Certainly wasn’t appreciated by the away ends of Barnet, Alty & Braintree in those early months😄 |
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Post by eric on Aug 11, 2023 10:40:45 GMT
Have to disagree totally with that. If he was being judged purely on goals in those early games then yeah but it was obvious he had great technical ability, great movement, awareness of space, and vision. Certainly wasn’t appreciated by the away ends of Barnet, Alty & Braintree in those early months😄 I don’t think anything was appreciated by the Neanderthals who stormed the team coach or tried to punch opposition goalies during that period !!! |
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Post by playtowin on Aug 11, 2023 11:02:05 GMT
Wasnt Geoff Bradford playing for Soundwell before joining Rovers ? To playing for England whilst at Rovers.
Nigel Martyn from village goalkeeper to top flight and FA cup finalist in about 2 years becoming first £1m goalkeeper in uk.
Barry Hayles non league to top flight in a short time.
Tom Lockyer. Played (and scored?) In conference,league 2,league 1,championship and hopefully prem league
Devon White ,electrician playing non league to premier league.
The 2 Marcus's..Stewart and Browning from our youth set up to the prem .
Plenty of others that could join the list.
I think the one whose fortunes changed so dramatically over such a short time Nigel Martyn has to be the top success.
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Post by madgas on Aug 11, 2023 11:05:39 GMT
Id say Micheal Smith-
Looked scared of the ball in his first season. Then became a great player.
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Post by eric on Aug 11, 2023 11:23:21 GMT
Wasnt Geoff Bradford playing for Soundwell before joining Rovers ? To playing for England whilst at Rovers. Nigel Martyn from village goalkeeper to top flight and FA cup finalist in about 2 years becoming first £1m goalkeeper in uk. Barry Hayles non league to top flight in a short time. Tom Lockyer. Played (and scored?) In conference,league 2,league 1,championship and hopefully prem league Devon White ,electrician playing non league to premier league. The 2 Marcus's..Stewart and Browning from our youth set up to the prem . Plenty of others that could join the list. I think the one whose fortunes changed so dramatically over such a short time Nigel Martyn has to be the top success. I’d agree on Martyn from the more ‘modern era’. Not too far behind in terms of their footballing journey would be Penrice, Tanner and Purnell who were all in the Mangotsfield United Great Mills Western league side at the one time - two of them played in the top flight and Percy Championship. |
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Post by toggsy2 on Aug 11, 2023 11:38:52 GMT
You only have to look at the percentage rate of players turning from amatuer to full time pro,I read somewhere it was something in the region of 1.4 per cent to see how difficult it is to make the grade.
The other thing you have to consider is how short lived te career is even if you break into the first team at 18 most players are nearing retirement at 34 it's a really short career.
You will always get exceptions to the rules but on average most players careers are on average 12 to 14 years
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Post by mftc on Aug 11, 2023 12:57:54 GMT
Eddie Hapgood most improved since leaving Rovers?
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Post by o2o2bo2ba on Aug 11, 2023 14:38:52 GMT
Nice questions op..
I'll say Ellis Harrison on recent memory as he was literally on his way out the club.
GC got everyone pub hing above their quality, again in recent years.
DC a close second, but he signed crocks....every one of GC signing improved themselves and or made contributions.
GC for me!
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Post by gasify on Aug 11, 2023 16:19:25 GMT
He wasn't really an unknown Academy player. Newcastle knew he was good enough. Carl Saunders - Defender to prolific Striker. Unknown to absolute legend. Anderson doesn't come close to being scouted by the tea lady to being the first £1m goal keeper and playing for England. Nor does Anderson compare with Mangotsfield Utd to Rovers hero to top flight player. Elliot Anderson had been on the trajectory he is on since he was probably 6 or 7 years old. The three I mention didn't have that head start. For me, that makes them more most improved. I'm too young to remmeber Carl Saunders. However he played in the top 2 divisions with Stoke before us? True. Just looking back at Wikipedia, it's different to my memory (I am old now, so please forgive!). I always thought that he played as a defender for Stoke and the GF got him and turned him into a striker. Wikipedia is saying something different, so my memory must be shot away. Anyways, you can't beat non league discover by tea lady to 1st £1m goal keeper... |
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