Rolando Aarons contract has just been ended at Morecambe
Such a strange career. Half a season injured with us, half a season looking unplayable at times in a bottom of the league team in the championship!
So good that he went for a big fee. Then never hit any sort of heights again.
His career was enomorously hampered by the move to Turkey. Caught in a real tough spot trying to leave with things he couldn’t control.
He had a dinner with Matt Bloomfield around this time, with a possible view to come back, but nothing could be sorted with the vagueries of his contract at Konyaspor
It’s interesting that we have seen players join us that have either gone onto bigger and better things or their careers have drifted and have disappeared. Example being Rolando Aarons - Looked really impressive on loan and many (at the time) wished / wanted him to stay. However, he’s drifted here and there and hasn’t made more than 15 appearances in a season. Or Aaron Pierre who looked like a great defender but his off-field activities clouded his link to the fans. He left us to go up a league but then his career seemed to stall and then drift.
Whereas we’ve had the likes of Eze, Steven Taylor, Jordan Ibe, Roger Johnston, Russell Martin, Mike Williamson, Luke O’Nien who have used us as a stepping stone onto a very successful career. There are prob many others that I’ve missed in this list.
My question / point. If we had signed any of those players whose career seems to have disappeared or not fulfilled the potential we saw, did we dodge a bullet or have they just been misguided or led by those around them?
Also interesting that we have 3 of our ex-central defenders player for teams in the top six of League 1.
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All good examples of rise and falls. I think the simple answer is that in most cases there’s a lot we don’t see and will never truly know about the physical and mental workings of footballers and what’s going on in their lives. I thought Pierre looked like he’d kick-on and possibly become a solid Champ player. I didn’t rate him as much as Mawson but he seemed to possess the physicality and speed over 10 yards to make it at a higher level. Haven’t followed his career closely enough to know whether injuries, mentality, or personal issues held him back. I think any issue with our fans was limited to one idiot?
Anthony Stewart is one of the more curious cases. His time at Aberdeen seemed to destroy him and that’s really sad.
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George Abbott scores on debut for Mansfield after coming on as sub
Interesting to see Anis Mehmeti playing, and playing well, in a central number 10 role for Ipswich at the weekend. In between Jack Clarke and Wes Burns. He featured heavily in the highlights and got rave reviews.
I heard some commentary when he moved to the effect that there seemed to be little in it for him and that he’d just be back up in the wide positions, but will be interesting to see if he can continue to show progress in that central position.
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I feel sure he will. His performance on Saturday was borderline Eze at times. It seems extraordinary that it has taken until now for him to be played more centrally.
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I’m struggling to remember who they are. Are you referring to the Championship in fact?
Forino and Bradley. Not sure of the third, Reach might be a bit of a stretch.
Joe Low of course
Yes Bradley, Forino and Low.
However if you include the top 7 teams in League one then the number of ex-Chairboys players (not just centre backs), goes up to 6.
Bradley, Forino, Low, Reach, Kodua and Lonwijk.
Not forgetting Humphreys at Huddersfield. AAH at Luton and Simon’s at Bolton
Yes wow that is quite a lot.
Matt Phillips signs for Stevenage
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Just in time to play against us next Saturday Stevenage sign ex-West Brom forward Matt Phillips - BBC Sport
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Absolutely loved Curtis. Such a shame injuries limited his career.
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