anyone had a trial at a football club?

[pawl]

Anyway, good luck to your son [/QUOTE


The last trial I had I was fined 10 shillings for scrumping apples

 

[Dayvo]

T

I sometimes watch the "academy" players near where I live; it does not look much fun to be honest with repetitive drills that serve no purpose other than satisfy the SFA handbook of how to churn out crap players. One of the coaches who I know said to me one night "Look at this kid here (pointing to a kid standing in midfield), he's brilliant on the ball." After about 10 minutes watching I commented "he's not touched the ball" to which he replied "aye, but when he does, he's great". I suggested he may want to "coach" the team to pass it to him more often if that was the case...

I assume he's Scottish. If so it sounds like he has great potential as a 'keeper when he has to pick the ball out of the net.

 

[MarkF]

My son had a few, nothing unusual takes place, the guys there are looking for talent. I coached for years too and sent many kids for trials, often 2 kids would go and the one with genuine talent wouldn't be asked back but the inferior kid would be.................there is a lot of luck involved. Of course at 9 you cannot tell what'll happen, I've seen umpteen fantastic 9 years olds end up as so-so 15 year olds.

Good luck to your lad, I hope he enjoys the day, my lad enjoyed them all and never let the rejections get him down, he's 17 now, a qualified coach and plays at good level, he's joining a semi-pro club next season so it all worked out well in the end.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I assume he's Scottish. If so it sounds like he has great potential as a 'keeper when he has to pick the ball out of the net.

Funnily enough, Andy Goram also turns up every now and then to work with the goalies; I was never a big fan of him and thought he was a bit of a tit (despite being a great goalie) but he is brilliant with the kids and seems totally committed to making sure they learn, work hard and have fun. He even let me take a few shots against him one night, he didnae stand a chance

 

[mark st1]

Funnily enough, Andy Goram also turns up every now and then

Which one ?

 

[steveindenmark]

A mate of mine went for trials many years ago. The coach told him that he was a bit too small for what they wanted but not to worry because they had a good canteen that did great meat pies and they could stretch him in. So Stuart joined Notts Forest and Brian Clough was correct and he did get bigger. Stuart has been high up in the game for nearly forty years but not many people will know of him. He has never changed and is probably the best South paw boxer I have ever seen.

Stuart Gray
Personal information
Full name Stuart Gray[1]
Date of birth 19 April 1960 (age 56)
Place of birth Withernsea, England
Playing position Midfielder
Youth career
Withernsea YC
1978–1980 Nottingham Forest
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1980–1983 Nottingham Forest 49 (3)
1983 → Bolton Wanderers (loan) 10 (0)
1983–1987 Barnsley 120 (23)
1987–1991 Aston Villa 106 (9)
1991–1993 Southampton 12 (0)
1994 Bognor Regis Town 1 (0)
Teams managed
2001 Southampton
2002 Aston Villa (caretaker)
2004 Wolverhampton Wanderers (caretaker)
2007–2009 Northampton Town
2010–2011 Burnley (caretaker)
2011 Portsmouth (caretaker)
2013–2015 Sheffield Wednesday
2015 Fulham (caretaker)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Which one ?

This one

 

[raleighnut]

A mate of mine went for trials many years ago. The coach told him that he was a bit too small for what they wanted but not to worry because they had a good canteen that did great meat pies and they could stretch him in. So Stuart joined Notts Forest and Brian Clough was correct and he did get bigger. Stuart has been high up in the game for nearly forty years but not many people will know of him. He has never changed and is probably the best South paw boxer I have ever seen.

Stuart Gray
Personal information
Full name Stuart Gray[1]
Date of birth 19 April 1960 (age 56)
Place of birth Withernsea, England
Playing position Midfielder
Youth career
Withernsea YC
1978–1980 Nottingham Forest
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1980–1983 Nottingham Forest 49 (3)
1983 → Bolton Wanderers (loan) 10 (0)
1983–1987 Barnsley 120 (23)
1987–1991 Aston Villa 106 (9)
1991–1993 Southampton 12 (0)
1994 Bognor Regis Town 1 (0)
Teams managed
2001 Southampton
2002 Aston Villa (caretaker)
2004 Wolverhampton Wanderers (caretaker)
2007–2009 Northampton Town
2010–2011 Burnley (caretaker)
2011 Portsmouth (caretaker)
2013–2015 Sheffield Wednesday
2015 Fulham (caretaker)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

So another 2nd rater then.

 

[Accy cyclist]

well my user name might be a clue, but also because there's a rule about clubs signing youngsters that live an hour or less away, so alternatives would be the manchester sides or, shudder, port vale or stoke city…

But your location hints that you live in Macclesfield. You should be supporting them, not Crewe!

 

[craigwend]

A mate of mine went for trials many years ago. The coach told him that he was a bit too small for what they wanted but not to worry because they had a good canteen that did great meat pies and they could stretch him in. So Stuart joined Notts Forest and Brian Clough was correct and he did get bigger. Stuart has been high up in the game for nearly forty years but not many people will know of him. He has never changed and is probably the best South paw boxer I have ever seen.

Stuart Gray
Personal information
Full name Stuart Gray[1]
Date of birth 19 April 1960 (age 56)
Place of birth Withernsea, England
Playing position Midfielder
Youth career
Withernsea YC
1978–1980 Nottingham Forest
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1980–1983 Nottingham Forest 49 (3)
1983 → Bolton Wanderers (loan) 10 (0)
1983–1987 Barnsley 120 (23)
1987–1991 Aston Villa 106 (9)
1991–1993 Southampton 12 (0)
1994 Bognor Regis Town 1 (0)
Teams managed
2001 Southampton
2002 Aston Villa (caretaker)
2004 Wolverhampton Wanderers (caretaker)
2007–2009 Northampton Town
2010–2011 Burnley (caretaker)
2011 Portsmouth (caretaker)
2013–2015 Sheffield Wednesday
2015 Fulham (caretaker)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Wow impressive - he came / escaped from Withernsea

 

[craigwend]

Very cut throat as above (friend's son has been through the 'mill' many times) & yes most are dropped & there's still a fair bit of 'nepotism' goes on - why my friend pulled his son from one club (physio son got a 'contract' - my friend admits he was biased - but the kid was the 3rd best) - he's been at 2 local clubs - got dropped recently before contracts we're signed at 16 ... luckily his dad is very proactive (get in with the 'scouts' they tend to work for multiple clubs) - this got him a trial with a division 1 , championship (he just got a youth / 16 year old contract thing & goes away next month) & 1 premiership - which he had extensive trials with - but still did not get in (though apparently very impressive youth set up at the league winners) - good luck - make sure he enjoys it - be prepared to be a very busy taxi

 

[Venod]

A workmate's son was an oustanding player in the amateur game with great potential, he was on the books for Leeds United when they were in the top flight, I don't know what went wrong but he ended up on the drugs, then jail and became a nightmare for his parents who did everything to help him, his daughter who was a rebel in her teens and a proper handfull went on to become a bank manager.

 

[steveindenmark]

Wow impressive - he came / escaped from Withernsea

so did I

Actually I got further away than Stuart.

 

[steveindenmark]

So another 2nd rater then.

I think after his first million he was happy to be a back room boy