Adam Clayton

TheYorkshireTerrier

TheYorkshireTerrier

Well-known member
Just having a browse through the championship lineups for tonight’s league cup games, and noticed Clayton couldn’t even get a place in Birmingham’s second team. Did a bit more digging and he’s not even got a squad number for this season.

I know he’s getting on but surprised he’s falling this far so soon after leaving us.

Also noticed Brum have a certain J. Bellingham on their bench tonight. This one is 15!
 
No squad number is strange. I guess they must be loaning him out or selling (I imagine loan as probably on a few quid).

He was fantastic for 3 years. The final year or so he was just to slow and offered very little. I imagine Bowyer is looking for more 'legs'.
 
That's a shame for Clayton. He really contributed and never played for us without full commitment in our promotion season and the season before. Glad he got his chance to be a premier League player for that season with us but suspect he's never been the same since.
 
I look back now and wonder was Clayton one of these players who just really benefited from playing in a certain system (2 holding midfielders), particularly alongside Leadbitter.

He was never quite the same player when asked to play as the sole holding midfielder.
 
parmoboy said:
I look back now and wonder was Clayton one of these players who just really benefited from playing in a certain system (2 holding midfielders), particularly alongside Leadbitter.

He was never quite the same player when asked to play as the sole holding midfielder.
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Maybe, but think he was Huddersfield's player of the year before joining us as more of a box to box midfielder?

It does feel like after 3 years of playing a very specific role he hasn't really been able to adapt to anything else, too stuck in a certain mindset?

Maybe a combination of that and just age catching up to him.

Very important player for in the championship and put in a few more than decent performances in the premier league to be fair, maybe just not enough.
 
I read an article in the Birmingham mail I think around late June that said Lee Bowyer had told Clayton that he was free to leave but they were struggling with a pay off deal for him to leave.
Also left out of Birmingham’s training camp in Scotland during pre season.
I think he might of played once for Bowyer last season. Good luck to him and hopes he gets a move soon.
 
parmoboy said:
I look back now and wonder was Clayton one of these players who just really benefited from playing in a certain system (2 holding midfielders), particularly alongside Leadbitter.

He was never quite the same player when asked to play as the sole holding midfielder.
Click to expand...
He initially wasn’t a holding midfielder. That 14/15 season he sprayed balls all over. That Brentford playoff game at home he was outstanding.
 
festa5 said:
Maybe, but think he was Huddersfield's player of the year before joining us as more of a box to box midfielder?

It does feel like after 3 years of playing a very specific role he hasn't really been able to adapt to anything else, too stuck in a certain mindset?

Maybe a combination of that and just age catching up to him.

Very important player for in the championship and put in a few more than decent performances in the premier league to be fair, maybe just not enough.
Click to expand...
He was still good for us generally playing as the lone holding midfielder, just not to the same level as when he played alongside Grant.

To be fair, I wish we'd have gotten more opportunities to see him playing box-to-box. I seem to remember some random game where Pulis played him in that role and him doing really well.
 
That Leadbitter & Clayton double pivot in midfield during the play off and promotion seasons were sensational. Absolutely dominated the centre of the pitch.
 
BillyGoat95 said:
That Leadbitter & Clayton double pivot in midfield during the play off and promotion seasons were sensational. Absolutely dominated the centre of the pitch.
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Yes, i think people got frustrated and viewed them as a bit negative but in reality the absolutely demoralised teams at times with the way they prevented them getting any sort of foothold in games. They were pretty skilled at sharing out yellow cards and avoiding suspensions too.
 
wilkos_perm said:
Yes, i think people got frustrated and viewed them as a bit negative but in reality the absolutely demoralised teams at times with the way they prevented them getting any sort of foothold in games. They were pretty skilled at sharing out yellow cards and avoiding suspensions too.
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It was more than a bit negative. I always think a decent midfield should score 15 to 20 goals a season between them.
 
Same_as_before said:
It was more than a bit negative. I always think a decent midfield should score 15 to 20 goals a season between them.
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There's very top teams who struggle to achieve that from centre mid. I'm not sure we've done it in my lifetime unless you really stretch the definition of central midfielder
 
It depends on what you class as a midfield, also it depends on what happens around them. Grant scored far fewer in the season we went up than the season when we only made the play offs.
 
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