Lads you went to school with that should have made it

I think at that school age, what really stands out is sheer pace or that amazing acceleration over 5 yards that makes some lads look untouchable. Played with loads like that. Chris Tomlinson was unplayable at times purely because he was like schit off a stick and could do the 100m in about 12 seconds at 15 year old.

Downing was similar, but also had a lovely left foot to go with it.


Most get found out when they get to the 16-18 age ranges though. In fact, most of the ones I know who “made it” were never the absolute best at school age, but just had the right attitude, took on board coaching, and stuck at it
 
AytonMews said:
I think at that school age, what really stands out is sheer pace or that amazing acceleration over 5 yards that makes some lads look untouchable. Played with loads like that. Chris Tomlinson was unplayable at times purely because he was like schit off a stick and could do the 100m in about 12 seconds at 15 year old.

Downing was similar, but also had a lovely left foot to go with it.


Most get found out when they get to the 16-18 age ranges though. In fact, most of the ones I know who “made it” were never the absolute best at school age, but just had the right attitude, took on board coaching, and stuck at it
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Pollock never had blistering pace but was always strong. He was quick at making good first touches and turning players to get round them. Think he was still top scorer ever for the school for years afterwards. Gregan was just silky skilled. Always had time on the ball. I played with him for our junior team also. Such a laid back lad. Still see him now and again and he's still the same lad
 
Mysonpat. said:
A lad I knew from my younger days, Paul Wratten, this kid had everything you needed to go all the way, go off both feet, brilliant at everything, played for England youth, man United snapped him up as a 14 year old.
He managed to play a few first team games under Alex Ferguson, got released, the demon drink got hold of him...what a waste of talent.
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Had the pleasure of playing with him and he stood out a mile at junior school, he wasnt exactly likeable as a person mind.
 
In late 1950s when Cloughie was banging them in I was at Smeaton St junior school in Doggie and a lad called Leslie Southall just dribbled and scored goals for fun, I expected him to eventually play for the Boro. He didn't pass the 11+ so went to Lawson 'Academy' in Cargo Fleet and I never heard of him after that. At Middlesbrough High School for Boys (where they didn't play football but some game called Rugby) Stan Webb was in the year above me and a good all rounder at sports but I was surprised he ended up playing for the Boro
 
Midlands_Boro said:
He was my manager for eston u14 and u15. Was a great coach. Won league twice unbeaten. Only beaten by Marton in cup final
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You should have seen him play, was in the school team with him, brilliant centre-forward - quick, strong and an incredible finisher...and a great lad.
 
A lad at Ryhills school in Redcar called Neil Nichols
He had trials for Southampton and was also was a superb Cricketer as well - had all the talent in the world but not the drive unfortunately
 
viv_andersons_nana said:
Is that the Allan Bligh who used to play over Southlands every Monday and Saturday evening in the late 90s, early 2000s? He used to wear gloves and a bin-bag under his jumper EVERY time, no matter if it was the middle of July or the end of December. He was a fairly small fella, never stopped moving and running, always made jokes and did commentaries as he was playing and had great tricks that we used to try and copy as teenagers - namely catching the ball in his jumper and shouting “play on!” as he ran away with it, and bending his knees and squatting slightly so he could control a bouncing ball with his arsè.

We loved playing with him when we were young. There was a really great bunch of older blokes there - Ronnie Gordon, Colin, Chris the goal-hanger, Mo the Jewish fella with a scraggy beard and knee-guards on both knees, who moaned and whinged more than Bruno Fernandes but was a really good player, Gordon Duck, Allan Bligh, loads more.
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Probably but I had moved to Redcar by then. But they were deffo Allans tricks. Great lad and a very funny man.
 
Lad called Scott Johnston. Signed up by Watford when in 5th year at St Georges, age 16 - but I don't know what happened after that.
 
Tired Alan said:
Anthony Peacock.

Won the youth cup with Boro and had very good spells at both Darlington & Spennymoor. He was phenomenal.

Problem was he was like 5’4 and his height always went against him. I think if he was playing now he’d have a better chance.
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I recall Dave Parnaby being interviewed on Talksport and when asked about the one he thought would make it and was surprised they didn't, he said Anthony Peacock.
He mentioned his size & that Boro changed their academy processes after it. Ray Houghton jumped in & asked how, & Dave said something like we're picking bigger lads and Ray wasn't particularly impressed.
 
GroggySlaggySmoggy said:
An old thread from the old board!
Trevor Coulton, David Williams, Ged Cairns, Andy Dunbar amongst many others
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I know all these lads very well and would say only Davey Williams had any real chance of making it. Trevor read the game well, and had a good local career but wouldn't have made the step up. Ged, was a very tidy footballer and should have played higher than he did. All the Dunbar's were good footballers but I wouldn't say any of them were close to making it.

I had a season ticket with Andy and little Walla.

A better footballer than all of them was a lad called David Gallagher and he should have made it. He had pace, skill, speed and confidence to go with it.

I remember taking him over to play in the All England Trophy and he won the game for us.
 
JustTheGent said:
Never thought Jacques would make it, at least to the higher echelons of pro football. He was a similar age to a relative of mine and seen him play quite a few times. If he was struggling to get the better of a defender, he would turn to cheating and attempting to intimidate his opponents. By cheating I mean sly fouls and shirt pulling, etc. My thinking as a young kid was that if he needs to do that, he's going to struggle moving forward.

To be fair, he probably didn't struggle for a long time. His athleticism for his age was likely a couple of years above his actual age and it took a while for things to level out. I suspect by his late teens, the edge he'd had when he was younger wasn't working for him in the same way. I remember a local football figure telling a few of us that Jacques had just received a big signing on fee for his apprenticeship. I said I didn't think he was that good and it was treated like blasphemy at the time.
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I remember Danny was on a junior tour with Leeds and when it finished, Leeds flew him to Portugal to take part in training sessions and games with the first team. The people who counted at Leeds thought a lot about him and had big plans for him.
 
Rob lake was a couple of years behind me at Ian Ramsey and was a great player…
He signed apprenticeship with Boro but had an injury at 19…
He came back as a community rep and is now at West Brom…
 
None from school who I thought should have made it, really. Jamie Poole had the fitness levels for it and probably should have done lower leagues. Harrison Davies was at Boro with him, he had unbelievable technical ability but was scared of his own shadow.

Gaz Waite went to our school and was an incredible athlete, he was looking likely to win an MLS contract before getting a freak eye injury. Went on to play at Darlo in League Two and Spennymoor.

Played with a few lads who went pro briefly, Nathan Evans and Nathan Mulligan off the top of my head. Jordan Hugill and Danny Johnson who are still playing now.

Had the pleasure of playing alongside Willie Boland and Dean Gordon at Guisborough Town. I was absolutely starstruck when Dean come in, it wasn’t long before I was walking round in a Boro shirt with his name on the back and had posters of him on my wall. Still waiting for one of his old shirts off him mind.
 
outoftown said:
Not quite the same , but played in the same league level and standard as Darren Williams ..
He really really really never stood out at all.
Was one of ten players at that level at that time
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I was going to post the same but made sense to reply to your post.
I played with Darren too at district level. I was centre half and he was cenre mid. I didnt rate him at all. I was stunned to see him at Sunderland. Turned into a decent player to be fair to him.
Also played against Michael Brown a few times in the Stockton Leagues. He WAS a good player. I had to mark him a few times and you could tell he was a few levels above everyone else.
 
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