@HolmerBlue said:
Go on Ewan... give us a name ! Get his name out there, you never know it might do him favour, get people talking etc etc
Sorry @HolmerBlue I can't. This lad is a client of mine and work with him most weeks, so dare not.
Chelsea have a young lad called John Wakely, he’s from High Wycombe and is 19, he’s also a centre back and can play across the back four.
Played at Basingstoke Town in the later part of 18/19 and made 15 appearances. This season he’s played 18 games for the development squad who won PL2 Div 1.
Just signed a one year contract until June 2021.
In his resume on the Chelsea website they begin with “ His attitude and maturity, both on and off the pitch”.
Chelsea have a young lad called John Wakely, he’s from High Wycombe and is 19, he’s also a centre back and can play across the back four.
Played at Basingstoke Town in the later part of 18/19 and made 15 appearances. This season he’s played 18 games for the development squad who won PL2 Div 1.
Just signed a one year contract until June 2021.
In his resume on the Chelsea website they begin with “ His attitude and maturity, both on and off the pitch”.
Definitely someone who should be on our radar.
As we well know from the checkatrade trophy, the gap between even league 2 and development squads (and more so Basingstoke Town) is massive. Would have to be something special to cut it at Championship level.
Don’t knock Basingstoke Town FC ! I lived there in the early ‘seventies. I’d been married a few years and my wife had a small bungalow as one of the perks of being matron at the Licensed Victuallers National Homes in Denham.
I was working for the Civil Service Commission in London at the time and the department (essentially a recruitment and selection agency) was due to be dispersed to Basingstoke. They were seeking staff to move there on terms which included assistance with house purchase. I wasn’t really interested until out of the blue one morning my wife rang me to say the pregnancy test was positive. I was on to Personnel Services (HR) in a flash !
It wasn’t too late to volunteer (as I’d expected it to be) so, within a few days, we were looking at three bedroom semis in Basingstoke. £4500 was about our limit and I well remember looking at one or two that were £4750 or even a little higher and thinking “can we really afford it?”.
I’d already started supporting the Wanderers in 1968 whilst living in Denham but we were very stretched financially so I started walking to the Camrose ground to watch the Town. You felt very much part of the action on the potentially lethal rail along a few yards from the touchline and the football was pretty physical. Which brings me to the point about John Wakely having played for Basingstoke (now apparently playing their home games at Winchester). Those games will have toughened him up physically in a way that your average Premier/EFL U23 match cannot. Don’t knock it!
There's also now a Ko-fi page for the site: https://ko-fi.com/chairboyscentral Toyed with Patreon but didn't want to put anything behind a paywall. Everything is still exactly the same but hoping to make some upgrades soon!
Based upon your research so far is there anyone who stands out to you as contenders for promotion, @chairboyscentral? I am finding it very hard to get any kind of pre-season read on this division.
Put it this way: my best friend, my dad and I have a prediction league every season. This past season, we all had some combination of Leeds, West Brom, Fulham and Cardiff in the top six (apart from my poor Stoke prediction). Whereas this season, the level seems so similar of any club likely to be top half, to my mind.
@Shev Brentford the rightful favourites. Have already replaced Watkins - hasn't left but will - and things seem to have gone a bit quiet on Benrahma, but even if he goes they should still have plenty even if they can't get an immediate replacement for him.
Watford look like they could keep much of their squad together, Norwich likewise. Both ought to be there or thereabouts unless they suddenly lose loads of key players. Cardiff and Swansea are in good shape too off the back of very good seasons. Derby should be better with Cocu having been in charge a year now, although they've been very quiet on the transfer front and fans seem to think the money might be drying up.
Millwall as a dark horse at least for the play-offs - came very close to the play-offs last season, have had a strong window so far (Spurs loan striker Troy Parrott has serious potential), and Gary Rowett has done an amazing job there already in a short space of time. Sounds like Reading are 'going for it' too - which could end in glory or tears!
And then you can never discount a Neil Warnock side, so Middlesbrough could go well too - although they've had stronger squads in recent years.
Overall, though, it's probably the most competitive up there that it's been in years.
Bournemouth and Brentford for automatic promotion with Norwich, Derby Bristol City and Swansea in the play offs. Rotherham, Luton and Huddersfield for relegation. Gareth will perform another miracle.
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Profile on Uche Ikpeazu: https://chairboyscentral.com/2020/08/19/new-blue-uche-ikpeazu/
Excellent - can't wait to see him in the Quarters
Next Tuesday on youtube, you have a chance.
Assuming you're retired/furloughed/not in work - being a 2pm kick off!
what's on Youtube @Malone?
Update...I just saw on the website great news. Sadly, as I am working very, very hard from home I will not be able to watch it.
Wycombe v West Ham friendly
Or working from home...
First in a series of 'Getting to know...' pieces on our Championship opponents: Barnsley
A look at Birmingham with some fan thoughts
Chelsea have a young lad called John Wakely, he’s from High Wycombe and is 19, he’s also a centre back and can play across the back four.
Played at Basingstoke Town in the later part of 18/19 and made 15 appearances. This season he’s played 18 games for the development squad who won PL2 Div 1.
Just signed a one year contract until June 2021.
In his resume on the Chelsea website they begin with “ His attitude and maturity, both on and off the pitch”.
Definitely someone who should be on our radar.
An overview of Blackburn - a couple of obvious Wycombe connections plus some you might have forgotten.
As we well know from the checkatrade trophy, the gap between even league 2 and development squads (and more so Basingstoke Town) is massive. Would have to be something special to cut it at Championship level.
Don’t knock Basingstoke Town FC ! I lived there in the early ‘seventies. I’d been married a few years and my wife had a small bungalow as one of the perks of being matron at the Licensed Victuallers National Homes in Denham.
I was working for the Civil Service Commission in London at the time and the department (essentially a recruitment and selection agency) was due to be dispersed to Basingstoke. They were seeking staff to move there on terms which included assistance with house purchase. I wasn’t really interested until out of the blue one morning my wife rang me to say the pregnancy test was positive. I was on to Personnel Services (HR) in a flash !
It wasn’t too late to volunteer (as I’d expected it to be) so, within a few days, we were looking at three bedroom semis in Basingstoke. £4500 was about our limit and I well remember looking at one or two that were £4750 or even a little higher and thinking “can we really afford it?”.
I’d already started supporting the Wanderers in 1968 whilst living in Denham but we were very stretched financially so I started walking to the Camrose ground to watch the Town. You felt very much part of the action on the potentially lethal rail along a few yards from the touchline and the football was pretty physical. Which brings me to the point about John Wakely having played for Basingstoke (now apparently playing their home games at Winchester). Those games will have toughened him up physically in a way that your average Premier/EFL U23 match cannot. Don’t knock it!
And of course one out most popular and classiest players came from Basingstoke.
Sergio Torres (for much younger or recently joined supporters).
Of our....
@micra Not to mention Sir Matt Crossley.
Yes, he had loan spells at Basingstoke (from Aldershot) towards the end of his career, the town where he was born.
Not sure if the Wakely guy is Jack or John!
Brentford and Bristol City overviews
Cardiff and Coventry
Derby and Huddersfield - enjoyed discovering that vintage Warnock rant from 1994
I didn't realise Carlos Corberán was so ancient.
Oh god, I know what I've done there without even looking
Did you accidentally put in the number of teams Neil Warnock has managed?
@MindlessDrugHoover Haha, not quite - he's only managed the 16!
Luton and Middlesbrough
There's also now a Ko-fi page for the site: https://ko-fi.com/chairboyscentral Toyed with Patreon but didn't want to put anything behind a paywall. Everything is still exactly the same but hoping to make some upgrades soon!
Based upon your research so far is there anyone who stands out to you as contenders for promotion, @chairboyscentral? I am finding it very hard to get any kind of pre-season read on this division.
Put it this way: my best friend, my dad and I have a prediction league every season. This past season, we all had some combination of Leeds, West Brom, Fulham and Cardiff in the top six (apart from my poor Stoke prediction). Whereas this season, the level seems so similar of any club likely to be top half, to my mind.
I reckon Watford will walk it
(I've been wrong before)
@Shev Brentford the rightful favourites. Have already replaced Watkins - hasn't left but will - and things seem to have gone a bit quiet on Benrahma, but even if he goes they should still have plenty even if they can't get an immediate replacement for him.
Watford look like they could keep much of their squad together, Norwich likewise. Both ought to be there or thereabouts unless they suddenly lose loads of key players. Cardiff and Swansea are in good shape too off the back of very good seasons. Derby should be better with Cocu having been in charge a year now, although they've been very quiet on the transfer front and fans seem to think the money might be drying up.
Millwall as a dark horse at least for the play-offs - came very close to the play-offs last season, have had a strong window so far (Spurs loan striker Troy Parrott has serious potential), and Gary Rowett has done an amazing job there already in a short space of time. Sounds like Reading are 'going for it' too - which could end in glory or tears!
And then you can never discount a Neil Warnock side, so Middlesbrough could go well too - although they've had stronger squads in recent years.
Overall, though, it's probably the most competitive up there that it's been in years.
Bournemouth and Brentford for automatic promotion with Norwich, Derby Bristol City and Swansea in the play offs. Rotherham, Luton and Huddersfield for relegation. Gareth will perform another miracle.