The one that got away....
This may have been discussed before, but I was trying to think of players that Wycombe have deemed surplus (i.e. released) that have gone on to "bigger" things.....
Danny Loader (currently Porto first team)
Martin Rowlands
Josh Laurent
Ikechi Anya
Matt Cash
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Comments
Alex McCarthy
If he was released - Reading might have just poached him. And let's not forget we didn't have any choice with those who left when the CoE closed.
Could be Al Hamadi if he keeps going.
Alex Samuel.
Yes but Matt Cash for example could have signed pro if he was that good. His own interviews suggest we told him he was not being kept on.
I feel like there is a current striker that has banged them in - can't think who it is though.
Arguably, you could include Junior Morais and Lee Angol, although their respective successes were short lived.
Jason Roberts
I think we were offered the chance to sign Dion Dublin for 6 grand as well
Not youths but Michael Simpson, Darren Currie and a few others in the Adams cull, Simmo played on for a decade around the same level, Currie was sold for £500k about 6 months later
Good shout but can't remember what league Orient were in when Simpson went there.
Sean Maguire went on one of the pre-season tours (possibly the one to France when Bayo was sent off) but was never signed and has since played consistently in the Championship.
Suppose you could add Allsop to the list too, still number 1 at a Championship club.
Not in the same category but I was disappointed that Gary Waddock sent back Marlon Pack to Portsmouth early from his loan, when he took over from Peter Taylor. Pack looked good for us and went on to have a successful career in the Championship.
Currie quoted on Gasman's X-Player file:
"My contract has come to an end. I did have an option that the club could not afford to take up and we agreed to part by mutual consent. It was very difficult saying goodbye to the lads and I will miss everyone especially the fans who have been brilliant to me. I have had three very enjoyable years here and I hope that one day I will be able to return to the club again in some capacity or other. I’m really unhappy that my last season with the club has ended in relegation. It wasn’t the way I wanted it to end. I feel I can play in Division One. I feel fit and strong. I know I’ve got the same old problem I have had since I was one, in that I’m too slow, but I think I have the skills to make up for that”.
Steve Guppy
Great quote. It feels like that kind of honesty in interviews is very rare now.
Needed saying as Adams utterly scandalously said that he and Simmo had "given up" on us fighting relegation.
When in truth it was the absolute donkey galoot who was the one who'd given up as early as the Autumn.
I think he went to Reading as part of the Nathan Tyson deal (along with Simon Church).
I always thought the ‘Nathan Tyson what a bargain’ song ended up being quite ironic really with both McCarthy and Church becoming high level professionals plus the sell on fee Reading also got for him!
Exactly that.
100k or so was it? And a casual whisper of...oh and some youth teamers.
Then it turned out those "youth teamers" would have cost the levels Tyson went for or more.
However, I don't think I've been more excited about what a single player could do then when we went down in Tyson's first period.
He absolutely destroyed league 2 for the time we had him there.
The interview with Ruby is also a reminder that not every player that leaves was 'released.'
Seriously. Did you watch yesterday game, Ross County v Patrick Thistle. Lots of running and endeavour but no threat whatsoever. Not sure he ranks as ‘ one that got away’
You got some down votes for this, which I can only imagine is for the slightly harsh "no threat" comment.
He was a great guy, did a decent honest job for us, but the time for both parties to try something different was pretty clear.
He served a very useful purpose for us, but he is extremely limited. Certainly hasn't gone on to better things.
To be fair, we did get promoted from L1 with Alex Samuel playing a substantial part, something which still cannot be said of many more skillful players.
No goal machine, but he was a hard-working player for us and rated by those around him, so I can give him that whatever he goes on to do.
I always liked Alex Samuel, very decent player and gave absolutely everything to the cause. Probably right that he moved on, as for all his attributes, he wasn't enough of a goal threat.
Didn't watch the Ross County match, but good to see him involved in all 3 goals. Tussling with the defender for the (very harshly awarded in my opinion) penalty. Great run and cross to assist the 2nd goal and a clever flick in the build up for the 3rd goal. Pleased to see him doing well.
We've let a couple of trialists go. Liam Bridcutt played pre-season against Chelsea and went on to do good things.
Juan Ugarte scored against Berkhamsted in pre-season around 2004 then went on to be Wrexham's top scorer the following season.
Certainly did, he was a threat, goal assist, hit the bar, clean through and should have scored. I nominated him because he is playing in the SPL, higher than our level.
Not sure the SPL is higher than EFL1. Look at John Sutton, a goal machine in the SPL a _________ in the EFL.
Alex Samuel was interviewed recently and described the SPL as a really odd division, where you have potentially lower PL sides like Celtic in the same division as L1 standard sides. So he sees it as overlapping lower PL down to bottom of L1.
For what it is worth, I am big Samuel fan, as he brought a lot of endeavour and won us a lot of freekicks in an era where we knew how to turn set pieces into goals quite regularly.
It is hard to place the level of the SPL, as Alex said, there is a big difference between top and bottom. I think UEFA would place it technically higher than EFL One.
A few weeks ago I went to see Raith Rovers v Partick Thistle on the final Friday evening of the Championship season, a very entertaining 2-2 draw with both teams very attack minded. At the time I thought the standard was upper EFL One. The following day I saw Alloa Athletic v Dunfermline Athletic in League One, not so good, Dunfermline were already champions and beat fourth placed Alloa 2-0. Maybe lower EFL Two or upper National standard.
I've watched Partick's six play-off games on TV, they scored 19 goals in those games, they have a very good front four, probably better than Scottish Championship standard. I wouldn't mind any of them in our side. There are some good players in the Scottish Championship, who could do a job at our level. It has been an eye opener for me.
Scott Tiffony is the Partick player that really caught my eye. In the few games I saw.
Superb close control, and never seemed to lose possession, as well as being an exciting wing man.
Brian Graham a good traditional target man, and a great finisher but at 35 he will probably remain at Thistle.
Unlike Tiffony who I think The Jags will struggle to keep hold off.
You have to feel for Alex Samuel and his injury record - we nurtured him back and got some return on that, then he goes up to Scotland and picks up another stinker of an injury that tested even his own very strong religious faith, according to a very open and honest interview with him whilst on the sidelines last season.