Jake Bennett

[Treeton Blade]

Joining on an 18 month contract from Mickleover Sports, a similar deal to Horatio Hirst, who we recently brought in from Oxford City.

He's a right back who has impressed in 2 U23 trial games.

 

[crucialkneeligaman]

Joining on an 18 month contract from Mickleover Sports, a similar deal to Horatio Hirst, who we recently brought in from Oxford City.

He's a right back who has impressed in 2 U23 trial games.

Thanks Treeton, look forward to seeing how he progresses. Good luck to the lad.

 

[Bergen Blade]

 

[Fulwood Blade]

interesting to know if this fella (and Horatio) is the work of our new chief scout - the ex Chezzer scout

anyone know?

UTB

 

[wizadry]

Pinchy will arrive shortly to confirm that the lad is left footed.

 

[seanbeenstattoo]

These 2 are exciting signings. Young,ambitious,hungry,hopefully pacy.
I very much hope they settle well,enjoy developing with us and force their way into the first team squad at the earliest reasonable opportunity.
The days of Higgopttomus and the wage thieving Hammond disappear increasingly into the distant past.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Are these for the first team?

 

[seanbeenstattoo]

Are these for the first team?

No, I think they'll go into the Shirecliffe Academy system and be at U18 and/or U23 level initially.

 

[knowsnowt]

These 2 are exciting signings. Young,ambitious,hungry,hopefully pacy.
I very much hope they settle well,enjoy developing with us and force their way into the first team squad at the earliest reasonable opportunity.
The days of Higgopttomus and the wage thieving Hammond disappear increasingly into the distant past.

They not French? :O

 

[SteveBlade]

Black - Check
Fast - Check

Onto a winner

 

[seanbeenstattoo]

They not French? :O

Sadly not. He is black though.

 

[EddieColquhoun]

No, I think they'll go into the Shirecliffe Academy system and be at U18 and/or U23 level initially.

Bennett is too old for the 18s - I think he's 20.

 

[seanbeenstattoo]

Bennett is too old for the 18s - I think he's 20.

That's why I mentiond the U23's

 

[Pinchy]

Pinchy will arrive shortly to confirm that the lad is left footed.

Like Byron Webster, eh? Still baffled by that bit of nonsense...

 

[wizadry]

Like Byron Webster, eh? Still baffled by that bit of nonsense...

 

[YES Blade]

These 2 are exciting signings. Young,ambitious,hungry,hopefully pacy.
I very much hope they settle well,enjoy developing with us and force their way into the first team squad at the earliest reasonable opportunity.
The days of Higgopttomus and the wage thieving Hammond disappear increasingly into the distant past.

Exciting? Jesus! You're easily excited!

Let's not get carried away, we've always signed young development players and most make no or little impact on the first team.

As for bringing Higdon and Hammond up, what they have got to do with anything I don't know? They were signed to go straight into the first team, these 2 young lads aren't. How can you compare the signings?

 

[Steve French]

They not French? :O

Dunno mate

 

[Cerberus Blade]

I wish both lads good luck, but you know, I'm sorry, I don't get excited at all by these kind of signings. I think it's great for them that they've joined a good club but we have absolutely no idea, not a clue, whether either of them will ever turn out to be any good. The chances are - they won't.

I remember back in the day, there used to be a regular feature in the old "Lane Line-Up" match-day programme, on our up and coming youth players. I would say, without fear of being wrong, that less than 1% of the players featured actually ever established themselves in the first team. Anyone remember Albert Staniland for example? No? I do. At least I remember a big article about him in a Lane Line-Up programme from the early 70's - talking about how he was going to be the next big thing. He never saw the light of a day in a first team shirt as far as I recall. And there's not a bean about him on the internet - so I can only assume he never made the grade as a footballer anywhere?

Take our most successful youth team in the last half-century, the one that played in the Youth Cup Final at Man Utd a few seasons ago. Where are those lads now? Only Harry Maguire actually made the grade out of the whole team. (If that seems harsh on George Long and Callum McFadzean it's meant to be). 1 player out of a squad of 16 or more. But the chances of success are much lower than that. We got all excited about Jordan Slew - thinking he was going to be the next big thing. Where is he now? Alive and well at Plymouth Argyll, having been released by Chesterfield last season after making just 7 substitute appearances and impressing no one.

Another great white hope from that team, Joe Ironside, who many fans (including a fair few on here) were saying would be the next centre forward for us, is plying his trade now at Nuneaton, having failed to make the grade at Alfreton and been released on a free transfer.

It's high stakes this football lark. Very, very few young kids actually make it through - even when they've joined a big club like ours with great coaching facilities. So, I'm not being horrible to these lads - I'm just saying - they'll need to get a lot closer to the first team before I can even begin to think about them as exciting prospects.

 

[seanbeenstattoo]

Exciting? Jesus! You're easily excited!

Let's not get carried away, we've always signed young development players and most make no or little impact on the first team.

As for bringing Higdon and Hammond up, what they have got to do with anything I don't know? They were signed to go straight into the first team, these 2 young lads aren't. How can you compare the signings?

I bring up Higdon and Hammond as recent examples of us signing 2 utter cunts who stole a lot of money during their stay compared to 2 ambitious young talents who will strive to improve and succeed.
I'm sorry you aren't looking forward to seeing what they might bring.
I recomend taking the time out to watch the U18's and U23's as I and a few others regularly do. It might open your eyes to the bigger picture at our club.

 

[YES Blade]

I bring up Higdon and Hammond as recent examples of us signing 2 utter cunts who stole a lot of money during their stay compared to 2 ambitious young talents who will strive to improve and succeed.
I'm sorry you aren't looking forward to seeing what they might bring.
I recomend taking the time out to watch the U18's and U23's as I and a few others regularly do. It might open your eyes to the bigger picture at our club.

You know them both personally do you? How can you call them utter cunts? They were both offered contracts and signed them. That's football, some signings are successful and others aren't. They didn't deliberately fail at United!

We've signed Clarke and Hussey this season and have so far had little to no success, are they both wage stealing cunts as well? Maybe we should only sign players who are under 23 in future because they are less likely to turn into "cunts".

Why would I get excited over a player who will more than likely make no impact on the first team? As Cerberus pointed out, only 1 player from our FA Youth Cup team is playing at a level higher than where United currently are.

 

[seanbeenstattoo]

You know them both personally do you? How can you call them utter cunts? They were both offered contracts and signed them. That's football, some signings are successful and others aren't. They didn't deliberately fail at United!

We've signed Clarke and Hussey this season and have so far had little to no success, are they both wage stealing cunts as well? Maybe we should only sign players who are under 23 in future because they are less likely to turn into "cunts".

Why would I get excited over a player who will more than likely make no impact on the first team? As Cerberus pointed out, only 1 player from our FA Youth Cup team is playing at a level higher than where United currently are.

I don't need or want to know Hammond or Higdon personally. Why would I? My observation on the pair is that they transgressed the trades descriptions act as "footballer". Both were disgracefully not fit for purpose and as such wage thieving cunts.

These 2 lads ,who I also have no interest in knowing personally will,I am pretty certain give it their best shot and if that isn't good enough will depart without raping the clubs bank account.
If you can't care about our club signing promising young players and prefer to focus on wankers like H and H,knock yourself out. I prefer to look forward.
Maybe your username is holding you back,lets be honest,they stole plenty for most of their careers.

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

He looks like a hybrid of the two Kyle's.

 

[Kev Gee]

Its probably not much of a gamble with these 2 and both will be setting out to impress from the get go so its a win win for both parties.

Anyone got any backgrounds on these 2 players?

 

[Baw Heid]

I watched this lad play both his trial games. Stocky and quick. Looked very good.

For an 18month deal it will not cost a great deal to the club. IT also shows that people asking if the club are looking a young players from non league are getting their wish.

This season we do not have an under 23s squad. Unlike every other club we come up against. It is refreshing to see that we will have a proper under 23s squad next season instead of a team made up of U18s, trialists and first team players who are not getting a sniff of first team action. The latter should be on loan to get competitive games in.

 

[Baw Heid]

Don't know anything about Horasio I am afraid.

 

[PokerBlade]

I wish both lads good luck, but you know, I'm sorry, I don't get excited at all by these kind of signings. I think it's great for them that they've joined a good club but we have absolutely no idea, not a clue, whether either of them will ever turn out to be any good. The chances are - they won't.

I remember back in the day, there used to be a regular feature in the old "Lane Line-Up" match-day programme, on our up and coming youth players. I would say, without fear of being wrong, that less than 1% of the players featured actually ever established themselves in the first team. Anyone remember Albert Staniland for example? No? I do. At least I remember a big article about him in a Lane Line-Up programme from the early 70's - talking about how he was going to be the next big thing. He never saw the light of a day in a first team shirt as far as I recall. And there's not a bean about him on the internet - so I can only assume he never made the grade as a footballer anywhere?

Take our most successful youth team in the last half-century, the one that played in the Youth Cup Final at Man Utd a few seasons ago. Where are those lads now? Only Harry Maguire actually made the grade out of the whole team. (If that seems harsh on George Long and Callum McFadzean it's meant to be). 1 player out of a squad of 16 or more. But the chances of success are much lower than that. We got all excited about Jordan Slew - thinking he was going to be the next big thing. Where is he now? Alive and well at Plymouth Argyll, having been released by Chesterfield last season after making just 7 substitute appearances and impressing no one.

Another great white hope from that team, Joe Ironside, who many fans (including a fair few on here) were saying would be the next centre forward for us, is plying his trade now at Nuneaton, having failed to make the grade at Alfreton and been released on a free transfer.

It's high stakes this football lark. Very, very few young kids actually make it through - even when they've joined a big club like ours with great coaching facilities. So, I'm not being horrible to these lads - I'm just saying - they'll need to get a lot closer to the first team before I can even begin to think about them as exciting prospects.

Is McFadzean playing anywhere? I remember him having one decent showing for us and otherwise being wholly unimpressed. You forgot about McAllister too, another one who some insisted should've been given a chance. This is why I refused to get pulled into the Diego hype. And what was the name of the lad we got in at the same time as Adams that played a few games at full back last season?

We sign these two lads and it's our equivalent of Blackburn taking a punt on Slew (remember what a travesty it was to let him go for a paltry £1m?). It'd be nice if one of them makes an impact, but I don't get excited nor do I put any pressure on youngsters until they're making their mark on the first team.

 

[Kev Gee]

Is McFadzean playing anywhere? I remember him having one decent showing for us and otherwise being wholly unimpressed. You forgot about McAllister too, another one who some insisted should've been given a chance. This is why I refused to get pulled into the Diego hype. And what was the name of the lad we got in at the same time as Adams that played a few games at full back last season?

We sign these two lads and it's our equivalent of Blackburn taking a punt on Slew (remember what a travesty it was to let him go for a paltry £1m?). It'd be nice if one of them makes an impact, but I don't get excited nor do I put any pressure on youngsters until they're making their mark on the first team.

Kieran Wallace?

 

[larkymasher]

Is McFadzean playing anywhere? I remember him having one decent showing for us and otherwise being wholly unimpressed. You forgot about McAllister too, another one who some insisted should've been given a chance. This is why I refused to get pulled into the Diego hype. And what was the name of the lad we got in at the same time as Adams that played a few games at full back last season?

We sign these two lads and it's our equivalent of Blackburn taking a punt on Slew (remember what a travesty it was to let him go for a paltry £1m?). It'd be nice if one of them makes an impact, but I don't get excited nor do I put any pressure on youngsters until they're making their mark on the first team.

McFadzean is playing for Kilmarnock in Scotland, although he has just broken his leg.

 

[Snowman]

I don't need or want to know Hammond or Higdon personally. Why would I? My observation on the pair is that they transgressed the trades descriptions act as "footballer". Both were disgracefully not fit for purpose and as such wage thieving cunts.

These 2 lads ,who I also have no interest in knowing personally will,I am pretty certain give it their best shot and if that isn't good enough will depart without raping the clubs bank account.
If you can't care about our club signing promising young players and prefer to focus on wankers like H and H,knock yourself out. I prefer to look forward.
Maybe your username is holding you back,lets be honest,they stole plenty for most of their careers.

That last sentence is utter BLASPHEMY! May the Spanish Inquisition without the comfy cushions visit you. Yours is a disgrace.

 

[YES Blade]

I don't need or want to know Hammond or Higdon personally. Why would I? My observation on the pair is that they transgressed the trades descriptions act as "footballer". Both were disgracefully not fit for purpose and as such wage thieving cunts.

These 2 lads ,who I also have no interest in knowing personally will,I am pretty certain give it their best shot and if that isn't good enough will depart without raping the clubs bank account.
If you can't care about our club signing promising young players and prefer to focus on wankers like H and H,knock yourself out. I prefer to look forward.
Maybe your username is holding you back,lets be honest,they stole plenty for most of their careers.

I'd stear clear of discussing usernames! Or is yours a deliberate spelling mistake?

Yes, Higdon and Hammond are consigned to Blades history, but I personally think it's pretty disgraceful to discribe someone as an "utter cunt" due to not being good enough whilst playing for United.

I couldn't really care about the young players until they make it to the first team. The policy of producing our own players and signing players with potential is a good one, but thousands of young lads go through the academy and never make it, so I ain't going to be bothered about any of them until they show promise for the first team.