Class of 2013

[1973Blade]

One of the lowest points during our 'wilderness years' in League One came in October 2013 during David Weir's brief period in charge.
At home to Crawley Town on a cold Friday night, we were lucky to get away with a point in a dull 1-1 draw, after scoring just one in the previous six games.
I remember thinking to myself, how many of this side will progress further in their careers. My extensive research four years on (well looking at Wikipedia) provides the answer :
1. George Long, now on loan at AFC Wimbledon, career gone DOWNHILL
2. Tony McMahon, Bradford City, career gone SIDEWAYS
3. Harry Maguire, Leicester City, career gone UPWARDS
4. Neill Collins, Tampa Bay Raiders, DOWNHILL
5. Simon Lappin, King's Lynn Town, DOWNHILL
6. Fabian Brandy, Ubon UMT United, Thailand, DOWNHILL
7. Florent Cuvelier, Walsall, DOWNHILL
8. Michael Doyle, Coventry City, DOWNHILL
9. Ryan Hall, Merstham, DOWNHILL
10. José Baxter, Everton (!), DOWNHILL
11. Marlon King, prison and retired, DOWNHILL
SUBS
Mark Howard's, Bolton Wanderers, SIDEWAYS
Darryl Westlake, Stourbridge, DOWNHILL
Matt Hill, retired
Lyle Taylor, AFC Wimbledon, DOWNHILL
Stephen McGinn, St Mitre, DOWNHILL
Conor Coady, Wolverhampton Wanderers, UPWARDS
Jamie Murphy, Brighton And Hove Albion, UPWARDS
I don't think the me of 2013 leaving Bramall Lane that cold night would have been surprised at the lack of progress made by those players.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

I was there. Nobody even cheered when King scored the equaliser.

Dark days indeed.

 

[1973Blade]

I was there. Nobody even cheered when King scored the equaliser.

Dark days indeed.

It would have been a bit like cheering during a Kevin Spacey film!

 

[DifferentClass]

It would have been a bit like cheering during a Kevin Spacey film!

What about when his character dies?

 

[Houston_Blade]

The fact that Tony McMahon wasn’t the worst player in that team shows how shit we were.

 

[1973Blade]

The fact that Tony McMahon wasn’t the worst player in that team shows how shit we were.

The best two players (after Maguire) were on the bench.

 

[Grizzly blade]

Any wonder we were on our arse looking at that shower!

Whoever took over from Weir had a job on their hands.

 

[Harry's Game]

I would question ranking Howard moving to Bolton as "SIDEWAYS". Moving to Bolton has to be "DOWNWARDS" surely?

 

[Harry's Game]

I was there. Nobody even cheered when King scored the equaliser.

Dark days indeed.

One of the few things Nigel Cunt did that I agreed with during his disastrous reign was to get shot of Marlon King straight away.

 

[Punk Blade]

1. What an insult to Harry Maguire having to play in that team.
2. Who the hell is Ryan Hall? I was there and I have no recollection of him at all!

 

[Damski]

Ugh, I'd forgotten we had Marlon King for a while.

 

[Danny_Blade]

To be honest I was quite hopeful of the following four:

George Long - still young however and could yet become a late bloomer

Febian Brandy - after his first few appearances I thought he would become a good wide man with us, but how wrong was I and I think he got himself needlessly sent off in a game

Florent Cuvelier - was excited with him at first and I thought his signing was a piece of the jigsaw to becoming a really good passing football team. Think he fell out of favour or became injured when Clough came in, then to get his fitness back up was sent on loan to Port Vale where he suffered a long term injury in his first appearance or two, I do remember him coming back and making an appearance in a December FA Cup clash against Plymouth where he got an assist

Jose Baxter - was tipped to be the next Wayne Rooney when he was at Everton but obviously his off-the-field problems put paid to that. Years later he seemed to have gotten his head down playing well and scoring regularly at Oldham when Weir purchased him (I think it was the first of the Prince money), he generally did OK becoming a crucial player for us especially when Clough first came in, using him as our main attacking player when we didn't really have any proper strikers on the books. So I thought he'd genuinely turned his off-the-field problems and stupidity around but then he let himself and the club down again, again and again!

I'd also say that Jamie Murphy could be inconsistent at times but then again we never really had a complete team during his time with us.

 

[Danny_Blade]

2. Who the hell is Ryan Hall? I was there and I have no recollection of him at all!

We had him on loan from Weeds for a while, was a poor man's Mendez-Laing.

 

[Guesty]

Febian Brandy - after his first few appearances I thought he would become a good wide man with us, but how wrong was I and I think he got himself needlessly sent off in a game

Yeah, he missed an absolute sitter and it seemed to get into his head because shortly after he got sent off for a potential leg-breaker.

 

[1973Blade]

To be honest I was quite hopeful of the following four:

George Long - still young however and could yet become a late bloomer

Febian Brandy - after his first few appearances I thought he would become a good wide man with us, but how wrong was I and I think he got himself needlessly sent off in a game

Florent Cuvelier - was excited with him at first and I thought his signing was a piece of the jigsaw to becoming a really good passing football team. Think he fell out of favour or became injured when Clough came in, then to get his fitness back up was sent on loan to Port Vale where he suffered a long term injury in his first appearance or two, I do remember him coming back and making an appearance in a December FA Cup clash against Plymouth where he got an assist

Jose Baxter - was tipped to be the next Wayne Rooney when he was at Everton but obviously his off-the-field problems put paid to that. Years later he seemed to have gotten his head down playing well and scoring regularly at Oldham when Weir purchased him (I think it was the first of the Prince money), he generally did OK becoming a crucial player for us especially when Clough first came in, using him as our main attacking player when we didn't really have any proper strikers on the books. So I thought he'd genuinely turned his off-the-field problems and stupidity around but then he let himself and the club down again, again and again!

I'd also say that Jamie Murphy could be inconsistent at times but then again we never really had a complete team during his time with us.

I hope Long does still make it. He had a good game for Wimbledon today.

 

[Lil red rooster]

we have a history of signing players on the cheap who disappeared in to obscurity when they left,and managers for that matter.

 

[8lade]

I would describe Long's, Cuvelier's and Taylor's moves as sideways given we were league 1 at the time. Also Doyle and Collins are affected by coming to the end of their careers based on age.

 

[Keef Chedwyn]

Lol. Who dafuq is Ryan Hall?

 

[bladesmanluke]

The worst blades team I’ve ever seen

 

[McGrath]

If I was Neil Collins, living and playing in Florida, I don't think I would be thinking that my career had gone downhill!

 

[Punk Blade]

Yeah, he missed an absolute sitter and it seemed to get into his head because shortly after he got sent off for a potential leg-breaker.

I think it was an open goal miss against MK. Horrible tackle and deserved red card. Didn’t MK score a late winner too?

 

[Berlin Blade]

Bradford is not sideways

 

[1973Blade]

Bradford is not sideways

Given United's position a few years ago I would say it was.

 

[ShorehamRevolution]

Lol. Who dafuq is Ryan Hall?

Everyone is keeping quiet on this !! Nobody knows !!

 

[1973Blade]

Everyone is keeping quiet on this !! Nobody knows !!

Very popular at Merstham FC. One that slipped the net perhaps!

 

[S64 Blade]

I hope Long does still make it. He had a good game for Wimbledon today.

Their POTY so far, apparently. GLTTL!

 

[8lade]

Very popular at Merstham FC. One that slipped the net perhaps!

Checks 'The Pyramid' Isthmian League Div 1 South (Level 8), played for l**ds and Sheffield United...wait a minute Soccerbase says he's at Spennymoor Town...

 

[Mumbo]

One of the lowest points during our 'wilderness years' in League One came in October 2013 during David Weir's brief period in charge.
At home to Crawley Town on a cold Friday night, we were lucky to get away with a point in a dull 1-1 draw, after scoring just one in the previous six games.
I remember thinking to myself, how many of this side will progress further in their careers. My extensive research four years on (well looking at Wikipedia) provides the answer :
1. George Long, now on loan at AFC Wimbledon, career gone DOWNHILL
2. Tony McMahon, Bradford City, career gone SIDEWAYS
3. Harry Maguire, Leicester City, career gone UPWARDS
4. Neill Collins, Tampa Bay Raiders, DOWNHILL
5. Simon Lappin, King's Lynn Town, DOWNHILL
6. Fabian Brandy, Ubon UMT United, Thailand, DOWNHILL
7. Florent Cuvelier, Walsall, DOWNHILL
8. Michael Doyle, Coventry City, DOWNHILL
9. Ryan Hall, Merstham, DOWNHILL
10. José Baxter, Everton (!), DOWNHILL
11. Marlon King, prison and retired, DOWNHILL
SUBS
Mark Howard's, Bolton Wanderers, SIDEWAYS
Darryl Westlake, Stourbridge, DOWNHILL
Matt Hill, retired
Lyle Taylor, AFC Wimbledon, DOWNHILL
Stephen McGinn, St Mitre, DOWNHILL
Conor Coady, Wolverhampton Wanderers, UPWARDS
Jamie Murphy, Brighton And Hove Albion, UPWARDS
I don't think the me of 2013 leaving Bramall Lane that cold night would have been surprised at the lack of progress made by those players.

This and the other 80’s attendance thread are putting me on a reight downer.
It’s 2017 and we are footballing gods....bring on Burton

 

[Blade for Sale]

If ever there were a prime example of an oxymoron, it is the line "class of 2013" when referring to Sheffield United.

There was more class on show in Roxy's in the 1980s.

 

[I should coco]

We were in L1 so all the players who moved to L1 clubs (eg Long, Taylor etc) should be 'sideways'.

Howard at Bolton is 'upwards' as they are for a bit at least, in the Championship.

Amazing how many are in non league or at significantly lowere levels though.