Players Stepping Up From Lower Leagues

[Barneyredballs]

Knowing there is a great deal of knowledge on the forum (really there is..) I was wondering if you could help me remember players whom have stepped up from lower leagues to higher ones who have been able to fit in and make an impact.

We've signed players from european leagues, with international experience, from the SPL and from lower leagues and from the championship. Some have made a difference, some have flattered to make a difference and some have looked like rabbits in headlights.

In the first team squad (those that have made 1st Team league appearances) we currently have 6 players signed from SPL, 1 from non-league, 5 from lower leagues, 6 from championship clubs and 3 from 'Premier League clubs' (although between them they have 2 starts and 7 substitute appearances) and 2 from European teams and 1 home grown.

Personally those stepping up, I'd suggest Elliott/Maynard and maybe Gerken have made an impact at Champ level.

SPL - Hartley? McAllister?

Championship - Maybe too early to say for some, but Haynes? JCR?

Of course if money wasn't an issue, I'm sure we'd have many many more premierships/championship signings.

[always hoping]

Knowing there is a great deal of knowledge on the forum (really there is..) I was wondering if you could help me remember players whom have stepped up from lower leagues to higher ones who have been able to fit in and make an impact.

Of course if money wasn't an issue, I'm sure we'd have many many more premierships/championship signings.

The club constantly quotes the enormous jump from Div 1 to Championship standard. I'm sure there is a step up but other more successful clubs than us seem to manage it.

This gulf in quality is believed to such an extent that the home grown players who have no Championsip experience cannot be considered as options to play. The only players at our club who have managed this step up between the divsions have either

1. been part of the team that gained promotion

2. Been bought from other clubs.

By offering the right treatment, support and showing confidence in the players City would have a number of other talented options to help them win games in the Championship. Of course this is not currently the case so we need to get behind the current team and support & help them keep us in the division. At the same time we should loan out the young pro's that we see as part of the future for City, to teams where they can continue their development working with Clubs who will show confidence in them. Obvously this is just a short term tactical fix, For those who like to plan ahead, unless we do something differently this problem will simply be there again come the start of next season.

[red badger]

Gylfi Sigurdsson - ex Crewe and Shrews - looked pretty good against us yesterday! Great header beating all our central defenders and suckered Hartley into giving away a pen. Looked class and experienced...and he's 20.

[fka dagest]

Going back a few years, I recall Rob Edwards came to us in such circumstances. I think Martin Scott did too - could be wrong though. Adam Locke was a pleasant surprise, I'm petty sure he came from at least a league lower (leyton Orient?)

Some work out and some don't, much the same can be said regarding foreign players, players from Scotland, players with brown hair or players called Dave.

However, I do wonder how much scouting attention is paid to young players in lower leagues (you know, the ones that actually get a game).