UK clubs 2016/17 preseason

[samhaydenjr]

A couple of interesting developments to watch - Firstly, Olamide Shodipo started for QPR in a recent friendly against PSV Eindhoven (http://www.qpr.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/qpr-olamide-shodipo-pre-season-psv-holland-3175766.aspx). Secondly, there has been a revamp to the Football League Trophy for the upcoming season - sixteen Premier League clubs' Under-21 teams will be participating with the League One and Two senior teams so hopefully it will give some of our youngsters a chance to gain experience against adult opposition (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016%E2%80%9317_EFL_Trophy). Alas, we will have no representation at a number of these club, but we do have a few players who could do with a chance to impress with a few games against senior sides - the likes of Ian Lawlor at man City; Conor Masterson at Liverpool; Sam Byrne, Harry Charsley, Steven Kinsella and Courtney Duffus at Everton; Josh Cullen at West Ham; Zachary Elbouzedi and Shaun Donnellan at West Brom.

[tetsujin1979]

Byrne, Lenihan, O'Sullivan and Stokes all featured for Blackburn against SV Ried in Austria: http://www.rovers.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/match-report-blackburn-rovers-sv-ried-3176210.aspx

[tetsujin1979]

A couple of interesting developments to watch - Firstly, Olamide Shodipo started for QPR in a recent friendly against PSV Eindhoven (http://www.qpr.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/qpr-olamide-shodipo-pre-season-psv-holland-3175766.aspx). Secondly, there has been a revamp to the Football League Trophy for the upcoming season - sixteen Premier League clubs' Under-21 teams will be participating with the League One and Two senior teams so hopefully it will give some of our youngsters a chance to gain experience against adult opposition (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016%E2%80%9317_EFL_Trophy). Alas, we will have no representation at a number of these club, but we do have a few players who could do with a chance to impress with a few games against senior sides - the likes of Ian Lawlor at man City; Conor Masterson at Liverpool; Sam Byrne, Harry Charsley, Steven Kinsella and Courtney Duffus at Everton; Josh Cullen at West Ham; Zachary Elbouzedi and Shaun Donnellan at West Brom.
Man City and Liverpool have turned down their invite to the EFL Trophy, as well as Man United and Spurs. Everton, Southampton and Stoke have said they will be participating.

[samhaydenjr]

Mark Bunn and Kevin Toner played for Aston Villa against Worcester City, Toner playing the full game and Bunn replaced after 77 minutes. Villa played another friendly earlier in the day but team sheet not listed on their site. Blackburn also played a double-header today. John O'Sullivan played in the first game against Bury, while Byrne, Lenihan and Stokes all featured against Morecambe.

[samhaydenjr]

Adam Hammill and Conor Hourihane both scored for Barnsley against Weston-super-Mare. Meanwhile Scott Hogan carried forward his goalscoring streak from last season by netting against VfL Bochum earlier in the week - time for MON to have a chat, maybe? John Egan was a second-half substitute in the same game.

[samhaydenjr]

...and the one we're really interested in: Callum O'Dowda made his debut for Bristol City, playing 35 minutes and showed "signs of his ball-carrying ability, sharpness of turn and elusiveness with his slight build and nippy style." Derrick Williams played 85 minutes

[samhaydenjr]

Anthony Pilkington scored the first for Cardiff in a 4-0 win over Shrewsbury.

[samhaydenjr]

Olamide Shodipo and Reece Grego-Cox both came on as subs for QPR against Groningen on Monday

[CraftyToePoke]

That's a fine string of contributions.

[samhaydenjr]

Joe Mason returned to the scoresheet for Wolves last night against Crewe. Matt Doherty also played while Connor Ronan was on the bench. All are included in a 25-man squad for a training camp in Ireland

[samhaydenjr]

That's a fine string of contributions.

Thanks you CTP - I had a little bit of time on hand and thought I'd see how some of our Championship Prospects were faring in pre-season. Of course it's probably much too early to read much into some of these appearances - I remember seeing a video a couple of years ago of Bradley Garmston scoring a cracker of a goal in pre-season for West Brom just before he got sent on loan to Gillingham before making the move permanent.

[tetsujin1979]

Jay Tabb and Cieron keane are on trial at Burton at the moment, Tabb played against Stoke yesterday, but there's no mention of Keane in the report: http://www.burtonalbionfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/burton-stoke-friendly-3189169.aspx
According to this - http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/burton-albion-transfer-news-clough-to-make-decision-on-trialists-after-weekend/story-29513719-detail/story.html - Clough will make a decision about both of them, and three other players on trial there, this week

Pierce Sweeney on trial at Exeter, played against Bristol Rovers in a friendly yesterday: http://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/exeter-city-bristol-rovers-match-report-3188994.aspx

After his contract with Rotherham expired, Paul Green is training with former club Doncaster Rovers at the moment, Darren Ferguson hasn't ruled out making an offer: http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/sport/doncaster-rovers/rovers-news/doncaster-rovers-ferguson-does-not-rule-out-swoop-for-paul-green-1-8011742

[tetsujin1979]

Darragh Leahy in the Coventry squad on pre season tour of Austria: http://www.ccfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/team-news-sk-sturm-graz-coventry-city-austria-3188118.aspx

Kane Ferdinand on trial at Yeovil: http://www.ciderspace.co.uk/asp/news/news.asp?NewsItemId=25466

Noel Hunt on trial at Portsmouth: http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/sutton-united-2-pompey-1-in-friendly-at-the-borough-sports-ground-3189075.aspx

[Olé Olé]

Darragh Leahy in the Coventry squad on pre season tour of Austria: http://www.ccfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/team-news-sk-sturm-graz-coventry-city-austria-3188118.aspx



The two Kelly-Evans twins that played gaelic football with Daniel Crowley are after progressing to the first team squad there too. Either half of their second name could give inference of an Irish connection, as well as the gaelic football.

[tetsujin1979]

Darren Randolph, Declan Rice and Josh Cullen all started for West Ham in their friendly against FC Slovako: http://www.whufc.com/News/Articles/2016/July/19-July/Late-double-denies-Hammers

Lenihan, Byrne, Stokes and O'Sullivan all featured for Rovers in their draw against Rochdale, who had McDermott, Canavan, Rafferty in their starting XI, as well as Brian Barry-Murphy and Keith Kearney on the bench
Blackburn report: http://www.rovers.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/blackburn-rovers-rochdale-match-report-3194983.aspx
Rochdale report: http://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/blackburn-rochdale-report-3194915.aspx

Bonham, Egan, and McCormack started for Brentford against Wycombe: http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/wycombe-wanderers-vs-brentford-pre-season-friendly-match-report-3194645.aspx

[samhaydenjr]

Darren Randolph, Declan Rice and Josh Cullen all started for West Ham in their friendly against FC Slovako: http://www.whufc.com/News/Articles/2016/July/19-July/Late-double-denies-Hammers

Lenihan, Byrne, Stokes and O'Sullivan all featured for Rovers in their draw against Rochdale, who had McDermott, Canavan, Rafferty in their starting XI, as well as Brian Barry-Murphy and Keith Kearney on the bench
Blackburn report: http://www.rovers.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/blackburn-rovers-rochdale-match-report-3194983.aspx
Rochdale report: http://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/blackburn-rochdale-report-3194915.aspx

Bonham, Egan, and McCormack started for Brentford against Wycombe: http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/wycombe-wanderers-vs-brentford-pre-season-friendly-match-report-3194645.aspx

Egan got Brentford's goal in their 1-1 draw with Wycombe, while McDermott got Rochdale's against Blackburn. Declan Rice also got a 30-minute run-out against Carolina during the Hammers' tour of the US, so he's starting to look promising.

[Olé Olé]

Egan got Brentford's goal in their 1-1 draw with Wycombe, while McDermott got Rochdale's against Blackburn. Declan Rice also got a 30-minute run-out against Carolina during the Hammers' tour of the US, so he's starting to look promising.

Appears to have played a bit for their under 21's at the age of 17 and must have impressed to be brought on this tour.

http://readwestham.com/2016/06/29/declan-rice-signs-professional-contract-west-ham/

Centre half or full back?

[liamoo11]

Appears to have played a bit for their under 21's at the age of 17 and must have impressed to be brought on this tour.

http://readwestham.com/2016/06/29/declan-rice-signs-professional-contract-west-ham/

Centre half or full back?
Looked like centre half against Rubin Kazan two horrible mistakes for two goals today

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Jay Tabb and Cieron keane are on trial at Burton at the moment, Tabb played against Stoke yesterday, but there's no mention of Keane in the report: http://www.burtonalbionfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/burton-stoke-friendly-3189169.aspx
According to this - http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/burton-albion-transfer-news-clough-to-make-decision-on-trialists-after-weekend/story-29513719-detail/story.html - Clough will make a decision about both of them, and three other players on trial there, this week

Pierce Sweeney on trial at Exeter, played against Bristol Rovers in a friendly yesterday: http://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/exeter-city-bristol-rovers-match-report-3188994.aspx

After his contract with Rotherham expired, Paul Green is training with former club Doncaster Rovers at the moment, Darren Ferguson hasn't ruled out making an offer: http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/sport/doncaster-rovers/rovers-news/doncaster-rovers-ferguson-does-not-rule-out-swoop-for-paul-green-1-8011742

Sweeney set to be offered deal by Exeter after impressing on trial.

http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/paul-tisdale-looking-to-tie-up-deal-for-pierce-sweeney-after-trialist-impresses-during-pre-season/story-29534113-detail/story.html

[samhaydenjr]

Matt Doherty and Joe Mason played the full ninety minutes for Wolves in their scoreless draw against Port Vale. Connor Ronan was an unused sub.

http://www.wolves.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/goalless-at-vale-park-3202283.aspx

[samhaydenjr]

Liam Kelly has featured in four of Reading's pre-season games, apparently scoring a beauty against Boreham Wood. Josh Barrett played in the same game, while Conor Clifford was an unused sub for Boreham Wood. Clifford seems to have settled in at Boreham Wood, playing 47 times last season and scoring a couple of goals, also scoring in another friendly against Brentwood. Hopefully he can build on that platform and climb back up to a higher level.

[samhaydenjr]

At QPR, Olamide Shodipo has featured in four of their five pre-season friendlies so far (unused sub in the other) and scored against Aldershot. Reece Grego-Cox made appearances against Aldershot and Groningen

[samhaydenjr]

Eoin Doyle has netted twice for Preston in their pre-season games - Greg Cunningham and Alan Browne have both featured in their friendlies

[samhaydenjr]

Eoghan Stokes has played in three of Leeds' four games, scoring against Guiseley

[samhaydenjr]

Callum O'Dowda has featured in all three of Bristol's games since his transfer

[samhaydenjr]

Noe Baba was an unused Sub for Birmingham against Walsall recently

[johnnyc]

Brilliant thread mate. Fair play!

[OwlsFan]

Kieran Westwood appeared in Wednesday's 4-0 win over Portuguese side C.D Nacional in Albufeira, including an assist :)

[SkStu]

Egan got Brentford's goal in their 1-1 draw with Wycombe

qKSIWX0WGuE

a couple minutes in (worth fast forwarding). Nice finish.

[gastric]

Stephen McLaughlin earns praise from Phil Brown in a friendly against the hammers, while triallist Ronan Murray came off the bench for the last 20 minutes. Come on Charlie pump up one of these guys tyres!

http://www.echo-news.co.uk/sport/blues/14641423.Brown_heaps_praise_on_fit_again_McLaughli n/

[Charlie Darwin]

Come on Charlie pump up one of these guys tyres!
I can't do everything, gastric.

[OMTY]

Brighton played two friendlies last Saturday and in one of them 16 year old Waterford native Jay Molumby made his first appearance for the first team. Got 32 mins coming on for Steven Sidwell in a game they lost 2-1 to Luton, they were 1 up before making a raft of changes on 62 including Molumby. Interesting to note that Richie Towell didn't feature in either game for the Seagulls. Is he injured?

Fellow Waterfordian Dessie Hutchinson got 10 mins in the other friendly v Stevenage.

Edit to say Tom Cadman who is down as being Irish scored in the Luton game.

[tetsujin1979]

Brighton played two friendlies last Saturday and in one of them 16 year old Waterford native Jay Molumby made his first appearance for the first team. Got 32 mins coming on for Steven Sidwell in a game they lost 2-1 to Luton. Interesting to note that Richie Towell didn't feature in either game for the Seagulls. Is he injured?

Fellow Waterfordian Dessie Hutchinson got 10 mins in the other friendly v Stevenage.

Yeah, knee injury in training.
Molumby and U19 defender Tom Cadman came off the bench for Brighton tonight, Cadman scored five minutes after coming on.

[CraftyToePoke]

I had a little bit of time on hand and thought I'd see how some of our Championship Prospects were faring in pre-season

Sound, anything on Hale at Birmingham or Coughlan at Huddersfield seeing any first team outings on pre season ?

[samhaydenjr]

Sound, anything on Hale at Birmingham or Coughlan at Huddersfield seeing any first team outings on pre season ?

No sign of either of them in their respective first teams, but Hale has being playing in the Development Squad's friendlies and was involved in their last three goals, scoring one himself. Barring a big step-up, he probably won't figure in the next qualifying campaign (generally that's the type of player I'm trying to track), but considering he's only 17 or 18, his career is just where it should be, and hopefully he'll be able to step up to first-team play next season. No word on Ronan Coughlan at Huddersfield and, I admit, I know little about him - is he a decent player? The more forwards we can get on the horizon, the better, because I think we have decent depth in midfield already with a number of exciting youngsters on the verge of breaking through, but we have a bit of a dearth of strikers under 30.

[samhaydenjr]

Ronan Hale and Noe Baba both played the full 90 for Birmingham's Under-21s in their defeat to Wolves

http://www.bcfc.com/news/article/2016-17/birmingham-city-woves-3210529.aspx

[gastric]

Ronan Hale and Noe Baba both played the full 90 for Birmingham's Under-21s in their defeat to Wolves

http://www.bcfc.com/news/article/2016-17/birmingham-city-woves-3210529.aspx

Is this bloke's brother at Villa? Don't know if this was posted anywhere else, but this article is interesting as he is feeling more love with us than he felt with NI.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/birmingham-city-goal-machine-ronan-11433348

[Charlie Darwin]

Is this bloke's brother at Villa? Don't know if this was posted anywhere else, but this article is interesting as he is feeling more love with us than he felt with NI.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/birmingham-city-goal-machine-ronan-11433348
Yes, Rory is at Birmingham. His granddad Danny Hale used to play for Dundalk. I think Danny posted something recently about how he (Danny) would have been open to play for Ireland had he had the chance.

[gastric]

Sorry Charlie, a bit confused, did you mean Villa or is the brother at Birmingham too?

[tetsujin1979]

Dean O'Halloran training with Portsmouth: http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/football/pompey/pompey-keeper-will-shake-off-rust-1-7498323

Meanwhile, Pompey are running the rule over Dean O’Halloran, with the winger training with the Blues after being released by Fulham.

[samhaydenjr]

Sorry Charlie, a bit confused, did you mean Villa or is the brother at Birmingham too?

Just to clarify, you were right, Ronan's older brother, Rory, is a midfielder in Aston Villa's U-21 squad - no mention of him switching allegiance as yet, the Northern Ireland flag is still by his name on Wikipedia and Villa's site

[gastric]

Typical Charlie to get his facts wrong. I am sure he is playing with my head presently!:D

[Charlie Darwin]

Sorry Charlie, a bit confused, did you mean Villa or is the brother at Birmingham too?
Sorry, I meant Villa :(

[Irwin3]

Everton vs. Dynamo Dresden for anyone interested, about to kick-off. https://www.reddit.com/r/soccerstreams/comments/4v7pn4/match_thread_1830_gmt_dynamo_dresden_everton_fc/
Gibson and Coleman start. McCarthy on bench.

[CraftyToePoke]

No sign of either of them in their respective first teams, but Hale has being playing in the Development Squad's friendlies and was involved in their last three goals, scoring one himself. Barring a big step-up, he probably won't figure in the next qualifying campaign (generally that's the type of player I'm trying to track), but considering he's only 17 or 18, his career is just where it should be, and hopefully he'll be able to step up to first-team play next season. No word on Ronan Coughlan at Huddersfield and, I admit, I know little about him - is he a decent player? The more forwards we can get on the horizon, the better, because I think we have decent depth in midfield already with a number of exciting youngsters on the verge of breaking through, but we have a bit of a dearth of strikers under 30.

I agree with you about Hale, he is where he should be but his goals / games ratio last season was a reason to keep an eye on how he sets off this term, he could be a bolter but it's way to early to raise any hopes or place expectations. Here is an U18 hat trick he hit last term - www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaJte9ms_H4 - three very different types of finish, makes and finishes the first, the touch for the second one is clever and perfectly executed, and pulls wide well for the third.

Ronan Coughlan is the younger brother of Limerick FC player Garbhan and after a trial or short term contract (can't remember which) at Huddersfield, he was very quickly tied to a three year pro deal - http://www.htafc.com/news/article/academy-news-coughlan-contract-2048372.aspx - with the club having the option of another year beyond that. That was in 2014 and runs to summer '17 but no news since, there was message board mention of an injury but I have no idea of duration or severity of it. I think he would be 20 now.

[samhaydenjr]

I agree with you about Hale, he is where he should be but his goals / games ratio last season was a reason to keep an eye on how he sets off this term, he could be a bolter but it's way to early to raise any hopes or place expectations. Here is an U18 hat trick he hit last term - www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaJte9ms_H4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaJte9ms_H4) - three very different types of finish, makes and finishes the first, the touch for the second one is clever and perfectly executed, and pulls wide well for the third.

Ronan Coughlan is the younger brother of Limerick FC player Garbhan and after a trial or short term contract (can't remember which) at Huddersfield, he was very quickly tied to a three year pro deal - http://www.htafc.com/news/article/academy-news-coughlan-contract-2048372.aspx - with the club having the option of another year beyond that. That was in 2014 and runs to summer '17 but no news since, there was message board mention of an injury but I have no idea of duration or severity of it. I think he would be 20 now.

Very true - I don't want to get too ahead of ourselves because success at underage level doesn't always transfer to the senior level - for instance I think I read a description of Michael Drennan as "scoring goals for fun" while at the Villa Academy before he got released (and I do hope Drennan manages to find peace and makes a successful return to football). On the other hand, from what I read, Hale has made a good start at U-21 level, so if he keeps that up, there's every reason to believe he could move up to the senior club team and put himself into consideration for the National Squad by next season (or sooner, if he goes on a ridiculous scoring spree).

Anyway to start today's round-up, Kevin Long came on as sub for Burnley against Bolton recently. However, on the downside, Harry Arter came off injured while playing for Bournemouth against Cardiff: http://www.afcb.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/match-report-afc-bournemouth-1-0-cardiff-city-3215778.aspx

[samhaydenjr]

Olamide Shodipo started and played 62 minutes for QPR against Watford, who had Tommie Hoban as an unused sub. It's really starting to look like Shodipo is in Hasselbaink's plans for the coming season - let's hope he continues to impress
http://www.watfordfc.com/news/article/2016-17/160730-qpr-v-watford-fc-match-report-3215577.aspx

[samhaydenjr]

All five Irish players were in Blackburn's squad for their draw against Girona. Duffy, Byrne, Lenihan and Stokes all played, with John O'Sullivan an unused sub. Duffy and Lenihan both tested the Girona keeper

http://www.rovers.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/ben-marshall-blackburn-rovers-girona-fc-3215768.aspx

[samhaydenjr]

Scott Hogan played the full 90 minutes for Brentford against Millwall, with John Egan coming on as a late sub

http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/brentford-v-millwall-match-report-3215494.aspx

[samhaydenjr]

Callum O'Dowda watch news - winger played 60 minutes for Bristol City against Portsmouth

http://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/city-held-to-goalless-draw-3215567.aspx