2025/26 Harrison Armstrong

Ryan Baker said:
Loaned to boro for the season, after we buy hackney
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That's not the world's worst shout

You can see from Moyes's comments last night that we aren't entirely sure what the best course of action is for him. Clearly a talent, but he's unlikely to get regular minutes here this season and you have to weigh up whether regular football either (presumably) at Championship level or abroad would be best for him or whether he'd get more from training with the first team this season and trying to push for a spot.

I look at Branthwaite (and admittedly every player is different), but that loan to PSV was perfect for him - he was absolutely at exactly the right stage of development after that to come and take a 1st team spot.

Needs to be managed really carefully, and I think my preference would be for him to play more minutes somewhere else, but there's no saying I'm right.
 

Joey66 said:
No wait they are all Professional players even the National league have all professional teams - I watched semi pro league players thinking he could play in Division one or even the Championship league - I spoke to one of our best defenders in the old Unibond league - he had been approached many times by professional teams - he turned them down - he was then on £80 per week in the 1990s - he had a high paid job permanent as a surveyor = good steady high income - he told me - not worth it - as no guarantee of a massive income in the lower league to give his steady job for - too much to gamble - he just treated it as a well paid hobby - in a FA CUP game round 2 he marked a league player out of the game their big signing - the professional club were all over him like a rash after the game - the wages were very good , but too much of a gamble ! for his future...

I watched Barry Hales of Stevenage - He made it in the prem with Fulham - he scored against us - there have been a few Vardy etc but you can count them on one hand who take the chance to give up their career in a well paid job -

Even the league of Wales have professional teams - We need to build a young fast side with only a bit of experience players in it - shipping good prospects out on loan in leagues were the referring is poorer - they are liable to get bad injuries - Harrison Armstrong would benefit a season around the team on the bench & cameo roles for us - than to be farmed out again - if we get injuries he is a good back up IMO!
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Thats all well and good mate.....but they are still closer to semi-pro level, that Premier league standard.

Thats just the reality of the size of the gap.

Mansfield most valuable player was playing semi-pro footy 4 years ago....and he is 28!!!

I watch lots of semi-pro myself...I go to watch a few League 1 games too...and some of the players in that league 1 have or still do play semi-pro level on loan...and or have come from that level.

Semi-pro is still full of very good players.....above amateur / grass roots and WAY above sunday pub leagues.

The only reason the NL is fully professional now is just down to the amount of money in the leagues with massive clubs going down and getting large crowds...its not in any way because they are closer to prem level players, the gap is even bigger.

Im not dissing semi-pro level, I have a son that struggled to get a sniff in it, after spending 4/5 years in or around academies.
 
Pabbers said:
Thats all well and good mate.....but they are still closer to semi-pro level, that Premier league standard.

Thats just the reality of the size of the gap.

Mansfield most valuable player was playing semi-pro footy 4 years ago....and he is 28!!!

I watch lots of semi-pro myself...I go to watch a few League 1 games too...and some of the players in that league 1 have or still do play semi-pro level on loan...and or have come from that level.

Semi-pro is still full of very good players.....above amateur / grass roots and WAY above sunday pub leagues.

The only reason the NL is fully professional now is just down to the amount of money in the leagues with massive clubs going down and getting large crowds...its not in any way because they are closer to prem level players, the gap is even bigger.

Im not dissing semi-pro level, I have a son that struggled to get a sniff in it, after spending 4/5 years in or around academies.
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I did state not many have made it to the prem plus back then in the non professional clubs i would imagine a lot of cash in hand went on - & not declared on the clubs books - plus attendances on big Cup games were not accurate etc - Some semi pro teams go bust too - a league one side that came to Goodison under Brian Cloughs son would have been all professionals - to make it you have to be at high championship or prem levels I agree with that -

The level I watched surprised me - I did notice how much players got away with crunching tackles & I am sure it is the same in our lower leagues the standard of officials was shocking - we have had other youngsters out on loan who got bad injuries that's my main point of risking a talent like Harrison Armstrong - in my experience of watching lower league football for a period - he could be targeted for nasty treatment ....
 

toffeeblue9 said:
That's not the world's worst shout

You can see from Moyes's comments last night that we aren't entirely sure what the best course of action is for him. Clearly a talent, but he's unlikely to get regular minutes here this season and you have to weigh up whether regular football either (presumably) at Championship level or abroad would be best for him or whether he'd get more from training with the first team this season and trying to push for a spot.

I look at Branthwaite (and admittedly every player is different), but that loan to PSV was perfect for him - he was absolutely at exactly the right stage of development after that to come and take a 1st team spot.

Needs to be managed really carefully, and I think my preference would be for him to play more minutes somewhere else, but there's no saying I'm right.
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A year in a top league in France, Portugal or Holland playing for a team also in a European competition would bring him along … hopefully to the same level as Branthwaite when he came back from Holland
 
Joey66 said:
I did state not many have made it to the prem plus back then in the non professional clubs i would imagine a lot of cash in hand went on - & not declared on the clubs books - plus attendances on big Cup games were not accurate etc - Some semi pro teams go bust too - a league one side that came to Goodison under Brian Cloughs son would have been all professionals - to make it you have to be at high championship or prem levels I agree with that -

The level I watched surprised me - I did notice how much players got away with crunching tackles & I am sure it is the same in our lower leagues the standard of officials was shocking - we have had other youngsters out on loan who got bad injuries that's my main point of risking a talent like Harrison Armstrong - in my experience of watching lower league football for a period - he could be targeted for nasty treatment ....
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I’m also leaning towards keeping Armstrong with us – BUT review in Jan see how many mins he has been given, and depending on the teams that want him…

Would have to be top level Championship and guarantee mins – But that’s hard at that level, as its very risky for teams chasing the prem.

The gap is waaaay bigger now, less and less will come up from lower leagues....always the odd 1 mind.

1990 was 35 years ago

Barry Hales was 25 years ago.

Bolton wanderers recently sold George Thomason who had been captain of them, to Wrexham for over £1 million.

Bolton got him from Step 5 abount 4 years earlier...thats 5 leagues below League 2...while yes he now plays in the Championship....he is closer to a semi-pro player...than Premier League level.
 
Pabbers said:
I’m also leaning towards keeping Armstrong with us – BUT review in Jan see how many mins he has been given, and depending on the teams that want him…

Would have to be top level Championship and guarantee mins – But that’s hard at that level, as its very risky for teams chasing the prem.

The gap is waaaay bigger now, less and less will come up from lower leagues....always the odd 1 mind.

1990 was 35 years ago

Barry Hales was 25 years ago.

Bolton wanderers recently sold George Thomason who had been captain of them, to Wrexham for over £1 million.

Bolton got him from Step 5 abount 4 years earlier...thats 5 leagues below League 2...while yes he now plays in the Championship....he is closer to a semi-pro player...than Premier League level.
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I agree the gulf now is far greater - but really are some of them worth the transfer fees or wages - the answer is IMO NO - but the prem funded by Sky is a roller coaster which is hard to stop ..... E.G. look at United spent 100s of millions & could not beat Grimsby & have yet to win .....
 

hetion said:
Right now Hackney is on another planet to him, but that's pretty understandable as he's nearly 5 years older.

You'd have to be an incredibly good scout to say whether Armstrong would be better or worse than him in time tho.
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Our Captain last night has heaped praise on him saying why Harrison Armstrong is a special talent for a 18 year old player ....

If we sign another midfielder as predicted Harrison Armstrong will go out on loan IMO...
 
Would love to see more of him this year but if he does go out on loan I think he’s better than the championship, would love to see him go to Italy or Germany and get some games
 

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