[Albion] Albion player's who never reached potential

[DJ NOBO]

When I first saw Matt Wicks I thought he was premier league.
Still think he was generally excellent for us, at the start.
He was retired a year after leaving Albion. Age 25.

 

[Braggfan]

Jeff Minton. In poor times he glimmered bright but got tempted away by Nobby career petered out

I don't understand why people have such a poor memory of Jeff Minton. I know it's all relative, because no he wouldn't get near our team today, but where the club were at the time, and the standard we were playing, he was one of our better players. In that 2nd season at Gillingham when he linked up with Rod Thomas, they were untouchable. They were one of the highlights of playing there.

 

[Madafwo]

He actually made his Football League debut in a play off semi final first leg.
Was recently playing for Salford.

Wasn't that the play off semi final where we were ruined by injury and Stephens was banned for the amputation he performed on Gastón Ramírez?

I actually saw him play in the FA Cup for us at Lincoln but for the life of me I have no idea why his contract was extended after reaching the Premier League having only played for the first team a handful of times in the 1.5 seasons with us up to that point, probably why I'm not in football management I guess.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Another vote for Jeff Minton. I saw most of the 'home' games at pissfilled and he was in a class of his own. I just looked him up and was surprised the played 174 games for us, starting in 94. I don't remember him from the Goldstone era (albeit I was a rare attendee back then). He followed Nobby to Port Vale and appears to have joined him in the downward spiral to football oblivion, effetively finished at age only 28. Weird.

 

[Surrey_Albion]

I don't understand why people have such a poor memory of Jeff Minton. I know it's all relative, because no he wouldn't get near our team today, but where the club were at the time, and the standard we were playing, he was one of our better players. In that 2nd season at Gillingham when he linked up with Rod Thomas, they were untouchable. They were one of the highlights of playing there.

I agree, thought he was excellent for us

 

[Cpt. Spavil]

Michael Poke - I think only played a few games but was the best keeper at training at the club.

 

[Munkfish]

Joel Lynch ? Just released by Sunderland

Played 90% of his career in the championship at clubs all bigger than the Albion at the time. He did alright id say.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Maheta Molango, surely. He joined us, scored a goal in 12 seconds in his first ever match for us, played 5 more games (without scoring) and was never heard of at The Albion again.

Actually, I wouldn't have minded a football career like that!

Calling [MENTION=8158]Molango's visa[/MENTION]

As others have mentioned, he got his law degree and went on to bigger football-related things.

I was at his goalscoring game, at either Reading or Massive (forget which); sadly it wasn't a winning goal. On the back of it I bought a pal of mine a Molango branded home shirt which he wore at Watford away when he visited. Not sure Molango was even in the squad by then

Edit, just looked him up. It was Reading and we lost 3-2.

 

[Springal]

Played 90% of his career in the championship at clubs all bigger than the Albion at the time. He did alright id say.

But wasn’t his potential premier league ? Didn’t Newcastle want to sign him when he was only in our youth team? And I don’t really think Forest, Huddersfield, QPR or Sunderland were at a higher level then us at the time

 

[JBizzle]

I don't understand why people have such a poor memory of Jeff Minton. I know it's all relative, because no he wouldn't get near our team today, but where the club were at the time, and the standard we were playing, he was one of our better players. In that 2nd season at Gillingham when he linked up with Rod Thomas, they were untouchable. They were one of the highlights of playing there.

Couldn't agree more. We were a terrible team at that point, filled with cast offs and cloggers but I always thought he was a decent footballer.

In terms of not reaching their potential: Joe Gatting (although maybe I'm confusing hype with potential). Scored bags and bags in the reserves but then never quite made that step into regular football. It didn't help that he got promoted into a team that was on the verge of Championship relegation, but even so, he never looked like scoring a goal.

He's a good indicator for someone like Connelly to to look at if he starts to get complacent. Very similar in a lot of ways (but obviously Connelly is a step or two above).

I'd also add Liam Bridcutt. GIven that when he left us at 23/24, I genuinely thought he'd go on to build a serious top flight career, but instead he ended up being an average midfielder at middling Championship clubs. His career is by no means a failure, but I thought he'd go on to better.