Jamie Murphy

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

Nor, as you say, is Murray because of his time in the US.

Wait, what?! He doesn't count as home grown because he spent a single season playing non major league football in the US?!

 

[AZ Gull]

Wait, what?! He doesn't count as home grown because he spent a single season playing non major league football in the US?!

That is the thing that surprised me, and it didn't seem to make sense - why a single season (which would have been less than a 12-month calendar period) would have invalidated his HGP status. Wikipedia shows him spending a single season (in 2004) with the gloriously-named Wilmington Hammerheads.

However, a bit of digging turned up this interview in the Mirror last season - Wally meets Glenn Murray - Brighton's hitman on plastering, America and kick-starting his career

The following is the relevant bit:-

...I had been working as a plasterer's labourer, so in football terms I didn't go out there to salvage my career because I had no career to rescue,” he said.

“But there was a Workington connection because David Irving, who played for Everton in the 1970s was coaching over in Wilmington and his brother, Jimmy, was running a local amateur team up my way in Cumbria.

“Jimmy suggested that I should try my luck with his brother in America – and I liked it so much I spent three seasons over there.

“I had the choice of staying at home, working the days away doing something I didn't really enjoy, or packing my bags and giving it another shot and hoping something came of it.

“I didn't really have anything to lose, and it turned out to be a great way of growing up, learning about life and learning about football.

It would appear, then, that he actually spent a significant chunk of his HGP years in the States.

 

[ewe2]

what encouragement was that?

IMO the 3 wingers on show,left some room for competition for their place !

 

[Wardy's twin]

i would agree about AK but March and Izquierdo were good, the latter scoring. All for improving on them but not Jamie , he is not PL class IMO based on what I have seen him play in three games.

 

[drew]

IMO the 3 wingers on show,left some room for competition for their place !

But that would be competition from people with the talent and brains to challenge them. Unfortunately Murphy falls well short on the latter and, in my opinion, always has. He has talent but just has never really utilised it effectively and regularly due to poor decision making!!!

Personally think Jose and Solly are the front two and AK just needs to move up one more gear and get a run of really good performances to be back to where he was. For him I think confidence plays a big factor. Bear in mind he has just had to go through the anniversary of his dad's death.

 

[HastingsSeagull]

We have 3 excellent options and Murphy is only intended to be a cheap and flexible back-up I'm sure. He's perfectly adequate as that but it's his limit.

 

[Machiavelli]

We have 3 excellent options and Murphy is only intended to be a cheap and flexible back-up I'm sure. He's perfectly adequate as that but it's his limit.

And ship Skalak out, who has served his purpose.
It'd be great to get an upgrade on Murphy, but that's not going to happen for a while. It's worth bearing in mind that beyond our main three -- AK, JI, SM -- there's three players versatile enough to play out wide who are probably better than Murphy: Brown, Schelotto and Baldock. That's some cover.