[Albion] Who was our most promising youngster ever, pre-Amex era?

[Mustafa II]

Criteria:

- Under 20 when he was with us
- Played at least one game for the first team
- 10/11 season or prior

 

[kojak]

tony towner

 

[severnside gull]

Barrie Rees?

'Barrie Rees was one of Brighton’s classiest ever players'

And If You Know Your History aims to explain and highlight some of the incidents, matches, people, players, and situations that combine to make Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club what it is.

www.brightonandhovealbion.com

Barrie Rees would be my choice although he was 21 when we signed him from Everton

 

[Teddy Maybank]

Has to be Mark Lawrenson. Just did a quick check. We signed him when he was 19. He was a epic.

 

[London Irish]

Didn't Dunky have a couple of pre-Amex Withdean seasons? Or is he disqualified for going on to be Amex era

 

[Perry's Tracksuit Bottoms]

He never played for our senior team.

Yeah but he did once stand on Brighton beach with a seagull on his head.

 

[Pevenseagull]

Kevin McGarrigle

I vaguely knew a few people who worked around the club who thought he was capable of great things.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Jake Robinson was probably the most exciting youngster when he was in the youth team.

I we convinced Nicky Rust would play for England.

 

[big nuts]

I remember John Westcott having a storming pre-season 97/98; a shame he turned out to be crap.

I guess it must have been hard for any young player, such was our mediocrity that season.

Ross Johnson & Kevin McGarrigle initially impressed as first teamers in the mid nineties.

Before that Ian Chapman & John Robinson.

 

[Poyningsgull]

Joel Lynch. Felt sure he would go all the way and play for England. Got a bad injury and was never quite the same.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Ian Wright

Not under 20.

 

[LANGDON SEAGULL]

Joe Gatting was banging then in for our youth side, turned out to be a very average footballer and an even worse cricketer

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Steve Sidwell. Was 19 when he first came to us (on loan from the Arse). Played nearly 400 games in the EPL, and finished off his career being excellent for us, including scoring from our half.

 

[chaileyjem]

Lewis Dunk

 

[SeagullsoverLondon]

Did Solly join the youth team before or just after we moved to the Amex?

 

[The Grockle]

Tommy Elphick always seemed to have a big future, I was convinced he'd go on to play regularly at the top level. Had a decent career but never quite hit the level I expected him to.

 

[WhingForPresident]

Always thought Tommy Elphick would go on to more than he did. Obviously he had a decent career and played in the PL but I thought he had the potential to be a top PL centre back, a la Dunk.

 

[LANGDON SEAGULL]

Did Solly join the youth team before or just after we moved to the Amex?

Solly joined from Lewes in December 2011 , so in our first season at the Amex

 

[wilf tranter]

Barrie Rees?

'Barrie Rees was one of Brighton’s classiest ever players'

And If You Know Your History aims to explain and highlight some of the incidents, matches, people, players, and situations that combine to make Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club what it is.

www.brightonandhovealbion.com

He doesn't meet the age criterion since he signed for the Albion at the age of 21, and died in a road accident only a few months afterwards. But the nomination seems exactly right: Barrie was a footballer of exceptional ability who impressed everyone who had the privilege of watching him play. John Vinicombe wrote many years later that Barrie Rees and Mark Lawrenson were the two finest players to have played for the club in the years that John reported for the Argus.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Do loan players count? If so, Withdean Era, I'd say Chris Wood. Showed tremendous promise as an 18 year old. If not, Jake Robinson was considered The Great White Hope. Seem to recall he made the mistake of scoring a hat-trick one game. Wilkins soon slapped down that kind of behaviour. Jakey was on the bench next game

 

[Reddleman]

John Westcott