Former scholars round-up (08/04/21)

Andy Butler’s appointment as manager has heralded a new beginning for the former youth teamers currently on the books at Doncaster Rovers.  

Generally overlooked by previous boss Darren Moore, the four lads who’ve been involved so far during Butler’s tenure - Louis Jones, Branden Horton, Danny Amos and AJ Greaves, have collectively already made 16 appearances between them in just over a month.

By way of comparison, Moore only fielded youth team graduates 13 times in Football League games during his entire year-and-a-half reign; proof enough that there will be more opportunities should Butler land the manager’s job on a permanent basis!  

Branden Horton in action at Cantley Park in a game last season.

Since I penned this article looking at the specific numbers behind the youth team graduates who’ve progressed into the first team, Horton (pictured above) made his Football League debut and also started in some games - including in the 2-1 defeat at Bristol Rovers on Easter Monday.  

The only ex-scholar on the books right now yet to make his professional debut is centre-back Ben Blythe - a key figure in last season’s youth side who’ll be keen to appear before the end of the season.  

Another prominent figure in the same title-winning Youth Alliance team of 2019/20 was Lirak Hasani. However, a technicality in the wording relating to his loan move to Gateshead (whose National League North season has now been cancelled) means that, ridiculously, Hasani is unable to play again this term.  

Furthermore, Liam Ravenhill, who appeared for the first team in a couple of cup games in November is now back playing with the youth team and scored in the recent FA Youth Cup defeat to Peterborough whilst some words on current skipper Ethan Bojang’s time with Gambia at the relatively recent U20 African Nations Cup can also be found here. 

Elsewhere, two former scholars from different eras went head-to-head on Good Friday as Eastleigh met Chesterfield in the National League and it was the Spireites who came out on top - earning a 1-0 win thanks to Liam Mandeville’s first goal this season (see video). Chesterfield are now in the Play-Off positions with Eastleigh, where Andrew Boyce has been an ever-present over the past month, in ninth spot - a point outside the top seven.  

One player still under contract at the somewhat laughably-named Technique Stadium (the current name for the Spireites’ home) is Jack McKay. The striker is on loan at Aidrieonians, where his twin brother Paul McKay also plays nowadays, and scored in a 4-2 defeat to Partick Thistle upon resumption of the Scottish League One season on Saturday 27th March.

Airdrie are currently in fourth spot in their division and just within the Play-Offs, with three games remaining of what is now be an 18-game campaign, with SPFL member clubs having voted to reduce the season due to its earlier suspension because of lockdown restrictions.

Jack McKay in action for Airdrieonians! (Photo: Daily Record).

Back in England and in the Football League, some other former scholars are eyeing up a promotion push over the coming weeks.  

Despite an injury crisis, Blackpool are currently on a 13-game unbeaten streak in League One and James Husband has played in four games over the past month - the most recent of which was a 1-1 draw with Burton Albion on Tuesday 16th March. Jerry Yates - very much ‘the one who got away’ given that he was in the DRFC academy set-up to U16s level but not given a scholarship, has continued his incredible form and now has 20 goals for this term - proving he is a very good striker!  

In League Two, Jonny Maxted’s Exeter City are on the fringes of the Play-Offs (though he hasn’t featured for the Grecians since January), whilst Jack Muldoon scored in a 1-0 win for Harrogate Town at Barrow on Tuesday 2nd March to take his tally for the campaign to 12 goals.  

When youth teamers are released they sometimes end up playing football on the other side of the world and that’s exactly what's happened with Jordan Tucker - not someone who has previously been mentioned on this blog but who featured for Rovers in 2017/18 - notably in the FA Youth Cup.  

The big defender is now turning out for South West Queensland Thunder in Australia - a club who, theoretically, compete in the country’s second tier. Based in the city of Toowoomba, Tucker has played in most SWQ games over the past month - including a 3-0 victory over Souths United and in a 1-0 defeat to Brisbane City whose squad include some former internationals. 

Nathan Dimou, on Rovers’ books only this time last year, is also playing back at home in Australia and was most recently at Adelaide Comets - some 1,000 miles away from Toowoomba! 

Some former scholars are also getting game-time in America including James Morris (at Seattle Redhawks) and Lewis Scattergood (at Stetson University).  

Jordan Tucker on a promotional poster ahead of SWQ's big game against Brisbane City!

Finally - and much closer to home, Leyton Beck (in the Under 16s set-up last season) got a couple of goals as Rossington Main Reserves hammered Bawtry Town, 9-0, upon the long-awaited resumption of the Doncaster Rovers Saturday League less than a week ago.  

With lockdown restrictions lifted, some lads have also returned to training and may well participate in behind-closed-doors friendlies over the next few weeks.

The next update on the whereabouts of former scholars will be after the early May Bank Holiday, but if you list last month's round-up, click here!