Jimmy Knowles

A look at some of the best players I’ve seen in the past few years at either U18s or U23s level or currently playing in non-league who've either left a really positive impression or whose careers I follow with genuine interest to see how they're doing every week.

Player: Jimmy Knowles

Age: 20

Position: Striker

Club: Mansfield Town

There are some lads whose names will appear in these articles on certain players in the next few weeks who have a phenomenal attitude. 

Jimmy 'Goals' Knowles is amongst the best of them!

Jimmy Knowles celebrates his hat-trick against Woking (Photo: Dan Westwell).

Whereas some lads can be happy to play U23s football for a prolonged period without ever truthfully getting anywhere close to a first team place, Jimmy is the total opposite. He has a specific inner-desire and dedication for the game which is noticeable in my eyes and he recognised himself a long time ago that the best way of having a sustained career in professional football was to go out on loan into a first team environment and compete for a place in the starting line-up.

Having scored goals for fun in Mansfield Town’s U18s, he spent the 2020/21 season on loan at Notts County in the National League and whilst that loan had the standard trials and tribulations that you'd come to expect (i.e. being in and out of the team), he made 34 appearances and scored 10 times. His hat-trick away at Woking in April 2021 actually meant his goals to minutes ratio at that point was 1 per about 160 - making it amongst the best in the division.

On top of that, there's no ego whatsoever with Jimmy. He's just a genuine lad with a genuine drive and passion to succeed. He knows what he needs to do and embraces the challenge of doing it.

If he has to move 300 miles away to play football then no problem because last year he had a loan spell at Greenock Morton in the Scottish Championship although it didn't quite go to plan as he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in November in a game against Kilmarnock which ruled him out from then until now. Nevertheless, such is his positive attitude and mindset, he knows that awful experience will strengthen his mental resilience and he'll have gained even more character in adversity. Even in the darkest moments of worry and anxiety, he'll still focus on the end goal of playing football again and it's testament to the positive person and good lad that he is.

Besides all that, it also speaks volumes in the first place when a player is willing to ‘get out of his comfort zone’ and sacrifice living with his family in favour of moving hundreds of miles away in the first place. It carries risks; ultimately he still has to compete for a first team place and even experienced lads can get homesick in a new environment, but he embraced every aspect of the challenge with courage and conviction. It’s a phenomenal attribute which makes him stand out against a lot of other young players.

Now back on the road to recovery and with a six-month contract at Mansfield Town agreed for next season, when he’s back on the pitch again at some point soon (and it might mean another loan spell to do just that), he’ll just be buzzing to do what he loves doing once again. It'll also be a very special feeling when he bags his next goal and I'll be delighted for him whenever it does happen.

Ultimately, if he reaches the point where he's looking for a new club in the next few seasons, the fact he's gone out and got ‘X’ appearances under his belt at such a young age, and experienced different managers and situations at a decent standard in men’s football will potentially stand him in better stead than someone else of a similar age in his position who might be technically better but lacks any first team experience. Plenty of managers take notice of those things and he’s put the odds of getting recognised elsewhere hugely in his favour by just going out and playing men's football. All credit to him.

Annoyingly, Soccerway, TransferMarkt and Soccerbase; stats-based websites which multiple clubs, managers, and scouts all use have his age WRONG and he’s a year younger than is stated. For clarity, he's aged 20 now and won't turn 21 until February 2023.

Nevertheless, he’s a good player, a good lad and a good goalscorer.

He’ll never change and that’s what makes him a star who is a credit to himself, his family and everyone who has nurtured him along the way up to this point. Keep going Jimmy, keep being yourself and good luck during the final stages of your rehab leading into getting back out onto the pitch next season.