Louie Marsh... what a player!

Eight months ago, Louie Marsh posted a photo of himself looking very uncomfortable as he lay on a hospital bed having just had an operation on a broken leg!

Like a few other lads at Bramall Lane who’ve been through the mill and had prolonged spells on the sidelines such as Antwoine Hackford, Frankie Maguire or Finley Potter, that was the low point. Every footballer HATES being injured with the pain, the rehab and the mental challenges it poses, when all they want to do is be playing with their mates and doing what they love. It’s hard. It’s horrible. It’s often the toughest period in someone’s career and anyone who has been there can relate to it.

Whilst that photo of Marshy - complete with a DSquared2 cap plonked on his head which always makes me laugh, isn’t my favourite of him, fast-forward nearly nine months from Tuesday 5th April to right now and he’s been an absolute pleasure to watch this season. 

I’ve loved seeing his contributions in games because they’ve so often been quality.

With electric pace, nimble technique, good footwork, some new grip socks which should make him even more lethal in the New Year (defenders beware!) and a natural ability to just glide past opponents, he’s taken to U21s football like a duck to water; scoring goals for fun to put Sheffield United top of the PDL (North) where he’s top scorer in the entire league and into double figures already.

Marshy on that night at Hillsborough (Photo: Sheffield United FC).

There’s been so many good moments since the start of the season.

There was the brace against Crewe in November which took him back to the top of the PDL scoring charts on the same day England toiled to a draw with the USA at the World Cup and could have done with his sparkling footwork and ruthlessness up top! 

There was also a goal against Bristol City in the pouring rain in the Premier League Cup just a few days earlier when his intelligence to hold his run, and thus find space to exploit inside a crowded penalty area, stood out a mile.

And he’ll never forget the October night at Hillsborough where he tortured Sheffield Wednesday’s back three to earn the adulation of the Blades fans behind the goal, then had a big beaming smile on his face afterwards as, buzzing with enthusiasm, he swayed from side to side in his post-match interview and made life very awkward for the poor cameraman who just wished he'd stand still.

It’s in those brilliant moments of happiness when football feels so worth it.

The hundreds of times his mum and dad took him to training as a kid, the multiple sacrifices he’s made throughout his school days, the setbacks he’s endured and the times when it’s felt so frustrating. All those emotions to then score goals, perform so well, earn people’s respect and create brilliant memories in the process, eclipses all the difficult periods. 

It’s a sense of fulfilment after so much hard graft. It’s such a brilliant feeling. It makes everyone so proud and Marshy’s still just at the start of his journey. He has so much more to offer and so many more memories to create, with loads more landmarks ahead of him.

One of the most used photos on the @sufcdevelopment Twitter Feed this season.

I’ve drawn comparisons with him and Aaron Collins (currently at Bristol Rovers) in the past because I can still vividly remember the night I first saw Aaron play at Notts County and the similarities are striking. In the years since, I’ve had loads of enjoyment following Azza’s career with all loans, landmarks and anecdotal stories, and I can’t wait for Marshy to fully establish himself at a first team level, carve out his own football story, and then reflect on it all when I put a little montage of his goals together in a few years from now.

There’s a brilliant photo of him on the day he signed one of his first contracts at Bramall Lane where he’s got all his front teeth missing (definitely had too many sweets as a kid) and when he hits little milestones such as making his senior debut, going out for his first loan, or scoring his first goal in senior football, you can guarantee it’ll be popping up on social media.

All he probably dreamed about as a football-mad little kid was being a footballer when he got older and I can’t wait for him to be out on a pitch in the near future when the crowd is roaring just a few minutes before kick-off on a matchday, he’s in the starting line-up, the first few bars of ‘Greasy Chip Butty’ (or whatever other song if he’s on out on loan) is playing aloud over the PA system, and he experiences that spine-tingling split-second moment where things feel totally surreal but very real amidst the sheer adrenaline rush of a game where three are at stake.

Or just after that when fans are going mad and roaring with delight because he’s stuck one past some unfortunate ‘keeper somewhere.

When those moments come I’ve also got no doubts he’ll be wearing a base layer (because he always seems to wear one in games), not forgetting those new grip socks either which ought to make defenders petrified.

Just Marshy and his mates doing what they do best! (Photo: Sheffield United FC).

Above everything - and better than anything else, is that Marshy is just a genuinely decent lad. 

If you know football, you can always tell it a mile off and there’s no ego whatsoever with him. He’s down to earth. He’s loyal. He loves his family, friends and is just a good lad who has been brought up the right way. He’s got great values and is a credit to his parents, his wider family, his club and everyone else who has been there to coach and support him to get to this point. 

From Marshy’s perspective though - and I've a feeling his girlfriend will agree, he’ll probably say the best thing is that his adult teeth have grown through since he scoffed too many Haribos back in his primary school days and had that photo taken! 

It’s been some journey already and the past 12 months have also seen him pick up a PDL title winners medal at U18s level after the Blades went through the entire 2021/22 season unbeaten and then beat Charlton in the National Play-Off Final.

I feel privileged to have watched him since the start of the season because his form and performances have been superb. Sometimes, all it takes is small individual flashes within a game to not only impact the outcome but also leave a long-lasting impression amongst those watching, and he’s done that on multiple occasions. 

Louie Marsh… wow, what a player!

Doncaster Rovers (U18s) 0-1 Shrewsbury Town (U18s)

Doncaster Rovers (U18s) 0-1 Shrewsbury Town (U18s)

EFL Youth Alliance Cup

Monday 12th December 2022

Doncaster Rovers’ hopes of progressing to the Quarter-Finals of the EFL Youth Alliance Cup look to be all but over for another year following this late defeat to Shrewsbury Town.

A stalemate seemed inevitable until the visitors stole the three points on 83 minutes when one of their players was afforded too much space on the edge of the box and duly hit a well-struck drive which gave Jake Oram no chance.

Played on the 4G pitch next to the Eco-Power Stadium, there was a really chilly feel about things on what the Met Office have since confirmed to be the coldest day in the UK since 2010.

If freezing temperatures and a low mist/fog weren’t bad enough, the iced-over pitch on the adjacent athletics stadium just made it feel even colder, so it wasn’t a surprise to see most players in a DRFC shirt wearing a base-layer underneath as they tried to protect themselves from the biting weather. 

With both teams’ record in the group stage mirroring each other ahead of this game, the winners were always going to take a big step towards securing top spot - although for the first 25 minutes there wasn’t too much to write about and, beyond that, it looked for a long time that a 0-0 draw was the probable outcome.

Rovers began well enough, then Shrewsbury got back into the game for a bit, but there wasn’t anything major in terms of chances - just a lot of turnovers of possession in midfield as the two teams tried to keep warm and get a feel for things.

Jake Oram made the first save of the afternoon in routine fashion when a Shrewsbury player tried his luck with a low shot from the edge of the box and a stoppage followed soon afterwards at the other end when Salop’s No.6 landed on his wrist/arm whilst trying to win the ball in the air. His injury meant he had to be replaced - and such was the freezing cold that whilst he was down on the deck receiving treatment, his ‘keeper rushed to the touchline to stick on a jumper underneath his fluorescent yellow shirt to try and feel just a wee bit warmer.

The remainder of the first half was livelier as Rovers finally mustered up a few mini-openings and the game developed an ‘edge’ which meant the intensity was better.

Rovers looked threatening down the left flank at times and when Jak Whiting played a ball over the top which Jack Goodman was able to run onto, he was brought down close to the touchline after turning away from his marker. That paved the way for a free-kick albeit Harry Wood’s delivery into the box was cleared.

Petch then had a shot blocked a few minutes later as Shrewsbury continued to defend their box solidly and a couple of inswinging corners by Wood towards the end of the half also got dealt with - included one right on the half-time whistle which tested the ‘keeper. Wood also thought he should have been given a spot-kick when he went down under pressure close to the byline although nothing was forthcoming from the referee.

At half-time, other than a very warm drink, it was clear what Rovers needed to do was bring the ball under control much better in midfield and other areas, keep it for longer, and be more patient in their build-up play. At times, the play was too frenetic, it was too rushed (and that’s from both teams) and it led to multiple turnovers in possession which helped nobody.

Rovers were probably slightly the better of the two sides but a sometimes high defensive line also meant they were susceptible to balls over the top - and Shrewsbury almost got in via this method on a couple of occasions.

There was a positive start to the second half by DRFC because within a couple of minutes, they’d gone close as Goodman forced a save (albeit an easy one from a back-peddling ‘keeper) when he got his head to an Alex Fletcher cross and another decent delivery just a few minutes later also came to nothing.

Nevertheless, most of the play remained tight in midfield.

Rovers lacked a ‘killer’ ball as play broke down in the final third on various occasions and, amidst the biting cold, Shrewsbury had a tendency to go long in their own search for an opener as Oram was forced into bits and pieces of work.

Around the midway point in the second half, interim youth team boss Frank Sinclair made two quickfire changes which coincided with Rovers getting back on top and having some decent chances. Max Adamson (who would have started this game had it not been for a dodgy sandwich) replaced Josh Lindley - who won quite a few balls in his hour or so on the pitch, and Owen Scattergood was also replaced by Will Green.

The switches almost proved fruitful because on 70 minutes, Adamson broke between the lines only to be forced wide and see his low cut-back gobbled up by the ‘keeper who read the danger when Goodman was waiting inside the six-yard box. The Salop stopper then denied Green a few minutes later when Wood’s flick and Goodman’s dummy afforded the substitute a shooting chance, before the ‘keeper was also able to get hold of the resulting loose ball.

Then, on 79 minutes, undoubtedly Rovers’ best chance of the game came the way of Adamson who found himself in a one-on-one but yet again it was the visiting ‘keeper who came out on top by reading his strike and making a save with his foot; the loose ball this time being cleared away by the defence.

Despite Rovers’ growing pressure, Shrewsbury had other ideas.

They’d already forced Oram into a decent save following a shot from the edge of the area with about a quarter-of-an-hour to go and it was from a similar position that they broke the deadlock on 83 minutes. Rovers couldn’t properly clear their lines and an attacker in a blue and yellow shirt fired a precise drive into Oram’s bottom-right corner which he had no chance of saving.

At 1-0 down, Rovers did muster up one last chance when they won a free-kick on the edge of the box in the last minute of normal time but Green, who has found the net from similar positions already this season, watched his free-kick clip the wall before the ball was hurriedly cleared to safety.

It proved to be one of those days as Shrewsbury held on to get the win - and it means they’re now favourites to win the group.

So long as the Shrews avoid defeat to Accrington in their final group game, then Rovers’ participation in this competition will be over (albeit Rovers still have a fixture to fulfil against Accrington on a date TBC at some point in the New Year).

Overall though, this won’t be a game that lives for very long in the memory.

Rovers created a few chances in the latter stages but will still feel frustrated that they didn’t create much more in the final third throughout the 90 minutes. There wasn’t much between the teams and for most of the game, it was tight and scrappy with loads of turnovers of possession. Individually, there were a few alright contributions - and Shrewsbury’s ‘keeper deserves a mention for keeping a clean-sheet because every aspect of his game was okay, but no outfield player on either team really took things by the scruff of the neck and ‘dominated’ matters to be head and shoulders the best player on the pitch, but that was largely down to the weather because no matter how much anyone ran, how much anyone applied themselves, or how great the intensity was, it was so cold that it made it difficult for players on both teams to just concentrate on playing football rather than concentrate on keeping warm.

Probably the biggest positive of the afternoon from a Rovers perspective is that Ethan Harrison got a run-out for the final few minutes; his first appearance since the draw at Rotherham in August, and if he’s able to stay fit, he could become a big focal point in the Rovers team when the games programme resumes in the New Year!

Team: Jake Oram, Alex Fletcher, Will Flint, Charlie Petch, Jak Whiting, Freddie Allen, Josh Lindley, Justin Bennett, Owen Scattergood, Harry Wood, Jack Goodman. Subs Used: Max Adamson, Will Green, Tom Parkinson, Ethan Harrison.

Kettering Town 0-1 Gloucester City

Kettering Town 0-1 Gloucester City

National League North

Tuesday 6th December 2022

Every so often in football there are games where the final score is completely at odds with what actually happens during the course of the game itself.

This was one of those occasions!

Kettering were much the better team throughout this National League North clash against Gloucester City, only to come unstuck right at the end as Michael Gyasi stabbed home an injury-time winner to steal all three points for the visitors who, prior to that, had been time-wasting and seemed content to settle for a point.

It was ridiculously harsh on the Poppies because they forced the issue throughout and deserved so much more.

They pressed extremely well. They had more territory. They created several openings. They showed a desire to make something happen. They had youthful energy in midfield in Ethan Hill (the deserved winner of the ‘Man Of The Match’ award) and Frankie Maguire who came on as an early substitute, rolled his sleeves up and made a really good first-impression in what was the first game in his loan spell - and that was complimented by Gary Stohrer (No.8) who, despite lacking half a yard of pace, made up for it with a number of ball-winning contributions where his experience, aggressiveness, steel and work-rate stood out.

Everything was there in the performance. All that was missing was just simply a goal - and how the Poppies ended up losing is both a travesty and complete robbery. They did not deserve to get beat.

From the very early stages, Kettering did their utmost to set the tone, get high up the pitch, press and take the game to their opponents and the first chance of a dominant first half came on 10 minutes when Keaton Ward curled a 20-yard free-kick into the hands of Gloucester ‘keeper Brandon Hall.

Soon afterwards, Ethan Hill made the first in a number of eye-catching contributions when he nipped in to win possession on the halfway line and send a pass through to Ward who kept the ball tightly under control - not an easy thing to do on an awful pitch, before beating a few players as he cut inside and unleashed a low drive which was also saved by the ‘keeper.

Sam Bennett was another to make a good early impression; pressing high and pressing well in a few instances but his evening came to a premature end when he pulled up with what looked like a hamstring injury. Having initially tried to continue, he pulled up again just 30 seconds later and that was his night done.

It meant Frankie Maguire - on loan from Sheffield United for the next month, was brought on to make his debut probably much sooner than he expected and he slotted straight into the midfield with Ward being pushed further forward.

Maguire got ‘stuck in’ straight away as Kettering continued to force the issue and get forward - whether it be via direct methods or driving through the midfield as happened in a few instances.

Rhys Sharpe’s long-throw also posed a big threat for Gloucester and when the second ball from one such throw dropped to Hill on the edge of the area, his shot may have hit a hand on its way goalwards. There were some shouts for a penalty albeit referee Liam Corbett and waved them away. 

The official was at the centre of more Kettering frustrations in first half injury-time when Ward was sent clear following a ball down the line, only for a Gloucester defender to have his hands all over him as he got into the box. Ward did get a shot away, but appeals for more fell on deaf ears, thus leading to a bit of unhappiness as the teams trudged off for the interval.

The second half proved to be scrappier at times, especially in midfield where the aggressive traits of Hill, Maguire and Stohrer stood out once again, but the ball was also up in the air more often. Still, Kettering remained the stronger of the two teams; showing purpose and definitely being the side with the grit between their teeth who looked as if they really wanted to win whereas Gloucester definitely wanted to run the clock down.

After Ellis Myles fired narrowly wide in one move after a good one-two with Ward, the Poppies again thought they ought to be awarded a penalty when Ward whipped a free-kick into the box and Hall rushed from his line and clattered into George Cooper (who’d got to it first). It looked obvious but, once more, the referee opted to take a ‘lenient’ approach so nothing was given which led to plenty of criticism from the locals who felt incensed by his decision.

Ward was then miraculously denied by the Gloucester ‘keeper in a one-on-one on the hour mark after Tyrone Lewthwaite wrestled past his marker to put him in the clear for a golden chance which was somehow tipped wide the goal gaping, and then in a similar attack two minutes later, Lewthwaite was fouled having burst past his man again, though the resulting free-kick came to nothing.

Not long after that, Hill also let fly with a shot which cleared the upright.

How it was still 0-0 by this point was a mystery!

As temperatures dropped (and it didn’t half get cold during the second half), it seemed as though it was going to be one of those nights but then, in the 91st minute, the Tigers stole the points as Michael Gyasi got on the end of a ball into the box up at the other end and managed to stab his shot past Cameron Gregory.

At least Dick Turpin wore a f**king mask!

Despite the scoreline, the three players I specifically came to this game to watch all had very good games - and it made the two-hour journey and freezing temperatures feel worthwhile.

Ever since I saw Ethan Hill dominate a game at U18s level against Doncaster Rovers a couple of years ago, I’ve known that he’s a good player; hence why I’ve kept an eye on his progress ever since, why I know all about his career to date, and why I constantly asked loads of questions about him to people I know at Mansfield last year. 

To see him carry those same traits which impressed me at youth level into a first team game - especially at this standard, and impose himself really well over the course of the 90 minutes, was fantastic to watch. 

On such a crap pitch, he had a great aura about him. He nipped in to win the ball on several occasions - none better than the one which put Keaton Ward through for the chance early on. He got on the ball and drove forward a few times. He had a few shots (one in either half). His flight, movement and reading of the game was of a high quality. He was calm and confident in possession. The fact he won the ‘Man Of The Match’ award (and deservedly so too) was testament to all his work. Good midfielders are worth their weight in gold; he’s got that bit of class about him (plus he’s a good lad with good banter which helps) and it says everything that he’s been entrusted by Lee Glover to play every week at this level with about 15 starts already to his name this year.

What he produced in this game just backed up why I’ve remembered him, why I rate him, why I’ve followed his career for a while now, and why he’s someone I’ve enjoyed watching whenever I’ve seen him play.

Likewise, the same can be said of Frankie Maguire.

About a month ago, in a game against Barnsley for Sheffield United U21s I watched Frankie put in a good shift - and I’ll always be able to vividly remember the specific moment in that game which made him stand out, and straight away when he came on in this game, he looked hungry to make a good impression.

Because of the pitch and the frenetic 200mph nature where the intensity and adrenaline levels are miles higher than what you get in U21s football, he was required to roll his sleeves up, dig in, 'be ready' and show a different and more tenacious side to his game compared to what I’ve seen before.

And he didn’t disappoint me whatsoever!

From minute one after his introduction, he looked sharp. He looked focussed. He was ‘on it’. He made himself available as an option for others by getting into good positions to receive the ball. He was constantly aware of what was happening around him; especially out of possession. He brought others into the game. He showed drive and desire to bring the ball forward at times - including two positive runs in the first half (the first of which was very good as he had to stretch to win it on the halfway line and beat his man at the same time). That was good play and good technique; and just one little example of what he can do. He also got into good positions in high areas but then recovered some excellent defensive ground to get his body behind the ball when he had to. He was always trying to make a good impact and use his intelligence well.

But better than everything else was that there was a nice and aggressive undertone with how he went about his business which is absolutely paramount to surviving in mens football.

Everything I wanted to see Frankie do, especially on a pitch like this, he did it - and it was a really positive start for him in this loan spell. It’s his opportunity to impress, play infront of decent crowds where there’s pressure to get points. This is the reality of football and it seems like he really wants to grasp the opportunity with both hands. Fantastic.

Finally, knowing Keaton Ward and having followed his career through all the highs and lows, I couldn’t fault his effort and commitment throughout this game either. He made good runs in-behind and found space (such as one just before half-time where he was flagged offside). He was quick, bright and energetic and covered plenty of ground. He showed decent ball control on a terrible pitch (evidence being the first half chance where he cut inside off the left). His set-pieces were mostly decent too. 

The only thing that was missing from an otherwise bright, lively and positive display was a goal. 

He’ll be frustrated as hell not to have bagged one - especially considering the two or three really good chances he had, but so long as he keeps getting in the same positions to get those chances in the first place, then the goals will come. It’s inevitable and I’ll always have confidence in him because he’s only going to get better with age and experience.

All three of these lads are at different points in their careers but what they’ve all got in common is they’re all decent lads with good attitudes and a point to prove. They’ve been through the mill at times and had to overcome some difficult periods, they haven’t got silly egos (which can be common in young players) and they’re all eager to prove a point and do well.

That’s why I’ve got all the time in the world for them and if they perform like this over a consistent period and carry the same determination, drive and desire to succeed, I’ve got no doubts they’ll succeed. 

Watching their infectious enthusiasm in his game for 90 minutes has really put a smile back on my face after a tough couple of weeks and I’m glad I got to see this game - even despite the frustrating result.

FC United Of Manchester 2-0 Belper Town

FC United Of Manchester 2-0 Belper Town

Northern Premier League

Saturday 3rd December 2022

A few weeks ago, I couldn’t work out whether I was following Jack Degruchy or he was following me!

We were both at York’s game against Hyde in the FA Youth Cup, then at a few games involving Doncaster Rovers (where he’s currently on loan at FC United from) and even when I went to Knaresborough Town for a Northern Counties East League game about a month ago, he popped up two minutes later.

Having seen so much of him, and got to know he’s a sound lad (by far the most important thing in football), it dawned on me that I’d not actually seen him play yet; despite living in Doncaster I missed almost all of Rovers’ pre-season as I was ‘up north’ in Scotland watching a ton of games.

So, it made perfect sense to go to this game and finally watch him at last - and, playing at right-back, he made a decent enough first-impression, screening well when he needed to (very noticeable), setting up a chance for Regan Linney after half-time, and even rushing in for a difficult chance at the back-post at one point which he wasn’t able to convert.

Degruchy wasn’t the only name familiar to me in FC United’s team because they also have Alex Wollerton who was at Gainsborough last year, previously on the books at Barnsley with Keaton Ward (ex FCUM loanee and someone I’ll be watching next Tuesday for Kettering) and came through the academy at Leeds United with Oliver Sarkic - who, to add some trivia to this piece, was the first ever player to kick a ball at Broadhurst Park as he took the kick-off when FC United played Benfica in May 2015.

There were a few familiar names in Belper’s line-up which further sparked my interest too - including a big DRFC connection in Harry Middleton who graduated from the youth ranks to make 79 appearances for Rovers’ first team in all competitions. That’s the most any scholar has made since the academy was reformed nearly 20 years ago by the way.

Harry (or ‘PC Middleton’ as he’s now known having recently joined South Yorkshire Police) played the full 90 minutes with Jacob Gratton - who impressed me towards the end of last year when he was on loan at Farsley Celtic, further up the pitch - and although it was good to watch Gratts again, this wasn’t a game where he was particularly able to stand out due to how things panned out.

To top things off, the Nailers announced on Friday that they’d signed Paulo Aguas and Jay Glover on loan from Sheffield Wednesday - the latter of whom made a decent impression when the Owls played at Wakefield in pre-season, is someone who I’ve been monitoring ever since that night, and also has a fantastic tan (unbelievably good) for this time of year.

Belper went into this game rooted to the foot of the Northern Premier League table, well adrift of safety, albeit on the back of a brilliant win over Morpeth Town last time out which ought to have given them a confidence boost.

Nevertheless, infront of probably the biggest crowd they’ll play infront of this year, they were ‘too deep’ for much of the 90 minutes and unable to seriously threaten FC United who looked comfortable without necessarily being spectacular.

After a goalless first half in which the hosts were on top but unable to make a breakthrough, the home bench were about to turn to Alex Wollerton who stripped into his kit, was ready to come on and just waiting for a break in play when Fin Armstrong weaved his way inside from the left flank and sent a low shot past Belper ‘keeper Harrison Davison-Hale to break the deadlock just before the hour mark.

Wollerton got to sit down for another 10 minutes as a result of that goal (unlucky - especially on this freezing cold day), and whilst Belper mustered up a few chances and what could best be described as bits of ‘half-pressure’ as they attempted to force an equaliser, it wasn’t to be for them as Regan Linney - one of the most highly-regarded strikers at Step 3 level right now, demonstrated great technique to claim his 17th goal of the season deep into injury-time.

Although it was a game that FC United no doubt expected to win beforehand and they’ll be pleased with the points (job done and onto the next one), Belper will be disappointed with how they performed - irrespective of the occasion or being down at the bottom of the table. They struggled to get the ball up the pitch, were too deep for much of the 90 minutes, and that only changed when Jay Glover was brought on for the last 20 minutes.

His ‘cameo’ was a good little example of what he’s all about as a player. It’s why I rate him; he got on the ball when he could and tried to make something happen - especially with one weaving run where he kept the ball but was eventually forced wide, his passing was okay, he got into a few high and hurtful positions and out of possession he showed the same energy to recover his position quite a few times, and it was noticeable that both him and Paulo Aguas (who did a reasonably okay job in containing FC United's threat down that flank) were eager to make a good impression.

Their desire and how they applied themselves couldn’t be faulted, even if the result wasn’t to be on this occasion, and it’ll hopefully be enough to see them both included in the starting line-up next week when Belper host Marske United in what’s already a ‘must win’ game if they’re to improve their chances of hauling themselves off the bottom and avoid relegation.

FC United’s next game is away at Atherton Collieries and, depending on the weather, I might be turning up to see Jack Degruchy once again - but I’ve not decided where I'm going yet.