Harrison Beeden

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: Harrison Beeden

Age: 20

Position: Centre-Back

Club: Brighouse Town

It isn't often I'll begin an article with a fun fact about a player but Harrison Beeden was born on the same day the 2002 World Cup began in Japan and South Korea.

 

Even at less than 24 hours old when his dribbling was on a par with Ronaldinho, he'd have quite possibly been able to defend better than how Saudi Arabia's national team did the following day when they got walloped 8-0 by Germany in the game where Miroslav Klose made his mark on the global football scene.

 

There's also a strong likelihood this piece will be the only time where Harrison Beeden, Ronaldinho and Miroslav Klose are all mentioned in the same sentence, but fast-forward 20 years and the centre-back who started out at Thorncliffe is carving out a decent little reputation.

Harrison Beeden (left) holds up a cardboard box;
presumably containing his Manager's Player Of The Year award.
(Photo: Brighouse Town FC).

Currently at Brighouse Town, he's a down to earth and ‘sound lad’ from what I've been told - something which does also come across in a few interviews online.

 

The game in which I realised he was a decent player capable of doing alright was in August 2020 during the pandemic. Doncaster happened to be playing Chesterfield which officially was behind-closed-doors albeit on a 4G pitch adjacent to a public footpath. One snag was there were no team-sheets and it didn't take long for me to realise ‘this defender’ was half-decent. I knew he looked familiar from somewhere but where exactly was a case for Hercules Poirot.

His touch was good, his composure both on the ball and dealing with pressure made him stand out and be noticed, whilst his physique was exactly what you'd want and expect from a centre-back. He didn't have a bad turn of pace either and he was the best player on the pitch. It didn't take very long to figure out.

 

Rovers went on to win the game 1-0 and, still not knowing this lad's full name, the only way of finding it out was to go through the FA full-time website and squad list for Chesterfield’s U19s team afterwards. I'd picked up on the fact he'd been called ‘Harrison’ during the game which was a useful indicator that his name might actually be, err, Harrison!

 

Then it came up: Harrison Beeden and it instantly clicked in my mind.

 

Yep. He was the defender who'd been at the Millers on a scholarship for the previous two years - playing in the FA Youth Cup at Southampton, scoring a late goal once from outside the box (which is still on his Instagram now), and the same lad who'd spent time on loan at Brighouse as a 17-year-old.

Harrison Beeden at Chesterfield (Photo: Chesterfield FC).

If I remember a player by sight it's usually for a very good reason so that's why I remembered him and knew he was familiar, despite the fact I'd had no idea that he'd signed for Chesterfield who he went on to skipper at U19s level for the remainder of the 2020/21 season.

 

It says a lot about Harrison's character that whilst playing midweek games in that one year at Chesterfield, he also continued his development in men's football at Brighouse (before the season got canned at least) and they'd obviously been more than happy to have him back following his initial loan spell.

 

He's just re-signed for Brighouse again after a solid 2021/22 campaign in which he continued to make his mark by racking up 30+ appearances, playing pretty much every week, getting on the score-sheet along the way with a last-gasp strike against Lincoln United, and eventually scooping the Manager's ‘Player Of The Year’ award. His immaculate ‘Barnet FC’ has changed back and forth, plus he's nowadays got a little goatee beard but he’s still clearly making a good impression on people.

 

Sadly, there's many players in similar academies to the one where Harrison came through who might think ‘It’s only Brighouse’ and instantly be dismissive. By and large, they're the same players who I'll never remember anyway and would probably even struggle to make just five appearances, let alone the 55 (and counting) which Harrison has, at the same standard.

 

A good attitude as well as being a decent player are paramount qualities to doing well and that's why I've got respect for what Harrison has achieved in the past few years. It's still just the start of his career, he'll no doubt be looking to get a move higher up the pyramid at some point, and if he keeps making a good impression on so many people there's a good chance it might just happen.

Harrison Beeden in his Rotherham YT days (Photo: Rotherham United FC).

Jacob Gratton

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: Jacob Gratton

Age: 20

Position: Attacker

Club: Free Agent

Jacob Gratton is one of those lads who has more qualities than he'll ever probably realise!

Grounded, level-headed and with a broad Yorkshire accent which can instantly raise a smile, he's been brought up properly. He's got good values. He's polite, respectful and someone who others will enjoy being around every day.

Jacob Gratton (right) after keeping Farsley Celtic in the National League North.

As a player, he's got quick feet, a good touch and enough technical intelligence which makes him exciting to watch. Energetic and attack minded, he's the type who'll also run through brick walls, try his best and do all the non-negotiables which managers adore in a player. With a good attitude, he'll self-analyse his own performances and be consciously aware of what and where he needs to improve his game, and then strive to do just that, in order to be the best version of himself that he possibly can.

A frequent goalscorer in his YT days at Rotherham where he featured predominantly as a No.10 in a team which always competed near the top of the North-East Youth Alliance, Gratts spent a big chunk of last season developing in a different position - being required to 'run the channels' and play in wide areas during separate loans at Guiseley and then Farsley Celtic in the National League North.

The season was something of a ‘mixed bag’ on a personal level.

The undoubted highlight came in the Papa John's Trophy where he made his competitive debut for Rotherham in a blistering 6-0 thrashing of Doncaster Rovers (one which equalled the record for the biggest ever away win at the Keepmoat Stadium) and it was followed by a second first team appearance the following month in another big win - this time over Manchester City’s U21s.

More importantly for his development, he'll have been delighted to have earned frequent game-time and rack up a total of 38 appearances in those two aforementioned loans during which he scored his first senior goal (against Spennymoor), played in the FA Cup 'proper' (in a trip to Wimbledon last November) and collected a few wine bottles by virtue of winning some 'Man Of The Match' awards.

One 'MOTM' accolade came against York at the end of April. Then, two days later, he impressed me with his own individual showing in a draw at Darlington where his desire, effort, energy and willingness to just run his b*llocks off was evident in abundance. At the end of that same week came the champagne moment where he was part of a Farsley team who were mobbed on the pitch as they somehow avoided relegation from the National League North.

Despite the highlights, there were also some frustrations.

Even playing in a style or system which didn't always suit his best strengths, Gratts will be the first to admit that he ought to have bagged more goals than what he posted considering the amount of games he played. And he'll perhaps harbour a few feelings of regret or ponder 'What Might Have Been?' because only a week after completing the 'Great Escape' with Farsley, he was given the news that his contract wasn't going to be renewed at Rotherham.

Gratts playing at Farsley during the Great Escape (Photo: Unknown).

Nevertheless, it's what Gratts went through prior to last season - in the days before he'd even kicked a first team football anywhere, which is why I've got so much admiration for him.

Fresh from bagging two goals against his birthplace club (Mansfield) in the FA Youth Cup and signing a pro contract just after his 18th birthday, everything seemed to be going in his favour at that point, only for things to quickly come crashing down when he suffered a serious ACL injury which ultimately kept him out for over a year.

It must have felt like a crushing blow and, coupled with the pandemic soon afterwards, I'm sure he'll have experienced some anxious, troubling and raw emotions - worrying and wondering whether he'd even have a career by the time he was back fit again?

But it's in those type of adverse situations where people find courage and an inner-strength to get back on their feet and as Gratts trudged through the doors at Roundwood to complete his gym work each day, he knuckled down with the task at hand and found some confidence again.

He built up his shape, increased his strength, worked on his mental resilience and even started lifting heavier weight than many older pros, and when he was finally fit to resume training, he was given a standing ovation by the entire squad who recognised and respected the journey he'd been through just to get back on the training pitch with them.

Gratts' entire drive and purpose in football is to make his family proud of him but it would have been a bittersweet moment when he made his professional debut, the moment he'd strived towards his entire life, on Tuesday 7th September last year.

Just a few weeks earlier, his Granddad Ken (a lifelong Millers fan who adored his football and supported grandson throughout) had sadly passed away. Although he wasn't there in person at the Keepmoat, I've no doubt whatsoever that Ken will have been bursting with immense pride and admiration from the skies above to see his beloved Jacob fulfill his dream and batter the local rivals in the process.

He'd have probably been grinning for days afterwards with admiration, joy, pride and unlimited love - and especially the whopping scoreline! Those moments are special and Ken will have loved every second of that, plus the game against Man City's U21s a few weeks later!

Gratts playing for Rotherham last pre-season (Photo: Alex Dodd).

The door might now have closed on a career at Rotherham for Gratts but with his character (plus that bit of ability and quality on a football pitch) there's absolutely no reason why he can't go elsewhere, forge a reasonable career, continue to make his family forever proud and play the sport he's always loved playing on most Saturdays for the next 10-15 years.

It might not be at the top level but it's the happiness, the smiles, the laughter and creating the memories which are priceless.

He was unlucky with his injury, especially the timing of it considering he'd carved out a reputation for being a prolific scorer at youth level, but he's such a genuine, humble and dedicated lad that he deserves a bit of luck in the future. His family will always be proud of how he conducts himself. His girlfriend, Shannon, also loves him deeply and it's all down to Gratts just being Gratts and a thoroughly genuine lad with some of the best characteristics that anyone could ever have!

He does need to work on his 'keepy uppy' ability though because I've seen plenty of video footage already which suggests Shannon is miles better than him when it comes to that game!

Such is Gratts' demeanour, he's probably not even given a second thought as to what happened on the pitch at the end of Farsley's 'Great Escape'. Mobbed by jubilant fans, he whipped his shirt off (revealing a physique substantially better than my own) and handed his shirt to a young kid so he could have a momento.

I've checked on eBay and the shirt hasn't been listed for sale since so it means that somewhere in West Yorkshire right now, there's a little kid who's still got that shirt. It's probably far too big to wear but that kid will be forever grateful and at some point in the past few weeks, whilst they've been in the school playground kicking a ball against a fence, that kid has probably thought of Jacob Gratton as their idol more than Cristiano Ronaldo.

Gratts still has work to do to get his abs up to Ronnie's standards... but it's not a bad legacy to create for a little kid somewhere who is mad about Farsley Celtic!

So well done on everything you've been through to get to where you are today, Gratts!

You're a credit to your whole family, so keep going next season, keep believing in your own ability, keep enjoying yourself and being one of the best lads on this planet and if/when you ever need a confidence boost or a good chat, drop me a message anytime and we can put the world to rights.

And I'll no doubt see you at a game at some point soon!

Bobby Pointon

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: Bobby Pointon

Age: 18

Position: Midfielder/Winger

Club: Bradford City

I can't specifically recall the moment when I realised just what a good player Bobby Pointon is, but there was something special about his displays in Bradford’s title-winning U19s last season.

The best player in the North-East Youth Alliance (in my eyes and probably a few other people’s eyes), he was a joy to watch and performed well on every occasion I saw him.

Collecting his 'Young Player Of The Year' award (Photo: Bradford City AFC).

 

Usually operating on the right of a three-pronged attack and possessing enough technical intelligence and wherewithal to switch to the other flank and cause a whole heap of problems on that side, or even drift into other areas, he demonstrated a particular 'panache' to make things look effortless.

 

Relentless in the danger he posed and not someone to slack off when it came to hitting high standards either, he also had plenty of composure which is backed up by the fact he contributed around a dozen goals and 'double figure' assists throughout the season.

 

He often tormented opponents through his technical play, by having a good first touch (as shown in his last goal of the season) and through jinking footwork and movement which made him exceptionally difficult to mark. The last thing defenders wanted was Bobby Pointon running at them because they wouldn't be sure of what he'd do next or what he'd create or even how he'd do it. Having spoken to a few who came up against him, they all admit he was a good player with good qualities - thus proving he's earned their respect.

 

His ability shone at various points; whether it be at the start when he bagged against Everton in pre-season, in the winter when he skippered the Bantams in the FA Youth Cup and took just three minutes to score against Oldham at Valley Parade, or later in the campaign when his individual contributions played a key part in big wins before finally clinching the league title that both he and his team-mates worked tirelessly to get their hands on.

 

I don't know enough about Bobby’s background to do a ‘deep dive’ in the same way I would with some players, but I know that with him having been on Bradford's books from U9s level upwards, if their whole academy ethos was personified he would be the end product.

 

He does individually what the Bantams' academy teams are renowned for which is working hard, staying grounded, and showing a particular flair, style and confidence in how they go about the game. Even now, they've done well but there's so much more where they'll want to do even better!

Ultimately, that’s why they were champions. That's why he claimed the ‘Young Player Of The Year’ accolade and why I consider him and his team-mates to be the best Category Three team who I've watched anywhere in recent seasons.

From a selfish perspective, I hope I get to see Bobby play in the U19s next year because if that happens then I know I'm going to be treated to a talented player working hard to succeed. In other ways, I hope that whilst I'm primarily watching youth/development games, he's flourishing in a first team environment and taking the next step in his football journey whether that be at Bradford or out on a decent loan somewhere.

Whatever the next chapter brings, well done on a quality 2021/22 season where you earned the respect of several players, parents, scouts and spectators with how you performed and creating happy memories which you'll always be able to cherish.

Cole Roberts

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: Cole Roberts

Age: 18

Position: Winger/Striker

Club: Bradford City

Saturday 12th February; only four months ago but it was a freezing cold morning at Rawdon Meadows where Bradford City's youth team were playing Doncaster Rovers.

The game took place on a pitch which was a trek and a half from the main building and it did no good whatsoever for my white Nike Air trainers, nor did the muddy touchline. Everyone involved will remember the game, just as much as I remember the look on Louie Chorlton’s face at a certain point, because it's the same one where the referee dished out three red cards in the same incident in the second half.

Cole Roberts celebrates the opener against Doncaster in May.
(Photo: Bradford City FC).

In the first 20 minutes, whilst sporadically glancing up towards the grey and cloudy skies to see when the 90% probability of a torrential downpour would happen (something which never actually materialised), the only thing shining bright was Bradford's left-winger/attacker.

Playing on the same side of the pitch next to where the spectators, scouts and parents were standing, he terrorised Donny's defence. His touch, movement and anticipation was clever from the first minute. His technique was decent. His link-up play was impressive. The accuracy of the balls he was floating on the switch were superb. He did plenty of small, simple but very intelligent things to pose a hell of a lot of problems and he dominated and dictated the tempo in that opening period.

Eventually, I found myself saying ‘Who the f**k is this kid?’ out of admiration!

Bradford went on to win 1-0 and, having found out his name long before the end of the first half, the player in question was Cole Roberts.

I've followed his progress in the months since and, having scored two goals in a 10-0 win over Mansfield (or TEN-NIL as the Sky Sports Videprinter might put it), he soon found himself on a hat-trick again in the final game of the Youth Alliance season at Valley Parade.

This time, playing in a central attacking position, he continued his trait for doing clever things to back up what I'd noticed previously to the point where by the latter stages I was absolutely willing him to score another goal so he could claim his free match ball, get it signed by the lads and cherish it forever.

It didn't quite happen because he was thwarted in what became an individual tussle between him and Donny 'keeper Luke Chadwick but it's no surprise to me that he already has a hat-trick to his name having bagged three times in perfect fashion against Fleetwood in the Youth Alliance Cup last October.

It's testament to both Cole's quality and characteristics that he's gone from playing youth team football as an ‘up and coming’ player then in the U15s in April 2019, to being a prominent, fully-fledged and pivotal figure in this title-winning team which is the best team that I've ever seen in the North-East Youth Alliance.

His end product is proven by the fact that he ended the campaign with a 'double-figure’ goals tally, plus quite a few assists, and I'm sure he'll be eager to do even better next year.

Assuming he is offered a pro contract, at some point he'll hopefully experience the surreal moment that every lad dreams about when they see a shirt with their name and number hanging up in the dressing room and make their first team debut. Regardless of whether that happens in the next 12 months or he goes out on loan instead, or even plays in the U19s and finds himself on a hat-trick again, I'll be following his progress with genuine interest and hope he does well.

I appreciate good players and along with quite a few others at Bradford, I've got a lot of admiration for the quality he showed in the games which I witnessed.

So stay humble, keep working hard to improve and give yourself the best chance of doing well, and also keep doing the little bits you do very effectively. A big thumbs up for making a favorable impression on that baltic morning when the referee left Louie Chorlton doing his best 'Shaggy: It Wasn't Me' impersonation to avoid a red card as well!