Anthony Gordon signs professional contract

Anthony Gordon was linked to Bayern Munich. He's the one with the silky skills, playing wide in the 3 in a 4231, whilst not quite being a winger. His driving run for the second goal in the last game sums him up.

For me, of all the u18s and u23s, it's Gordon and Feeney most likely to make it. Gordon just turned 18 about a week ago.

Let's hope there are a few more coming through.

No better place to become a homegrown hero.

I'd have him on the bench, with a front three out of Lookman, Richarlison, Bernard and Calvert-Lewin playing the remaining games.

Ajax have certainly showed the world what can be done with investment, good coaching, and trust in youngsters.

I’d still love to go down this road though because there does seem to be a lot of very good young talent at Everton right now?

Good luck to Anthony Gordon, a young scouse kid with loads of ability, I hope he has a great career.

Our next Tricky Trevor, no, but the lad has loads of potential, as do a few others in this team, to make it at a level in the English, overseas game. Well earned by Anthony.

Fabulous to do a thorough job at our old ground.

Now for the Barcodes.

It's young Josh Bowler – signed by us from QPR a few seasons back (when Koeman and Walsh were in charge). It seems like one of the few things they got right.

George Green and Jose Baxter are walking adverts for the pitfalls for youngsters who have too much, too soon. All the best English players make it because at the crucial age they knuckle down and work even harder to make the jump. Those two appear to have believed their own hype and sat back to await what's coming, only to not achieve it, because they stopped working for it.

Ledson is making steady progress back up the leagues and is carving out a decent career in the Championship. There's still time for little Walshy.

I just hope the u23 lads can understand that they have to really sacrifice everything to make it. No beer, no cigs, early nights, hard miles in training, and have a singular focus on making it.

I listened to a Man Utd coach once who said that Cristiano Ronaldo and Rooney were the same level. Yet one never stopped working, hired a sleeping coach and lived like a robot, whilst the other got a Big Mac on the way home from training and had sneaky fag breaks, and went on benders. It's no wonder why Ronaldo is still one of the best in the world whilst the younger Rooney is over in the American retirement home at the age of 33.

The will to succeed and improve is crucial, it makes you wonder how good Wayne Rooney could have been.

Let’s hope these lads have good mentors and do get in the EFC first team squad.

Save a fortune in transfer fees. One day perhaps.

And mere size can't account for the spectacular downward arc of Kissock's career. He's now 29 and knocking around 6th-level farm clubs like Whitehawk and Welling after having been repeatedly dumped by mighty clubs like Southport.

Had to be something else wrong with him or his game. Very wrong.

Update: I did a quick search and ran across this podcast with JP from a few months ago: https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ex-everton-youngster-moyes-van-15268917

From the stands, the went from running rings round everyone to a loan at Livingston in (SPL) and then tumbling down the leagues. When he came back from Livi, he was short and squat, clearly beefed up, but had lost the acceleration he once had.

I didn’t realise he was 5’6” he really did seem a lot shorter.

Their U23s are pretty poor so he's played more U18 & U19, made a big impact last season for them as a Schoolboy and definitely one to look out for. Angel Gomes is the other name I know, don't think he got on though.

Man Utd don't really bother with U23s. Their players are either in the side at 18 or it's too late.

They got relegated to the Second Division of PL2 where they are now. It's a poor standard for a club of their status, but goes to show what can happen, from League Champs to relegation if you don't keep the standards up of players coming through.

Who looks older, Lookman or Gordon?

Keep your head screwed on straight, kid, and have at it.

As things stand at the moment, I think it would be unfair to throw in too many youngsters until we can stabilise the team and develop a little bit more consistency.

Man Utd, despite their faltering start, have world-class players and are now playing well, full of confidence. It is far easier and beneficial to introduce yourself under these circumstances than into a team that has been struggling like ourselves.

I'm sure that, as time passes with Brands here, more and more of our youngsters will get opportunities. It's early days yet.

He would graft all day, with Ike, the Blacksmith/Welder then grab a bag of fish and chips on the way to a race meeting, where he would regularly 'run them toffs from the Harriers'. Good old Alf, who in real life would probably be in his late eighties now.

I watched a bit of the Porto v Roma game last night, and the incident with Pepe (not renowned for fair play himself) and was absolutely disgusted at the antics of Edin Dzeko who, after a sham rutting pose with Pepe, went down like he had been hit by a sniper.

I always liked Dzeko who has been linked with us quite a lot recently, but I have no respect for him at all after that, I can't abide cheats.

The trouble is with his "previous" and the two misplaced passes that set them up for counter attacks is what will stay in the memory.

I wonder if they have any old tyres at Finch Farm, being able to pass to each other consistently, would be a great start!

I don't know if you remember but, back in the '70s when ITV's football coverage was still regional, there was a ½-hour football programme on Granada on Friday evening (about 6:30 – presented by Gerald Sinstadt) previewing the weekend footie in the Northwest region.

But they used to include the occasional unusual feature that involved going to the training grounds of various clubs in the region and giving the players a challenge – one of which was 5 tyres hanging from the crossbar at different heights and the player had to shoot through each one from the penalty spot.

As I recall, most players struggled – but one who didn't was Man City's Colin Bell who got most/all of his shots through the tyres. Not sure if Colin himself was inspired by Limp Along – but he was a hell of a player!

I’m stood next to a poster at the moment with a quote from Alex Ferguson on...

“Hard work will always overcome natural talent when natural talent doesn’t work hard enough”.

Sums it up really regarding some players.

Not like today, where you can see every goal scored in every division. We also got plenty of autographs outside the Park End, one by Alan Ball and one by Alex Young were my favourites.

I'm sure being involved with the match day squad would give them all a confidence boost

That programme was called Kick Off. It used to be the highlight of my week. And then, years later, good old Gerald got caught up to no good in a cinema...