Why leave first-team football for our reserves?

i think it's something to do with that positive outlook and ambition thingy, Paul,

He's made three first team appearances in just under 12 months, so hardly a regular! And who the fuck are Mickleover?

Jeez, this fella must think he's won the lottery, and Paul wonders why he's left Burton?

Worked well for Branthwaite and Stones. If he's very good he'll only need about a dozen games for the U21s and can then join first-team squad or go on loan.

These sorts of signings represent our best chance of buying genuinely classy players.

Rob,

Mickleover is a village near Derby.

Mentioned in the Domesday Book.

He played against our Under-21s and must've stood out if we are looking at signing him. They must see potential in him.

Low risk with potential. Good on us

Robert #4,

Spot on. The of future stars are out there, you just have to find them.

Everton have signed several young players this window, including Loney and Graham for example who appear to be great prospects.

I like the way we are looking at long-term planning by identifying young talent at low cost, what is not to like?

Rob Haligan... Wash your mouth out!

I scored a very rare goal as a teenager at Mickleover.

The ball came over my left shoulder and I took it on the volley with my right foot from an acute angle. It flew over the goalie and dipped inside the far post.

I scored that goal long before Marco Van Basten was even heard of.

Sixty-odd years later, all I have to do is close my eyes and I can still see it. In fairness I had to stop playing not long after and never scored another goal — probably wouldn't have anyway.

When I scored this worldy, I expected everyone who was there (about 26 if you include the players) to fall to their knees in awe, but to their eternal shame. they all dismissed me as a Jammy bastard scoring a fluke

Magical things have happened at Mickleover. Don't you dare knock it.

Dave, did your goal make the news in the local rag?

If you can remember the date of that goal, or as near as possible, I will contact the local rag in Mickleover, and see if they have a record of it!! 😁😁😁🙏🙏🙏

Rob,

Local Rag???

It should have been covered by the BBC, but I'm not sure my account even made it back to the dressing room.

Confirmed signing according to the NY Times.

I'll wait until the OS says so before wishing him luck.

...which they just have.

Welcome kid, best of luck.

Poor stuff, Dave!

I made the Pink Echo twice for scoring hat-tricks, before I converted to keeping the ball out, rather than knocking it in!

We have a pretty decent record of picking up players from lower leagues with Branthwaite the obvious recent success.

18 is a good age to get someone. If he's any good, then it's 6 months in the U21s for the coaches to highlight what he needs to work on. Then hopefully a loan in the New Year to a League One side to establish himself.

If that goes well, then it's another loan to the Championship or Europe next season.

Best outcome is that he might be ready to compete around the first team squad in 2026-27. Best of luck to him.

Fans understandably get frustrated when we sign players in this age group when we all recognise the blatant deficiencies in the first-team squad.

I get that, but I am still encouraged that the powers that be are still sticking to the policy of recruiting young players with potential.

Some won't make the grade but others will and become valuable assets for the club in the future. Carry on the good work!

Thought it was only a matter of time before 'we went for a Burton'! :-)

Seriously though, why not? Any superstar, or even good player, had to start somewhere, okay, they don't all make it, or turn out like that, but if you don't gamble on them, some other club will!

Fingers crossed he is another Jarrad Branthwaite.

Dave @8, I vaguely recall reading the Mickleover Bugle, around that time, and along with stray sheep, runaway pigs, Daisy the Cow giving birth to Triple Cowplets, you are right — there was no mention of that wondergoal! :-)

Seems like an astute low risk buy. I would have thought he'd have made more than 3 appearances for Burton though. Mickleover are not much higher than Sunday league football.

I'll trust Thelwell and our scouts. He must have stood out in the EDL Cup and he'd done the business in his trial so good on the lad, and the best of luck to him.

Just as a matter of interest, does anyone know what the "deal" is, has money changed hands, is it the minimal fee or compensation for a junior or was he a "free agent" when on trial with Everton?

Still, our Academy coaches will run the rule over him to see where he needs improving and then send him out on loan to somebody capable of affecting those improvements.

"Mickleover are not much higher than Sunday league football."

On behalf of all Marine AFC supporters, I protest.

On my very first trip over to Merseyside in April 2017, the first game I saw wasn't Everton -- it was Marine 1-3 Mickleover at Rossett Park in Crosby. (Courtesy of Pete Mills, a Marine season ticketholder.)

The two sides' fortunes subsequently diverged and they haven't played since 2018. Marine was later relegated, promoted, promoted again, and will play this season in the lofty level 6 heights of National League North.

But anybody who thinks that bears any resemblance to Sunday league needs to get his ass out to Crosby and take in a match.

Sunday league? Not hardly, Bubba!!