Chris Smalling | PASOTI
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Chris Smalling

W

Wasteman

Feb 8, 2009
131
0
My next year to be Uni housemate claimed he played with Smalling when he was at Maidstone. At first I wasn't sure what to make of it but I just thought I'd research via good ol Google and it turns out he was his centre back partner for the reserve team . :shock: Played plenty of games together. It's weird though how I wouldn't say my mate is noticeably a stand out player or an obvious notch up from me even. Just makes me think how come the margins of success and failure are so fine? One minute they were playing together, 2 years later one is at United and the other at University. Was Smalling so much much better than my mate? How does it work in that situation?

Made me think back to Stewart Yetton ald Leroy Lita .. both firing in the goals for the U18's for Argyle and Bristol City .. and yet Lita ended up scoring about 15 Premiership goals in one season and playing for the England Under 21's whereas Yetton is at Truro!

And isn't it amazing how Smalling in 2 years can go from Maidstone to United?? How does one manage that jump?? I play football with people in semi-pro at 5-a-side and people who could play in it and it's just weird to think that you can end up at United in that position. I know it's a once in a blue moon occurence but still.

So why are the margins of success/failure so fine in football? The Smalling/housemate and Yetton/Lita are 2 examples.
 
G

Greenskin

Guest
CoulsdonGreen":12kaez7b said:
My next year to be Uni housemate claimed he played with Smalling when he was at Maidstone. At first I wasn't sure what to make of it but I just thought I'd research via good ol Google and it turns out he was his centre back partner for the reserve team . :shock: Played plenty of games together. It's weird though how I wouldn't say my mate is noticeably a stand out player or an obvious notch up from me even. Just makes me think how come the margins of success and failure are so fine? One minute they were playing together, 2 years later one is at United and the other at University. Was Smalling so much much better than my mate? How does it work in that situation?

Made me think back to Stewart Yetton ald Leroy Lita .. both firing in the goals for the U18's for Argyle and Bristol City .. and yet Lita ended up scoring about 15 Premiership goals in one season and playing for the England Under 21's whereas Yetton is at Truro!

And isn't it amazing how Smalling in 2 years can go from Maidstone to United?? How does one manage that jump?? I play football with people in semi-pro at 5-a-side and people who could play in it and it's just weird to think that you can end up at United in that position. I know it's a once in a blue moon occurence but still.

So why are the margins of success/failure so fine in football? The Smalling/housemate and Yetton/Lita are 2 examples.
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Mariner was the same to a degree,playing for Chorley,joined us in 1973,in the top flight 3 years later,England team in 1977.Getting a break can be very important-it was touch and go whether Argyle were going to take him on,but the scout who spotted him threatened to resign if Argyle didn't sign him,they did sign him and the rest is history.Who knows, if Argyle had rejected him,where his career would have ended up?
 
bringonthemilkman

bringonthemilkman

Aug 30, 2006
1,756
556
Sheffield
Many moons agao I used to run the Slough & District Schools U-13s and about half the side used to train regularly with QPR, Southampton, Chelsea and Arsenal and a couple had trials to go to the FA School at Bisham. They were decent players but not particularly outstanding compared to the Plymouth Schools U-11 side I used to watch when John Brimacombe played for them. John was never picked up and ended up playing for Saltash until an injury crisis at Argyle gave him an opportunity he never had. I believe he won the Young Player of the Season award for Argyle when he was about 26 as it was his first season.
Making it in the professional game is down to being in the right place at the right time, a good attitude and a gert big dollop of luck - and a bit of ability.
 
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