Alex Read- Harlow Town

[IronMike]

There is a bit of snobbery when it comes to non-league players. Remember when Freddie Eastwood first came on trial to Southend and many people, including the manager, were initially skeptical he could make the transition to full-time league soccer.

Couldn't agree more, the way people talk makes it sound like pub football, sunday league amateurs. It certainly is not, it's serious stuff down there. From what I saw against Morecambe and the second half vs Exeter, non league is no worse. Tainted views can often hinder a move for someone like Read, many players down there just haven't had a break. I used to be involved in non league - down there you actually see yourself as semi pro. You get paid, train 2, maybe 3 times a week, on top of a maybe very well paid job -maybe it's more beneficial to stay there, both money and family wise. Pro football is not the be all and end all, it's a romantic notion and perhaps a gamble. Read's mum n sister run The Boleyn, i met them last year when he was on 39 goals. They said he just wants to get offered! So before The Daggers get in, do it! If you know where the net is, you KNOW where the net is.

 

[Mick]

I cant comment on how good this guy is but you would hope the club keeps tabs on lower league players especially from fairly local clubs. Not just for young players either, how old was Mark Bentley when we got him?

Was 26, now 36.

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

Why would Harlow want any of our players in exchange? They've just smashed our second string.

 

[Richard_Cadette]

It is a no brainer as far as I am concerned - 80 goals in less than 1 and a half seasons - That, at any level, is incredibly impressive, and at that level, it is enough to warrant a punt. Of course, it might turn out to be a waste of time, but given the financials involved, which are likely to be insignificant when compared to signing a proven goalscorer in the football league, there is little downside.

It's a valid point regarding our current crop of strikers - would any of them have scored that volume of goals at that level? I suspect not, given how many clear cut chances they have wasted this season - And let's be honest here, some of the chances we've missed, the level at which they're playing is irrelevant - They were such good chances, any striker worth his salt would have taken them.

If you take Saturday's game out of the equation, our problem has not been creating chances, but taking them, and a fox-in-the-box is exactly what we need - we have every other type of striker on our books - target man, link up man, pacey forward - what we don't have right now (with the possible exception of Barney who Brown is reluctant to play) is a genuine goal scorer.

I wonder how many of the chances we've created this season would have been taken by Craig Read if he was still with us?

 

[Tampa Blue]

Shame PB wasn't there to judge for himself - maybe he was scouting André Schürrle instead??

 

[jimmyshrimp]

Paul Benson is a good case in point! Scored a shed load of goals non league, we looked at him never did anything, he went on to have a good league career and score against us a good few times! He was no spring chicken either when he joined league football!

 

[Pubey]

Paul Benson is a good case in point! Scored a shed load of goals non league, we looked at him never did anything, he went on to have a good league career and score against us a good few times! He was no spring chicken either when he join league football!

Paul Benson is a weird one because I know some of his ex-teammates and they were pretty surprised he turned into the played he did. Sometimes you can't put your finger on it, even when you see them week in week out. I think a lot more about being a good player is mental rather than physical or technical, and Benson has definitely had that mental ability to make the most out of his physicality/skillset. He's not particularly fast, skillful or strong - but as a complete package he's a good player.

 

[Mick]

Paul Benson is a good case in point! Scored a shed load of goals non league, we looked at him never did anything, he went on to have a good league career and score against us a good few times! He was no spring chicken either when he joined league football!

I can remember one for Cheltenham .... but that's it, I think.

 

[Medway Blue]

Difficult to compare with Salter. He played all his non-league football in the West Country where he was obviously very settled. Combine a transfer to his first professional football club with his first move out of his area, and it was always going to be 50-50. Read is local to us.

Don't care if he's 20 or 26, he's worth a look. Anyone with that many goals at any level must be a decent finisher. Have a look at least!

 

[amsemp]

Would much rather we look at someone like this in all honesty:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JJ_Hooper

Next Freddy Eastwood this guy. 18 goals in his last 26 games and 9 goals this season in the Conference South. Currently being managed by Lee Bradbury at Havant & Waterlooville. What a coup this lad would be and only 21 years old too.

 

[buffalowolf]

I cant comment on how good this guy is but you would hope the club keeps tabs on lower league players especially from fairly local clubs. Not just for young players either, how old was Mark Bentley when we got him?

Maybe Buffalowolf should let us know how good Reed is seeing as his the master of judging players without seeing them :winking:

As it may surprise you Westy , i have seen Clifford play in quite a few videos im sure your meaning him , the lad in them showed a lot of potential ,can score , pass and tackle ,maybe clumsily at times, but that with the right teaching can be rectified , and has captain of Chelsea youth side that won the FA Youth cup , must also possess leadership qualities.SO up yours :thumbsup:

 

[WESTY_SUFC]

Paul Benson is a good case in point! Scored a shed load of goals non league, we looked at him never did anything, he went on to have a good league career and score against us a good few times! He was no spring chicken either when he joined league football!

We looked at Benson when in the Championship so was right not to sign him as he wasn't up to that level.

 

[baldyian]

Just a thought but possibly this guy is not interested in full time football, especially at our level. He's probably settled with a job to boost his football income and feels comfortable where he is, perhaps has a family and does not want to risk 1 season in the football league and then, if it did not work out, have to go back and try and pick up a career!

I have no knowledge on this but just putting a different viewpoint.

 

[Ricky Otto]

Have already covered in another thread but I have asked a few players I know that have played against him, most of them Witham players (who beat Harlow in the playoff final last season). 3 of the guys thought he would be a great signing, one guy said he had played against Beckford and Gayle and Read impressed him just as much, if not more. 2 of those guys said if he went pro they would put decent size bets on him being top league scorer next season. There was only one who was sceptical, he hasn’t played against him in the last couple of seasons though, sounds like he has improved significantly at Harlow.

As for the point made about the Ryman North being 2 leagues below Conference South, it is worth remembering Dwight Gayle was picked up by Dagenham from Stansted in the Essex Senior League! If this guy is only half as effective in league two he is still worth 26 goals a season!

 

[hamiltonblue]

As always, speaking with a friend, of a friend, of a friend of this lad, apparently his on a pretty good wedge at Harlow and no doubt also works full time outside of football, maybe we couldn't bring him in anyway?

 

[Pubey]

Have already covered in another thread but I have asked a few players I know that have played against him, most of them Witham players (who beat Harlow in the playoff final last season). 3 of the guys thought he would be a great signing, one guy said he had played against Beckford and Gayle and Read impressed him just as much, if not more. 2 of those guys said if he went pro they would put decent size bets on him being top league scorer next season. There was only one who was sceptical, he hasn’t played against him in the last couple of seasons though, sounds like he has improved significantly at Harlow.

As for the point made about the Ryman North being 2 leagues below Conference South, it is worth remembering Dwight Gayle was picked up by Dagenham from Stansted in the Essex Senior League! If this guy is only half as effective in league two he is still worth 26 goals a season!

Nice one, glad to get some insider perspective.

I do wonder that if he was going to come to somewhere like Southend, then he would have.

 

[palexander]

I went to the Chelmsford v Barnet game Saturday (wasnt great and Sawyer was WOEFUL), and Chelmo have a player on loan from Stevenage called Rhodell Gordon. Stood out a mile - was good on the ball, created a few chances (for others and himself) and then when shunted out to the left, worked tirelessly up and down till the final whistle.

Would really like us to look at him - he reminded me of Assombalonga - quick, powerful and had a bit of skill. Was far too good for that level.

 

[amsemp]

I went to the Chelmsford v Barnet game Saturday (wasnt great and Sawyer was WOEFUL), and Chelmo have a player on loan from Stevenage called Rhodell Gordon. Stood out a mile - was good on the ball, created a few chances (for others and himself) and then when shunted out to the left, worked tirelessly up and down till the final whistle.

Would really like us to look at him - he reminded me of Assombalonga - quick, powerful and had a bit of skill. Was far too good for that level.

https://eurosport.yahoo.com/football/players/rhodell-gordon/

According to this he's 0ft tall, weighs nothing and is 113 years old.

He's perfect, get him in.

 

[Bkdside]

I think the majority of people on this forum think our management team sit on there *** and don't have any knowledge of players. But you all become experts by watching an Essex cup game plus looking at wiki.

Let management get on with there job and we will be ok.

 

[Norwichshrimper]

This guy who seems to be scoring for fun at Harlow, why are we not looking at him? have we?....24 goals already this season is surely the exact player we are looking for?

Freddy came from non-league, if I was PB I would be all over him like a rash.

Thoughts?

I know he's been scoring shedloads for Harlow in the Ryman North....he'd certainly be worth a look, but 24 goals by the end of October in Ryman North doesn't automatically make you a League 2 striker...don't get me wrong it's going to get him noticed - and he would certainly be worth scouting, but I'm sure he has been watched by many clubs.

But as en example of what else is out there...David Knight was 2nd highest scorer in that league last year (I think) he got 37 for Thurrock, I think he's in his early 20's...he didn't automatically rocket into the Football League, he signed for Wingate & Finchley in the League above and has banged in around 15 goals so far this season in the Ryman Premier...he's doing well in the league above, but it is still another 3 Steps up to League 2. Wingate also signed Niko Muir who scored 28 goals for Northwood at a similar level in the Southern League, though he is only 20 or so he has only troubled the scorers a few times and has not even been a regular starter in the Ryman Premier this season.

The Ryman North is a huge huge step below League 2 (I've played in it for Christ's sake and I'm not very good at all!) Harlow are top of the league and free scoring. My gut feeling is that at 26 years of age he's probably not good enough for the Football League, if he was good enough and wanted to play football league I'm sure he would have by now. I'm sure he can score goals at a higher level than Ryman North, but League 2?? Probably not.

I'm sure he's been thoroughly scouted though.