| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... 12:39 - May 13 with 2494 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
...since Feb. He joined Spanish 3rd tier side Murcia last summer, but left in Feb after just four appearances.
I am NOT suggesting we sign him, before any thinks that!! I'm just intrigued, and saddened, by what seems to have happened to a prospect who Bryan Klug said was the best player to ever come through our academy.
City may have been the wrong move, but I cant blame him for making it. Who could turn that down at the time?!
Is it injuries that have caused his decline? |  |
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| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 12:42 - May 13 with 2435 views | vilanovablue |
He seems to have barely played any games, seems a terrible waste. A sad state of affairs and proof the grass isn't always greener. |  | | |
| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 12:45 - May 13 with 2378 views | GeoffSentence |
| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 12:42 - May 13 by vilanovablue |
He seems to have barely played any games, seems a terrible waste. A sad state of affairs and proof the grass isn't always greener. |
How much compo did we get when he moved to Man City? |  |
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| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 12:45 - May 13 with 2385 views | only_one_sir_bobby |
He made a promising start during his first loan spell at Crewe, but unfortunately, injuries brought that stint to an early end. Since then, he’s struggled to make an impact anywhere, which is a real shame [Post edited 13 May 12:46]
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| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 12:58 - May 13 with 2244 views | Basuco |
Football, in fact any sport, isn't about how good you are at 16, you need to improve every year to keep progressing up the ladder. For whatever reason he hit his development ceiling very young. In many sports it is not uncommon for prolific juniors to struggle as a senior, and vice versa, average juniors become good seniors. It is only a very select few good juniors that continue to progress and make good seniors. Forget the money in football, it is all about having the physical and mental strength and talent to progress to become a professional at the top level. (I would say any EFL or PL player would have show huge talent to make a living at that level) |  | | |
| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 13:13 - May 13 with 2063 views | BiGDonnie |
He's learning how to put the fries in the bag. |  |
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| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 13:14 - May 13 with 2066 views | itfcsuth |
Talent wise - the kid was/is unbelievable
Story as old as time - talent alone isn’t enough - Ravel Morrison the greatest ever example I can remember.
But at 22 hopefully break free from injuries and still go on to have an enjoyable career and come through the pyramid.
Needs a home, a return to the UK, NL or NLS side would be a good starting point. |  | | |
| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 13:22 - May 13 with 1986 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 12:58 - May 13 by Basuco |
Football, in fact any sport, isn't about how good you are at 16, you need to improve every year to keep progressing up the ladder. For whatever reason he hit his development ceiling very young. In many sports it is not uncommon for prolific juniors to struggle as a senior, and vice versa, average juniors become good seniors. It is only a very select few good juniors that continue to progress and make good seniors. Forget the money in football, it is all about having the physical and mental strength and talent to progress to become a professional at the top level. (I would say any EFL or PL player would have show huge talent to make a living at that level) |
He made it onto the City bench for the Community Shield a couple of years ago, which suggests he was reasonably well regarded at the time. | |
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| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 13:34 - May 13 with 1893 views | Churchman |
Like a lot of things in life, it’s not just about raw talent. It’s about attitude, dedication, work ethic, whether you physically develop as hoped or get overtaken by peers, choices as to where you learn and opportunities.
I seem to remember he and his parents got a cracking payday when he was hoovered up by Man City but from a career perspective only he will know if was the right decision that gave him the best opportunity to develop and make his way in the game. Maybe the wedge they got was enough for them. Who knows.
The big clubs fish all the talent they can to prevent rivals getting their hands on it or paying smaller clubs anything. It’s what the PL is all about. If players ‘wither on the vine’ who cares. It’s a numbers game where every so often a Foden will emerge.
Is this good for the English game? Of course not, but nobody gives a hoot about that. It’s sad but that’s what those at the top of the game want.
For the players? Doubly sad. Very few who are good at yoof level make it. It was always that way. The hoovering system employed by the big boys now just makes it harder and players who might have had a career wind up serving Big Macs and fries.
Ben Knight - if he loves his football then he may get a chance in the National League or somewhere if he’s good enough. |  | | |
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| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 14:08 - May 13 with 1687 views | Basuco |
| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 13:22 - May 13 by Marshalls_Mullet |
He made it onto the City bench for the Community Shield a couple of years ago, which suggests he was reasonably well regarded at the time. |
Don't get me wrong, he was a very very talented youngster, but sometimes things don't work out as expected, maybe if he had stayed with Town it would have been the same outcome? Maybe not, we will never know. | | | |
| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 17:58 - May 13 with 1137 views | Nutkins_Return |
That is tragic. He was doing well in the City Youths groups as well. Must be injuries really because I think he had a good head on shoulders and sporting family. I would very much doubt anything attitude wise. Hope he gets something as the talent is there. Could do worse then a very cheap contract and putting him in with our youths (a lot of the top teams do this having more experienced players in there) and if he gets his fitness right could have an asset. I'm sure he will be having lots of trials. | |
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| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 18:50 - May 13 with 935 views | Eireannach_gorm |
He could do worse than try League of Ireland and try to get back to the UK that route. Players have come from the UK, had a few good seasons and returned to the UK. |  | | |
| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 19:11 - May 13 with 849 views | bournemouthblue |
| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 12:42 - May 13 by vilanovablue |
He seems to have barely played any games, seems a terrible waste. A sad state of affairs and proof the grass isn't always greener. |
For every success, there are failures and you'd argue the drop down from an academy like City is less, you tend to get more chances with a big club on your CV but to have fallen this far is sad for the lad
How are some of the other ones who we have lost getting on, we had that lad who went to Chelsea who seemed to be playing for their youth sides and doing alright and the lad Arsenal poached? |  |
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| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 19:54 - May 13 with 762 views | ReusersTown |
| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 17:58 - May 13 by Nutkins_Return |
That is tragic. He was doing well in the City Youths groups as well. Must be injuries really because I think he had a good head on shoulders and sporting family. I would very much doubt anything attitude wise. Hope he gets something as the talent is there. Could do worse then a very cheap contract and putting him in with our youths (a lot of the top teams do this having more experienced players in there) and if he gets his fitness right could have an asset. I'm sure he will be having lots of trials. |
He's to old for you're I'd have thought. | | | |
| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 20:30 - May 13 with 686 views | Bigalhunter |
| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 19:11 - May 13 by bournemouthblue |
For every success, there are failures and you'd argue the drop down from an academy like City is less, you tend to get more chances with a big club on your CV but to have fallen this far is sad for the lad
How are some of the other ones who we have lost getting on, we had that lad who went to Chelsea who seemed to be playing for their youth sides and doing alright and the lad Arsenal poached? |
Think the one who went to Chelsea was Charlie Brown.
Seem to recall they paid us £100,000 for him (cue ‘peanuts’ jokes)
He started brilliantly for their U21’s in the youth Champs League and scored something like 14 goals in 10 games and won the golden boot
Subsequently fallen off a cliff and trawling around the League 2 backwaters. Last time I checked he’d managed 10 or so goals in the last five years. |  |
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| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 20:45 - May 13 with 640 views | Nutkins_Return |
| Ben Knight is 22 and without a professional club.... on 19:54 - May 13 by ReusersTown |
He's to old for you're I'd have thought. |
As I say a lot of Prem clubs have really experienced players playing for the youths (Jay Spearing was playing for the liverpool U21s in his mid 30s and loads of other examples). Dual coaching role but setting the example and kids learning off them etc I think was the thinking.
I don't really think it's workable but just got to be a player in there. So many examples like him though. Hope he can work is way back up. | |
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