TWTD understands that Town sent chief scout Steve McCall to watch Brantham Athletic striker Ollie Mann in action in a friendly for Dagenham and Redbridge’s reserves yesterday. Leyton Orient and a number of other clubs were also represented.

Mann, who scored and is understood to have impressed, was part of a side made up of trialists and youth players facing a team from the Spain-based Glenn Hoddle Academy, which is currently playing a number of friendlies in the UK.

A fortnight ago, TWTD reported that Town had watched Mann as he netted a hat-trick in his side’s final-day-of-the-season 6-2 Ridgeons League Premier Division thrashing of Newmarket Town. The Daggers, Orient and Southend had all previously been checking out the 21-year-old, who scored 41 league goals this season.

Dagenham and Redbridge boss John Still has so far been the manager to show the most interest and Mann has been training with the Essex club, which was relegated to League Two on Saturday, and they may well be ready to offer him a contract.

Mann, who scored 44 goals in Brantham’s Ridgeons League First Division promotion season last year, missed the first nine games of this campaign through illness and injury but has ended it only one goal away from breaking the Ridgeons League Premier Division goals record of 42.

The Lawford-based building apprentice has a year left on his Brantham contract with the Imps denying reports that they have put a £20,000 price on his head.

Photo: Action Images

dan_itfc55 added 12:04 - May 12 41 goals!! We'll have a bit of that thank you very much! £20,000 = pocket money! Just sign him and give him a chance!!!
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OsborneOneNil added 12:06 - May 12 Massive step up, but I would definitely welcome a signing like this.
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daniel9624 added 12:08 - May 12 Sign him, send him on loan to someone like D&R with them paying his likely tiny wages, see how he shapes up in proper football. That league he is playing in is very very poor
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suffolkpoker added 12:12 - May 12 he is the right age, right price... only trouble is with no reserve league we would have to send him out on loan. I would suspect to a league 2 club. i thought we was getting some transfers this week? that leaves till saturday!!
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clive_baker added 12:13 - May 12 Although a relatively low standard, and a million miles away from Championship football, he clearly knows where the net is. He wouldn't be the first, and wont be the last to step up to good effect. Got to be worth a punt at £20k.
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Infineteregress added 12:18 - May 12 Brantham Athletic? Really? I know most of us would like to see lower league players being scouted. Hey ho, I'm sure Jewell knows what he's doing.
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pepperot123 added 12:26 - May 12 This lad could be one for the future but get Billy Sharp in ASAP. If Evans was prepared to spend £2m on Austin in Jan surely a proven Championship striker is worth the £2.5m Donny are after. A good early signing will show other players we are serios about challenging next season and they will sign too.
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Garv added 12:31 - May 12 Some players just know where the goal is, doesn't matter what league you're in, that usually depends on pace and strength and other attributes. We just need goals.
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tractor_boy_varnz added 12:33 - May 12 agree with you pepperpot123, just need to finalise a few of these deals now! and i see absolutly no pint in not trying to sign mann, 41 goals is impressive in any league and even if we just loan him out, its only 20,000, he's 21 and his wages wont be much! Sign him up PJ
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Mark added 12:36 - May 12 I don't know whether he could make the huge step up, but he might be worth a punt at that money. We could offer him a one year deal on a modest wage and see how he gets on. The scouts will have to judge whether he has the qualities to make it, but given our lack of firepower I often wonder if this sort of youngster could do much worse than what we have!
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Blue92 added 12:42 - May 12 £20k is 2 weeks wages for some of our players - must be worth a shout if PJ's impressed by him. Sign him up, loan him to Dagenham, we get a promising young striker, they get someone scoring 15-20 goals for them as they push for promotion back to League 1, everyone wins!
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simonsays added 13:05 - May 12 I think we should be setting our sights slightly higher than this Mr Jewell!
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Lolocaust6 added 13:07 - May 12 Definitely worth a punt! Get him in!
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nkotb_sect5 added 13:08 - May 12 Why bother?
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Behind_Enemy_Lines added 13:08 - May 12 Worth a punt, but If he ever fails to convert chances he will be known as Miss Mann .
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Smithy added 13:13 - May 12 the next Kevin Phillips!, didn't he come from Baldock or summat!
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bizman added 13:19 - May 12 Blue92 -I completely agree -its 20k! might as well invest that on a striker that has bags of promise and loan him for experience etc
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whistleblower added 13:24 - May 12 Signed Simon Milton from Bury Town back in the day. He had a good career at ITFC!
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stringtheory added 13:27 - May 12 A lot of us do the lottery, this is no different.
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KesgraveBlue added 13:32 - May 12 @daniel9624 "That league he is playing in is very very poor" Let me tell that that is nothing compared to the rubbish leagues I used to play in!!!!
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jas0999 added 13:39 - May 12 Agree with other posts. However this is a massive step up for the lad. Worth a punt, but presumably one for the future. It would be a calculated risk. Hopefully this won't be PJ's idea of the 20-goal a season striker for the Championship?! Assume he has other targets - seasoned professionals, experienced at THIS level.
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Geo_ITFC added 13:41 - May 12 sign him up!! BAFC and ITFC :)
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bluelady added 13:45 - May 12 agreed Jas, this has to be a punt for the future, little outlay that may not work out but if it does we could make a fortune in profit.BUT this is not the answer to next season... i was speaking to a lad who plays for the same team the the other day and he reckoned league two would be a good shout but very much doubted he had the stamina for Championship, but like i say worth a low output risk

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sonian_blue added 13:53 - May 12 These are the sort of players we should be taking a punt on for what is peanuts in todays world. Wasnt Holt fitting tyres 3 or 4 years back and Makail Smith humping bricks, they managed the step up so its not impossible.
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DiamondGezzer added 14:01 - May 12 At least we're looking. Last year this would have been unthinkable !
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