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

daniel9624 added 14:17 - May 12 Played in that league, and it is very poor indeed, though there are some good players in there.
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BYRNE_16 added 14:26 - May 12 They should also sign Simon Mann(no relation to Oli) from Bratham as well. Quality right back, Midfielder and Striker all in one! Him and Oli have playing together for ages!
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Wickets added 14:33 - May 12 Yer remember Kevin Phillips, Burley dallied too long and lost him, who knows ?????
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Hungry_Badger added 14:38 - May 12 I haven't seen anything of him but might as well take a punt, can't imagine him costing much and their are some little gems in the non leagues DJ Cambell and Beckford spring to mind.
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algarvefan added 14:50 - May 12 sign him up!!!
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denhamblue added 15:59 - May 12 transfers lol, yeah right,only ones we be getting is the free kids ones you put on your arms.
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tom_the_blue added 16:02 - May 12 I am hoping to play in that league next season when I am old enough, it is a decent standard- its the nienth tier of football, ie 8 divisions below us. If we sign him, which I hope we do, he will automatically become by favourite player (unless Bullard signs permentantly)
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Skip73 added 16:32 - May 12 I bet that this is the signing that we've been told is going to be made this week. No offence to Olly, he could turn out to be a gem, but this is just the rubbish that the ITFC board always tell us, i.e 'we're advanced in talks with a player and hopefully we'll sign him this week'. We expect a quality Championship player then all we get is a kid from Brantham. At least even Clegg could get this deal tied up.........or could he?

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bluediver added 16:35 - May 12 Jimmy Bullard was at Gravesend.... Michael Kightly at Grays
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sergeisays added 17:31 - May 12 cannot believe no one has mentioned ian Wright he was non league into his early twenties and he did not do to badly when signed for steve coppells palace, and then arsenal and England. who knows mann could be englands number 9 in a few years if someone takes a punt!
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Jaamo11 added 17:40 - May 12 massive step up. get him training with us, see how he does!
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Gazelle added 17:45 - May 12 We signed Basil Acres from Brantham many moons ago, quality full back.
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ITFC4daprem added 18:02 - May 12 good lots of strikers have come from lower leauges and done well like danny grapham and hate to say grant holt
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lawfordblue added 18:08 - May 12 Sign him, as a season ticket holder and having watch this young man in action, this will be money well spent. Fast, strong. Good with both feet , scores goals.... In fact mostly everything we need. Get him signed and take a chance. If Connor wickham is worth 10/15 million , getting ollie to sign is a no brainer ????
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Mungo added 18:55 - May 12 £20k is nothing in terms of a transfer fee and he seems to have a lot of potential. Other examples of players stepping up from lower leagues in recent years include Charlie Austin, Steve Morisson and Albert Adomah. All would be welcome in our team now (excessive wages demands aside!) but if he didn't make the grade the fiunancial implications would be negligible (relatively speaking) Perhaps offer him a 2 year deal and loan him to Dagenham to get some experience? (As part of the deal for Danny Green?)

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theblueginger added 19:08 - May 12 What harm can it do for 20 grand? only the price of a season ticket in the north stand! But seriously for that money its surely worth it, and it wont do Mann any harm signing for a decent sized Championship side.
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fourth added 19:14 - May 12 BX Plastics, the Brantham Bull Great pedigree. Does he have determination?
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wiggy71 added 19:20 - May 12 Did'nt Ian Wright start at this level he made the grade and some so who knows. can't see how we could lose with this lad.
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tractorboybig added 19:26 - May 12 LETS SIGN ANYONE THE PRESS CONECT US WITH. After all we might find a jem on the cheap, because on the cheap is the only way this club is going to bring new blood in.
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alfromcol added 19:43 - May 12 Years ago I played for Brantham Athletic but scouts didn't visit then. Oh what could have been????? The only time I got near to ITFC was when we played them in the end of season Brantham Charity Cup
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stoofer added 21:04 - May 12 i would like to think this boy could do a job for us, but am i the only one to think our scouts rarely uncover a gem these days.
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RegencyBlue added 21:16 - May 12 Worth a punt for the future but not the answer for next season!
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jaydee added 22:26 - May 12 He lives like 10 miles away from Ipswich,if he's that good,how comes he's managed to slip under the radar for so long !
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J4ck22 added 23:01 - May 12 @jaydee Because since when did we scout Brantham Athletic? Keane certainly didn't! :P He's worth a shot, we haven't really got anything to lose because he'll be so cheap. Doesn't matter about the league, he clearly knows how to score goals and should hopefully just take a little while to adjust to Championship football.
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bigears added 23:04 - May 12 O mann is quality! he could tear up the championship defenses no problem. A honest lad who deserves to do well!!
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