By 4two
January 29 2005

The last batch of talented young players we produced contained the likes of Ricketts, Platt, Roper, Thomas, Keates and Gadsby. All of these have gone on (or went on) to make a career out of the game at a decent level, whether it be in the Premier League, or Nationwide Conference. We currently see Julian Bennett and Matty Fryatt making excellent progress , while Leroy Williams and Daryl Taylor have also wowed the crowd with a glimpse of their promising potential.

Then there ‘s Taiwo Atieno, Nathan Jamerson and Scott Dann all of whom manage to make the bench for first team fixtures

But that about those that those that never got the same kind of chance because we were playing at a higher level.

Andy Bishop – Striker –

We tried to keep him , but he left in search of first team football. Bishop never made a first team appearance for the Saddlers, but did have loan spells with Kidderminster, Rochdale and Yeovil. His goal returns with those clubs could be called modest at best. This season he is with York City, where he has played 24 of there 26 league games, managing to find the net on 6 occasions. Not a bad return for a Club languishing in the bottom 5.

Karl Hawley – Striker –

He managed to get more of a chance than Bishop, making 4 appearances in 4 years. Loan spells with Hereford and Raith Rovers allowed him to show he knew where the net was, but he never did enough to impress Colin Lee and was released on deadline day 2004. Currently with Carlisle United, Karl has managed 11 goals in 24 appearances. A return that makes him one of the top finishers in the League.  His career record of 22 goals in 55 starts will raise a few eyebrows. He has just been called in to the National Game XI international squad.

Gavin Caines – Defender -

Caines left the Club in the summer of 2004, having never made a first team appearance. Those who saw him in the Reserves will agree that there was never much between him and Julian Bennett in the quality stakes, and most of us struggled to tell them apart. It is no surprise that he was snapped up by another league club, and he is currently playing for Cheltenham Town.  Caines is currently enjoying a good run in the Cheltenham team, having broke in to the first team over the Christmas period.

Craig Stanley – Midfielder -

Another of our young players released before he was handed a first team opportunity. Stanley also had a loan spell up at Raith Rovers, where was briefly made Captain while the regular skipper was out injured. Stanley was released at the same time as Hawley, and arrived at Hereford via a short spell with Telford United. Stanley is an ever present for Hereford this season, and this week celebrated a call up to the National Game XI international squad. The second of our former youngsters to be honoured in this way.

These are four of our most high profile departures over the last 12 months. All of them are in there early 20s and seem to be making good progress Stanley and Hawley have shown enough promise to earn international recognition, while Caines and Bishop are showing signs of turning in to good solid professional players with there respective clubs.

Released at the wrong time? Or just not good enough? Is this one half of the golden generation that was cut a drift to early?