Confirmed Transfer Jacob Blyth joins from Leamington

[Leigh]

Blyth Joins Development Group
Posted on: Thu 10 May 2012

Promising young striker Jacob Blyth will join City's development squad for the 2012/13 season, after joining the Foxes from non-league Leamington for a nominal fee.

The 19-year-old centre-forward joins the Club's junior professional ranks, under the guidance of development coach Steve Beaglehole.

Jacob scored 17 goals for Leamington in the Southern League Premier Division this term, following spells with Bedworth United and Nuneaton Griff at lower levels of the English football pyramid.

http://www.lcfc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10274~2767507,00.html

 

[londonfox]

Good luck to the kid. I hope he's a big success for us.

 

[tedfoxxx]

bettoh than heskeh loool

 

[David Gwilliam]

Good luck to the kid. I hope he's a big success for us.

I hope so too. However, there is a huge gap. The best non-league player I ever saw was Roger Davies. However, when he played for Leicester against a better standard of defender you would not have recognised him as the same player.

 

[bocadillo]

The best non-league player I ever saw was Roger Davies. However, when he played for Leicester against a better standard of defender you would not have recognised him as the same player.

He wasn't that good while he was at Derby either:

 

[fox58]

He wasn't that good while he was at Derby either:

after Rogers near miss have a look at the 1971 Palace Man U game a few city connections

 

[GazLCFC]

I give it until September before someone asks why he isn't playing or suggests he should.

 

[psychotic.fox]

I hope so too. However, there is a huge gap. The best non-league player I ever saw was Roger Davies. However, when he played for Leicester against a better standard of defender you would not have recognised him as the same player.

what about Alan Smith....came from non league alvechurch for £2000....instant success in top division. and went on to play for England

 

[Jeff]

what about Alan Smith....came from non league alvechurch for £2000....instant success in top division. and went on to play for England

There have been lots of examples of non league players going on to play for England. Chris Waddle, Stan Collymore, Ian Wright, Les Ferdinand, Chris Smalling and Steve Guppy being ones I can think of without looking it up.

But I think DG was talking about players he'd personally seen playing non-league.


The best young non-league player I've seen is O'Neill Donaldson, for Hinckley Town. He was clearly far too good for that level, and I thought he could go all the way to the top. He didn't go quite that far but he did play in the Premiership for Sheffield Wednesday.

 

[David Gwilliam]

But I think DG was talking about players he'd personally seen playing non-league.


.

Yes. . Ironically his first game for Worcester City was a pre-season friendly against Leicester City in which Joe Jopling tried and failed to mark him. By the end of that match it was clear we had (in Southern League terms) a star. After about six games First Division scouts were watching him and by October he was sold for £12,000. The £12,000 is Wikipedias figure and may well be right. Worcester fans were told £15,000.
probably to appease the fans.
I had not long moved to Leicester and was in the strange situation of supporting both clubs at the time I remember wondering if Leicester were one of the clubs watching Davies since he had played so well against Leicester reserves in the friendly.
.

 

[Steven]

what about Alan Smith....came from non league alvechurch for £2000....instant success in top division. and went on to play for England

Smith and Lineker

 

[H T B]

Smith and Lineker

What would they be worth in today's market (at their peak of course )

 

[Jeff]

http://www.leamingtoncourier.co.uk/...pletes-dream-move-to-leicester-city-1-3830976

Leamington striker Jacob Blyth has completed a dream move to Championship big-spenders Leicester City.

Brakes have been paid a nominal fee for Blyth, who will join City’s development squad under the guidance of coach Steve Beaglehole.

A sell-on clause is also included in the deal, with the prospect of a Leicester City side coming down to the New Windmill for a pre-season clash.

Rumours of the transfer have rumbled on since the turn of the year, with 19-year-old Blyth, who also enjoyed a promising trial at Birmingham City, being courted by a number of professional clubs.

The Foxes quickly emerged as favourites, however, due in part to Brakes boss Paul Holleran’s friendship with Leicester City assistant manager Craig Shakespeare.

Worries about a heart condition picked up in Blyth’s medical stalled the deal.

However, after tests from a heart-rate monitor were analysed, Blyth was given the all-clear.

The paperwork was completed on Wednesday night, with the move capping a meteoric rise for the teenager, who began his career at Nuneaton-based Bermuda.

He signed for Nuneaton Griff as a 16-year-old and had a spell with Bedworth United, which yielded eight league goals, before joining Brakes in January 2010.

Blyth, who yesterday worked his final day at the accounts department for Nuneaton-based company Cogsdill, scored 24 goals in 64 appearances for Leamington.

Brakes chairman Jim Scott was delighted with the deal and hopes it will inspire other promising young players to use the club as a stepping stone to professional careers.

“It’s a huge opportunity for the lad, but it’s only the first rung on the ladder,” said Scott.

“He’s been given an opportunity that many young players can only dream of and he’ll need to work hard to grasp it.

“But he goes with our very best wishes.”

He added: “It reflects well on the club.

“Paul Holleran took a chance on the lad and it shows that young players can further their careers at Leamington.”

Holleran believes Leicester is the perfect environment for Blyth to continue his footballing education and said it was now up to the striker as to how far he would progress.

“What Leicester have seen is what we saw - raw talent,” said Holleran.

“Jacob’s a good size and can score all types of goals.

“He can improve in that environment and he has the opportunity to be whatever he wants to be.

“I’m obviously delighted for him.

“Worst-case scenario they’ll turn him into a Football League player.

“The best case and he’ll be turning out for their first team.”