Trialists and Youth Players

[Balti Pie]

Anyone got any good trialists or youth player stories? Players who had a trial and made it big after being turned down by us? I'd include youth team players who never made it with us.

I seem to remember being disappointed we didn't sign Lee Trundle from Rhyl after he scored on trial. Would of been a cult hero.

I know we released Collymore from the youth team. Could of been an interesting forward line with Bully!!

 

[woop woop barmy army]

Never knew about Lee trundle. Had some great skills.

 

[old jacks thumb]

Always thought Lee trundle was a bit of an enigma. Got superb skills and a very good eye for goal but never made it into the proper big time which he should have done really.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Always thought Lee trundle was a bit of an enigma. Got superb skills and a very good eye for goal but never made it into the proper big time which he should have done really.

He was the epitome of a flack track bully in cricket. Played well below his level so absolutely obliterated opposition. Unfortunately on the few occasions he stepped up a division he didn’t have the desire or fitness to push on and invariably went back to the comfort zone of Leagues 1 & 2. He was basically a watered down version of John Hartson.

 

[Boss Hogg]

Famously there was Jason Roberts who we signed from non league as an18/19 year old.

McGhee didn’t rate him and he went to Bristol Rovers I think before going on to score 150+ goals for Rovers, then Albion, Wigan, Blackburn

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Famously there was Jason Roberts who we signed from non league as an18/19 year old.

McGhee didn’t rate him and he went to Bristol Rovers I think before going on to score 150+ goals for Rovers, then Albion, Wigan, Blackburn

Didn’t he have similar issues to Collymore in that he thought he was too good to be playing youth football?

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Before the days of the £100 million rated Zelenskyy Ismail, we had Daniel Nardiello who left wolves (poached) to go to Man United. Ended up playing lower league stuff.

My story was playing against him up our local park one summer evening. Me and my mates were having a kick about disguised as pre season training, we were about 20 at the time. He came over and asked to join in, looking at him he was 12-13 and he absolutely ran rings round us, no one could get near him.

 

[AndyWolves]

Pedro Goncalves

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Pedro Goncalves

As much as I love Nuno, he didn’t help the Goncalves situation or indeed Vitinha.

 

[Adrian_Monk]

Norwich released Chris Sutton as a youth team player and Graham Turner was keen to bring him in as a young player who could contribute to the first team and eventually the successor to Andy Mutch. He came down to Molineux, was not sure about the distance so asked for a few days to think it over. He was ready to sign the contract but after Norwich's first team manager found out he'd been released he hit the roof, got in touch with his agent and subsequently we missed out on a future England player and ended up with John Paskin instead.

 

[AndyWolves]

I read somewhere that lee Sharpe wanted a trial with wolves but we refused him.

 

[QB Wolf]

Famously there was Jason Roberts who we signed from non league as an18/19 year old.

McGhee didn’t rate him and he went to Bristol Rovers I think before going on to score 150+ goals for Rovers, then Albion, Wigan, Blackburn

I sat on the train with him all the way from Wolverhampton to London, just after he signed and we chatted all the way, about football and all sorts of stuff, he was a really nice kid. God that was a lifetime ago!!!

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

I sat on the train with him all the way from Wolverhampton to London, just after he signed and we chatted all the way, about football and all sorts of stuff, he was a really nice kid. God that was a lifetime ago!!!

Mark McNumpgee wasted so much money and didn’t rate Roberts. If only we got a decent manager in at that time instead we would of got promoted 100%

 

[JadeWolf]

Weren’t Wolves really close to signing Duncan Edwards? I read in a book about him that Stan Cullis was convinced he’d signed him, only for Utd to nip in instead.

 

[YouGottaRaulWithIt]

Weren’t Wolves really close to signing Duncan Edwards? I read in a book about him that Stan Cullis was convinced he’d signed him, only for Utd to nip in instead.

Big Dunc would be useful today.

 

[Rabid Wolf]

Weren’t Wolves really close to signing Duncan Edwards? I read in a book about him that Stan Cullis was convinced he’d signed him, only for Utd to nip in instead.

Apparently United brought his family a washing machine I think.

 

[Oldgold Wolfcub]

Apparently United brought his family a washing machine I think.

And then his head was in a spin.

 

[Minimalist]

Not a trial, but didn’t Toney get turned down after a medical?

 

[AndyWolves]

Not a trial, but didn’t Toney get turned down after a medical?

Yep

 

[Longford Wolf]

Charlie Nicholas came for a trial. He got beat up on his way back to the train station and never returned.

 

[AndyWolves]

Tony popovic. We rejected him and he went on to play for palace in the pl

 

[Rhyl Wolf]

He was the epitome of a flack track bully in cricket. Played well below his level so absolutely obliterated opposition. Unfortunately on the few occasions he stepped up a division he didn’t have the desire or fitness to push on and invariably went back to the comfort zone of Leagues 1 & 2. He was basically a watered down version of John Hartson.

Nah, way more skills and mobility than Hartson. Witnessed him play for Rhyl v Wxham (which persuaded Brian Flynn to sign him). Bit of a nob and wayward off the pitch.

 

[Harlow Wolf]

For older Mixers I'm sure I read that we had Bob Wilson on trial in the 60's. He turned out to be a top keeper in the Arsenal double winning team of 1971 when we were also a top 4 team. We had Phil Parkes as our keeper at the time who was good and a loyal servant but never quite at the top level and I always thought it cost us.

 

[JamesWolves]

Carlos Kameni we had him on trial and were about the agree a season long loan for him onlh for his work permit to get rejected

Gascoigne was on trial around the same time

and who could forget the forgetable Brazilian Guilherme Finkler

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Nah, way more skills and mobility than Hartson. Witnessed him play for Rhyl v Wxham (which persuaded Brian Flynn to sign him). Bit of a nob and wayward off the pitch.

Difference being Hartson was doing his skills in the premier league, Trundle proved he was nowhere near that level as he couldn’t even hack the championship.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Carlos Kameni we had him on trial and were about the agree a season long loan for him onlh for his work permit to get rejected

Gascoigne was on trial around the same time

and who could forget the forgetable Brazilian Guilherme Finkler

Yeah Gazza played a few games in the reserves. I went to a couple and it was clear to see there was no chance of him signing as unfortunately his legs had completely gone, barely left the centre circle. Was great to say I got to see my other boyhood hero apart from bully also play in a wolves shirt

 

[Bawtry Wolf]

Charlie Nicholas came for a trial. He got beat up on his way back to the train station and never returned.

Thought that was Ally McCoist. He ended up at Sunderland initially, didn’t do much, then went to rangers.

If you’re looking at players we missed out on Barnwell wanted Peter Reid who was just breaking through at Bolton, but it wasn’t agreed by the board so he went to Everton. We could have had a midfield of Reid, Platini and Hibbitt behind Gray, Richards and Eves.

 

[WalsallWolf]

Yeah Gazza played a few games in the reserves. I went to a couple and it was clear to see there was no chance of him signing as unfortunately his legs had completely gone, barely left the centre circle. Was great to say I got to see my other boyhood hero apart from bully also play in a wolves shirt

This. Think he even played against Sandwell Town in a reserve game

It was fantastic to see him in a Wolves shirt but at the same time, really sad. You could see the legs couldn't do what the heart desperately wanted it to do. Mentally, you could see he was doing ok too, can't help but think in the years that passed it would have been so good for him to have another crack at it, but it just wasn't to be. Back then, I don't think football had anything in place for cases such as that.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

This. Think he even played against Sandwell Town in a reserve game

It was fantastic to see him in a Wolves shirt but at the same time, really sad. You could see the legs couldn't do what the heart desperately wanted it to do. Mentally, you could see he was doing ok too, can't help but think in the years that passed it would have been so good for him to have another crack at it, but it just wasn't to be. Back then, I don't think football had anything in place for cases such as that.

He did indeed play against them lot (I was there!), he also played against Everton.

I read a few years after that there wasn’t any serious intention to sign him. His life had started going off the rails again and DJ took him in as a favour to Incey of whom Gazza is a big mate. He played in the games to give him some focus but went to Tony Adams Rehab clinic when we let him go. The above came from either DJ or Ince a few years ago.

I don’t think there’s ever been a player who wasted his talent as much as Gazza did. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but he should have gone to United rather than Spurs when he had the chance as I’m sure Fergie would have kept him on the straight and narrow.

 

[Longford Wolf]

Thought that was Ally McCoist. He ended up at Sunderland initially, didn’t do much, then went to rangers.

If you’re looking at players we missed out on Barnwell wanted Peter Reid who was just breaking through at Bolton, but it wasn’t agreed by the board so he went to Everton. We could have had a midfield of Reid, Platini and Hibbitt behind Gray, Richards and Eves.

No, definitely Nicholas.

 

[Premier Quality]

He did indeed play against them lot (I was there!), he also played against Everton.

I read a few years after that there wasn’t any serious intention to sign him. His life had started going off the rails again and DJ took him in as a favour to Incey of whom Gazza is a big mate. He played in the games to give him some focus but went to Tony Adams Rehab clinic when we let him go. The above came from either DJ or Ince a few years ago.

I don’t think there’s ever been a player who wasted his talent as much as Gazza did. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but he should have gone to United rather than Spurs when he had the chance as I’m sure Fergie would have kept him on the straight and narrow.

Gazzas issues were mental health as much as anything else - and I don’t know if I’d go so far as to say wasted his talents - before his knee injuries he was absolutely world class.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Gazzas issues were mental health as much as anything else - and I don’t know if I’d go so far as to say wasted his talents - before his knee injuries he was absolutely world class.

Undoubted mental health issues but he certainly would have benefited with some proper management round him (whilst getting rid of an entourage of hangers on at the same time).

The injuries didn’t do for his career, his life and lifestyle did.

 

[Very Proud (AKA Still Proud)]

Charlie Nicholas came for a trial. He got beat up on his way back to the train station and never returned.

The way Charlie tells it is he came for a five day trial as a Centre Back and was up against bigger lads in the squad in the shape of Bob Hazell and George Berry, whilst waiting to hear from us Celtic offered him a contract and only after then did he become a forward. He says as a Glasgow lad when Celtic came in there was no competition.

No mention of skinheads btw.

 

[Alex Rae The Substitute]

I’m sure I recall hearing Carsten Jancker had a trial here too?

 

[Longford Wolf]

The way Charlie tells it is he came for a five day trial as a Centre Back and was up against bigger lads in the squad in the shape of Bob Hazell and George Berry, whilst waiting to hear from us Celtic offered him a contract and only after then did he become a forward. He says as a Glasgow lad when Celtic came in there was no competition.

No mention of skinheads btw.

I’ve not heard that version of events, perhaps my version is another Urban myth, like Lescott’s knees and baseball bats

 

[Houston Lobo]

I’ve not heard that version of events, perhaps my version is another Urban myth, like Lescott’s knees and baseball bats

And Jasper Carrott & Condoleezza Rice.

 

[Very Proud (AKA Still Proud)]

I’ve not heard that version of events, perhaps my version is another Urban myth, like Lescott’s knees and baseball bats

Straight from the horses mouth at The Pundits show at the Grand the other week, though to be fair he's not likely to admit he was chased out of town...

 

[woop woop barmy army]

Wasn’t we intrested in Rooney as a kid?

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

Who was the Latvian striker we almost signed who turned out to be quite decent had a long name

Māris Verpakovskis

 

[Wolves in Limerick]

Charlie Nicholas came for a trial. He got beat up on his way back to the train station and never returned.

I arrived into Cork airport many years ago now in the days when Paul McGrath would come over to that city on one of his benders. The taxi driver on his way into the city was telling me that his mate had give him a taxi ride on his most recent visit. He asked him what was his most memorable football game expecting to be told that it was at the Euros or World Cup. Instead Paul spoke of a game against Scorland in which Charlie played. He forced a corner in the first few minutes and while waiting for it to be taken, Mick McCarthy gave Charlie a kick up the **** and warned him if he saw him again that day he would get far worse. According to the story I heard Charlie spent the rest of the day hiding from Mick.