Toby Stevenson - now at Billericay Town (p3)

Heybridge and the I’s had very high hopes for him.
Good to see Steve Avory still doing his thing

AFKABartram said:

An U18 with Leyton Orient and recently been turning out for Heybridge Swifts. Trialled with Charlton in recent weeks I think

https://twitter.com/stevenson948/status/996038388481511424?s=21

All the best to ya you creepy looking little lad.

seth plum said:

bolloxbolder said:

I see from that twitter account that Toby was the trialist who played centre half in the under 18 final v Palace recently.

I thought he was outstanding on the night, so really pleased we have him on board. Welcome to the club Toby.

I agree with this. He made one particularly excellent interception/tackle in the first half, and for a lad unfamiliar with his team mates he did very well.
We will have to see how he progresses.

Agree

Davo55 said:

I find it hard to fathom decisions taken by clubs about young players. Presumably Orient didn’t see enough to offer him a deal yet a short while later he gets a deal at one of the best academies in the country - ours. Are we better judges, has he just developed strongly in recent months, or what? Good luck to him though, really hope he goes on to have a great career.

Could it also be the fact the Oriwnt saw he had something special and didnt want to risk holding him back (non league budget, non league facilities) so they released him for his own good knowing someone bigger would take him

Stig said:

Dazzler21 said:

AFKABartram said:

An U18 with Leyton Orient and recently been turning out for Heybridge Swifts. Trialled with Charlton in recent weeks I think

https://twitter.com/stevenson948/status/996038388481511424?s=21

All the best to ya, you creepy looking little lad.

Bit harsh!

That be a devilish look in his eye I tell ye!

Davo55 said:

I find it hard to fathom decisions taken by clubs about young players. Presumably Orient didn’t see enough to offer him a deal yet a short while later he gets a deal at one of the best academies in the country - ours. Are we better judges, has he just developed strongly in recent months, or what? Good luck to him though, really hope he goes on to have a great career.

I very much doubt, in their position, Orient even have an academy.

paulie8290 said:

Davo55 said:

I find it hard to fathom decisions taken by clubs about young players. Presumably Orient didn’t see enough to offer him a deal yet a short while later he gets a deal at one of the best academies in the country - ours. Are we better judges, has he just developed strongly in recent months, or what? Good luck to him though, really hope he goes on to have a great career.

Could it also be the fact the Oriwnt saw he had something special and didnt want to risk holding him back (non league budget, non league facilities) so they released him for his own good knowing someone bigger would take him

Yeah that would be a stupid approach from a club as they risk losing out on a cash windfall from them

ForeverAddickted said:

Davo55 said:

I find it hard to fathom decisions taken by clubs about young players. Presumably Orient didn’t see enough to offer him a deal yet a short while later he gets a deal at one of the best academies in the country - ours. Are we better judges, has he just developed strongly in recent months, or what? Good luck to him though, really hope he goes on to have a great career.

S'pose we've done it ourselves plenty of times... Just look at that poor lad Jermaine Defoe for example, didnt stand a chance of making it through our Acadamy so West Ham kindly signed him up

We have done it ourselves, Jordan Ibe, Michael Turner

It does seem that Orient let him go, rather than him refusing to stay

Didn't we pick up Kurtis Cumberbatch from Watford a youngster a few years ago after they had let him go? Only to then let him go ourselves a year later

ross1 said:

If Steve Avory rates him, that will do for me

I agree, if you've ever met him he's top draw, sounds to a laymen like me that he just knows his job and football coaching/development inside out and takes real pride in the young players coming through.

Sounds like Leyton Orient dont have an U23 Squad so had no choice but to release him

Surprised at their level they didnt just put him in their First-Team

ForeverAddickted said:

cafcfan1990 said:

ForeverAddickted said:

Davo55 said:

I find it hard to fathom decisions taken by clubs about young players. Presumably Orient didn’t see enough to offer him a deal yet a short while later he gets a deal at one of the best academies in the country - ours. Are we better judges, has he just developed strongly in recent months, or what? Good luck to him though, really hope he goes on to have a great career.

S'pose we've done it ourselves plenty of times... Just look at that poor lad Jermaine Defoe for example, didnt stand a chance of making it through our Acadamy so West Ham kindly signed him up

We have done it ourselves, Jordan Ibe, Michael Turner

I think those cases are justifyable (is that a word?) though... Same with Oztumer | Dack etc. We were a Premier League Team at the time so was always going to be a struggle to break through for them, just happened to be a case of their careers peaked whilst Charlton were on a downward curve.

Genuinely cant think of a player who has been released and gone to a higher club though - I know Semi Ajayi went to Arsenal but werent we about to offer a Contract ourselves before they came sniffing for him?

Right, for all the ones we've willing let go, I think there was good reason for pretty much all of them with the possible exception of Harry Arter, who was seemingly let go because we were skint (if memory serves, correct me if I'm wrong on that) and he'd been a long time out with serious injury.

But yeah the likes of Oz, Turner, Dack were all far off the first team. And there's also no guarantee they would have turned out as well as they did if they'd stayed with us and not been able to play regularly through their formative years.

Nearly a hat trick