Upfront, there’s an embarrassment of riches in the 72, with obvious names like Craig Mackail-Smith, Shane Long and Connor Wickham, but there’s also a few future stars that might get to the Premier promised land soon.
Charlie Austin is ascending the divisions, having just joined Burnley from Swindon. Aged 21, he netted 31 times in just over 54 appearances for the Robins. Austin was previously a bricklayer and it will be interesting to see how he develops a partnership with Jay Rodriguez, an intelligent young striker in his own right.
Norwich’s Cody MacDonald will probably be loaned next season, having spent the previous campaign at Gillingham. He hit 25 in Kent and showed that a six-month cameo at another team might be what he needs before the pacy frontman tries to get on the bench for the Canaries.
Danny Ings of Bournemouth is another excellent prospect. At 19, he’s shown himself to be capable of scoring clutch goals, bagging his eighth of the season in the epic playoff game against Huddersfield. A creative deep forward, his ability is unquestioned and has the potential to be developed by a bigger side.
Most of the Premier League chooses to import it’s playing staff, paying a premium for past ability, yet few have the foresight to invest in their own stars. The above is a small selection of the quality in the Football League. It should not be a retirement home for older pros, but a proving ground for hungry players who can use the division to audition for a big move to the top flight.
This article was written by Hashim Piperdy and is courtesy of our partner website thisisfutbol.com. Read the latest news and blogs about European Football at TiF. – ed
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This week it is former LFC WAG Amii Grove!
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Dale Jennings of Tranmere Rovers. One of the outstanding players of League 1 last year. At 18 he has brought the attention of scouts from some of the biggest clubs in the premiership and even Byaern Munich. The Rovers turned down a £500K offer in January from a high profile English club. Future looks bright for the scouse left winger.