Trialists

[Number 1]

Triallists courtesy of Wikipedia...

Colin Larkin:

Colin Larkin (born 27 April 1982 in Dundalk, County Louth) is an Irish professional footballer, who plays primarily as a forward. He currently has no club as he was released by Northampton Town.

Larkin, who is also capable of playing as a winger, began his professional career with Wolverhampton Wanderers. He progressed through their youth ranks to make his first team debut on 24 August 1999 in a League Cup exit to Wycombe Wanderers, where he scored within eight minutes of coming off the bench.

Despite this bright start to his senior career, he was unable to gain any real first team action at Molineux and managed just three (goalless) appearances over three seasons for the club. To gain playing time, he was loaned out to non-league Kidderminster Harriers during the 2001–02 season.

After failing to make the grade at Wolves, he joined Mansfield Town for a £125,000 fee in July 2002. He scored 25 goals over a three year stay at Field Mill, but an apparent fall-out with the club led to his eventual release to join Chesterfield in 2005 on a two year contract.

Larkin netted 13 goals in total over a two year spell at Chesterfield. When the club suffered relegation to League Two, Larkin remained in the third tier as he joined Northampton Town on a free transfer, on 28 June 2007 in a two year deal. Colin is married to his childhood sweetheart Kelly and they have a daughter.


Mark Hudson
Mark Hudson (born October 24, 1980) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Rotherham United in League Two.

After failing to make a significant breakthrough into the Middlesbrough side, Hudson was sold to Chesterfield in 2003 after a short loan period there and at Carlisle United. He subsequently made a name of himself as a central midfielder at the Spireites.

Huddersfield Town snapped up Hudson on a free transfer in June 2005. After scoring a tremendous free kick against Bradford City, Hudson found it hard to cement a place in the Terriers' central midfield, as he was up against captain Jon Worthington and youngsters Adnan Ahmed and Michael Collins. By the end of the 2005-06 season, Town manager Peter Jackson, started putting him in a holding midfield role, and continued this into the following season. After several poor performances, Jackson put Hudson on the transfer list[1] and declared that he would never select Hudson or teammate Martin McIntosh again.[2] Jackson was dismissed from the managers' job, leading to Hudson's brief recall to the side under Andy Ritchie, before joining Rotherham United at the end of the season.


Nick Chadwick

Chadwick started his career as a promising youth player at Everton, scoring 48 goals in 75 appearances in his first three seasons in the junior ranks.[1] He made his senior debut against Crystal Palace at the age of 18, and made his Premier League debut on 22 September 2001 against Sunderland.

Chadwick was highly regarded at Everton and tipped for a big future in the game,[2] but ultimately failed to secure a regular first team place at Goodison Park. He scored three league goals for Everton, all of which came in April 2002 against Bolton, Leicester and Blackburn. He had loan spells at Derby County and Millwall and featured regularly for the reserves, scoring 36 goals in 54 appearances in his last four seasons at Everton.[1] Having failed to secure a regular first team place, he was transferred to Plymouth Argyle for a fee of £250,000 early in 2005.[1] Despite regular appearances in the Plymouth Argyle first team, his goal scoring tally was less than prolific.

He scored Argyle's fastest ever goal after 11 seconds against Crystal Palace in a Championship match on 17 December 2005.

It was announced in April 2008 that Chadwick, along with five other Argyle players, were going to be released when their contracts expired in June. After trials with Walsall and Cheltenham Town, he signed for League One side Hereford United on 10 September 2008. He went on to score a penalty on his debut for the Bulls, against Scunthorpe United.[3]. On 8 January 2009 Hereford decided against renewing his contract and he was subsequently released, though he signed for Shrewsbury Town the day after on a contract until the end of the season.[4] He was released on 25 May after Shrewsbury lost in the League Two Play-Off final against Gillingham.

[shrimper]

A Rotherham fan says:

"If you can get Hudson interested he can be a very good player for you.....but IF is a very big word where he is concerned.
He has been our biggest goal threat from midfield over the last couple of years but you always seem to feel short changed, possibly because you know that he can do it all when he wants to.
Not sure why he decided not to sign a contract to be honest. Maybe he thought he might earn himself a big money contract elsewhere or maybe he needed a new challenge. If it was up to me id have kept him, but not if he was asking for a pay rise, which is probably what happened."

[P/T Indie]

[quote="shrimper"]A Rotherham fan says:

"If you can get Hudson interested he can be a very good player for you.....but IF is a very big word where he is concerned.
He has been our biggest goal threat from midfield over the last couple of years but you always seem to feel short changed, possibly because you know that he can do it all when he wants to.


but that is why he is a league two player. It makes me laugh when fans in league two think such players should be brilliant week in week out if they did they would soon move up the leagues. That is why Thommo left us he finally found some consistency and as soon as he did he was snapped up.

[bigreddog]

I though Hudson last night was competent, good passing and first touch, he hit a few high wide and not very handsome, but the thing that impressed me most was a great tackle going back towards his own goal in the first half. For me, would like to see him again in a midfield with drummy and Stanners to get a better idea. But certainly interested.

Pop Larkin, took his goal really well. smart turn and shot which showed some class. His positional play and interplay wasn't all that it could be, but that's understandable playing with blokes he hardly knows. Again I'd like to see more of him.

Chadwick for me even though he didn't show too much in front of goal, I though his hold up play was good and his committment was excellent. So another look to see if he can build up understanding.

The thing that really impressed me most last night was that every single player looked in really good condition, including Danny Adams. So good fitness levels as a basis for getting other things right this season. Interesting times.

[nobbyshrimp]

Chadwick: no please no!
4mths at Hereford then released and 4mths at Shrews then released (both in the last 12mths) should tell you something!
Don't do it Sammy!!

[heysham_mfc]

Chadwick: no please no!
4mths at Hereford then released and 4mths at Shrews then released (both in the last 12mths) should tell you something!
Don't do it Sammy!!

you never know though 9it is a bit of a gamble but lets just see how he does in the next few games

[shrimper]

Quite. 'Oh no!' was my first instinct having read the CV - but some players just need to be in the right set-up.

We've rarely had a proper strike 'partnership' and if two players just get on the same wavelength....... well, keep an open mind is all I'm saying.

[George Dawes]

i liked what i saw of Chadwick, he could do a Emile Heskey type job/role for Morecambe, just use him as a top class L2 Battering Ram!!


with players like Wainwright, Duffy, Twiss, Stanley all playing off him from midfield

[james456]

i liked what i saw of Chadwick, he could do a Emile Heskey job for Morecambe, just use him as a top class L2 Battering Ram!!


with players like Wainwright, Duffy, Twiss, Stanley all playing off him from midfield

I could see him being useful as a target man playing with someone else but we would need someone quicker who knows where the net is imo (Larkin?)

[George Dawes]

apart from taking his goal well Larkin didn't impress me like Chadwick did with his physical presence

[nobbyshrimp]

apart from taking his goal well Larkin didn't impress me like Chadwick did with his physical presence

Thats his trouble though. Chadwick has the skill, has the presence + has the experience but he is a sriker WHO CANNOT SCORE GOALS! I don't care what anyone says, I've seen him enough times to know he is not a good striker and before I'm shot down in flames with the 'he doesn't need to be if we get someone else on board who can', as a striker he does need to score a reasonable amount in a season and he never has yet! As a youth player at Everton pre 2001 he was the dogs boll--ks as a striker but since turning pro the maximum he has scored is 10. Not bad you might think but this was over 3 SEASONS 2005-2008 1 in 10 for Hereford (penalty) and 2 in 15 for Shrewsbury.
He has a habit of doing reasonable in his early stages at a club. Early days at Plymouth scored there fastest ever goal in 15 seconds but only another 9 in 3 years. On his debut at Hereford scored a penalty but didn't score again but the day after being released was snapped up by Shrewsbury because of his exciting CV. Scored 2 in 15, never really set the world on fire, got muscled out of most games and never got offered a new contract.
I stand to be proved wrong though!

[George Dawes]

it's not like he's going to be a gamble, as there's no transfer fee, and you never know we could be the team what kick starts his career

[Christies Child]

it's not like he's going to be a gamble, as there's no transfer fee, and you never know we could be the team what kick starts his career

...true, but there is probably a signing on fee and a contract to think about, both of which cost money.

I want to see him in at least another 2/3 games before making a judgement, just as Mark Lillis has hinted on Radio Lancashire tonight.

Drummy could be out for a few weeks and Gaz certainly out for at least 5, hence why we are taking a very close look at Hudson, definately the most impressive of the trialists!

[nobbyshrimp]

it's not like he's going to be a gamble, as there's no transfer fee, and you never know we could be the team what kick starts his career

of course its a gamble! We'll be stuck with him for..............................?

[steve mfc]

Its difficult to access players in just one game especially against quality opposition, but for me the pick of the bunch was Larkin not just because he took his goal well but he showed plenty of desire also his movement and positioning was good, he also passed the ball well bringing other players into the game, there was one very good defence splitting pass in the second half which against less illustrious opposition might have led to a goal.

Chadwick held the ball up but not much else, Hudson didn't look like he wanted it enough, some decent passes though they were mostly sideways but just not enough movement or desire.

But that's just based on one game, Sammy will have seen them in training and might already have made up his mind.

Of the established players i thought Fraser had a good game breaking up the Burnley attacks, Adams again showed why he is in the side with his good sense of positioning and last but not least Duffy who seemed to grow in confidence as the game progressed if he keeps that up then he will turn out to be a very good signing.

[George Dawes]

id rather pay some other forward who's a free agent a wage every week


than what ive seen of Wayne Curtis, for 2yrs since we got promoted into league football, he's not good enough he's been given enough chances at this level and cant cut the mustard

[james456]

One more thing... Larkin at times looked quite pacey which is something we need up front.

In theory, him and Chadwick look like a good partnership. A few more games against easier opposition will certainly help the decision making for Sammy.

[BLS BOY]

Although i couldn't make the game as i was working late, i have to say that some are a little over the top with their first impressions of these trialists!

Firstly, Burnley are clearly opposition that we are not going to be meeting regularly next season, they are a good 3 leagues better than we are.

Secondly, to give the trialists another game won't work either, with respect to Southport, they are not exactly a huge test.

Sides like Huddersfield and Tranmere are however, and its those 2 games in particular that should give everyone their definitive opinion on the lads who played last night.

[shrimpnsave]

Although i couldn't make the game as i was working late, i have to say that some are a little over the top with their first impressions of these trialists!

Firstly, Burnley are clearly opposition that we are not going to be meeting regularly next season, they are a good 3 leagues better than we are.

Secondly, to give the trialists another game won't work either, with respect to Southport, they are not exactly a huge test.

Sides like Huddersfield and Tranmere are however, and its those 2 games in particular that should give everyone their definitive opinion on the lads who played last night.

well said,couldnt put it better myself,people need to calm down bout trialists and see how the next few weeks pan out

[George Dawes]

bump

anymore feedback of the trialists in tonight's game would be appreciated??

[P/T Indie]

Would be good to know how Chadwick & Taylor linked up when Taylor came on?

In an ideal world given some time Chadwick could be the provider and Taylor the finisher.