Tom Eaves signs

[PhilK66]

It could be that Harris had already identified some good young strikers outside or even inside the club. Difficult to keep Sithole at Gillingham if you felt unable to give him opportunities. It is about have the right numbers of youngsters at the right stage when you have no reserve team.That might be part of the reason why Gerald was released.
All this talk of development leads me to think there is matters we have not be told about yet in the pipeline. In Harris we must trust.
Good luck to Sithole for his sake I hope he makes it.
No telling if he definitely would have done at Gillingham even if he does elsewhere.
What Harris said about Akehurst makes me think that had Sithole have stayed he might have needed to do a massive amount of work in the gym .I think over the years our players we have developed have been far too lightweight for lower league football. Which might be why the vast majority end up in the Championship, Premier league or non league.
Look back at players like Cumbers,Pugh,Ashley Miller,Davies and many many more too lightweight. I think that is one aspect that Harris intends to change perhaps it needs to be started earlier during their youth team days not a year or too after.

Wasn't Peter Beardsley rejected by us for being too lightweight?

 

[SE1_Gills]

Good luck Tom, he will always be remembered fondly for the two very good season he had with us. From what we saw via social media etc he seemed pretty "normal" too.

Way back when we had roland edge, then danny spiller etc come through - did we have a reserve team?

 

[chris who]

Wasn't Peter Beardsley rejected by us for being too lightweight?

Managers make mistakes. Harris like his predecessors has a very limited budget. If he believes in the current crop of youths and wants to invest in them he had to decide.A 18 year old breaking into the first team could be worth a lot of money if nothing else. If Sithole of Lintott break through at the age of 20/21 they will not be worth nearly as much.

 

[PuB]

Managers make mistakes. Harris like his predecessors has a very limited budget. If he believes in the current crop of youths and wants to invest in them he had to decide.A 18 year old breaking into the first team could be worth a lot of money if nothing else. If Sithole of Lintott break through at the age of 20/21 they will not be worth nearly as much.

Apparently Lintott is on trial at Northampton (not that those things mean much, but I thought you’d be interested).

 

[chris who]

Apparently Lintott is on trial at Northampton (not that those things mean much, but I thought you’d be interested).

Thanks I expect Harris will look at a few players pre season he has said as much.
My guess is that Shorey would have seen various players who were worthy of Harris looking at most get shown the door. This season could be little different as I think some of the loans might play against us at some point before signing. Too do so we need to be up to speed to have any real value. This will mean I believe early matches might well have more trialist than normal.