Under the radar players

[Moomin]

Every year there’s a number of players that come from nowhere and take the league by storm. Although I wasn’t following league 1 much last season, I can still see the likes of Alfie May and Cole Stockton were top performers, when many wouldn’t have known about them previously.

So who’s your under the radar player this season, or maybe better described as who’s your dark horse? Can I still say that? I just did.

For us, it’s Jevani Brown. We signed him from Colchester just over 12 months ago and many of their fans laughed. But, he was top class last season. Something like 15 assists and 7 goals. He’s great on the ball and just has that ‘something’ which gets you on the edge of your seat.

I think, out of all of our players, he’s the one who was most likely to step up. On Saturday at Lincoln he produced an excellent bit of skill and a great assist to reaffirm why I think he’ll be our top player this season. Us ECFC fans need to make the most of him as he’ll surely be moving on soon ish if his form carries on…

 

[LeonTheGreen]

Adam Randell. We’ve got a very highly rated goal keeper in Mike Cooper so Randell kinda goes under the radar, but he has earned himself a starting place in our team now. Had a loan spell at Torquay a couple years ago where he did brilliantly, and looks like this might be the season he shows the whole of L1 how good he is.

 

[kieran_vale]

Depends about who we are talking under the radar to. Connor Hall for example will be of no surprise to Vale fans but apart from maybe a very select number few on here will know who he is until they’ve seen him play and just how dominant he is at the back for us as well as being really good on the ball as he showed in our two goals yesterday. That he went undiscovered at Harrogate for so long is amazing given the lengths many clubs go to with recruitment nowadays.

Outside of that I’ll throw in Rory Holden. Had a horrible run with injuries at Walsall but came on yesterday and there were flashes he can bring to us what Dennis Politic did on loan last season.

 

[Essex2Wessex]

Regan ("Vegan") Hendry, already. One of several players we've signed in recent seasons from Scottish teams. He was building up and demonstrating his capabilities last season (and pretty much got the goal of the season, too), but yesterday's performance against Bristol Rovers was just pure class from start to finish. Assist for the first goal, then scored a goal disallowed for being dubiously offside, and then that absolutely stunning worldie goal just before end of full time.

I think maybe a majority of our goals this season may come from midfielders, but Hendry is really the one to watch. I'd not be surprised were he to be as influential for us this season as Cadden was last year.

Josh March might yet come good, too, up front, now that with Stevens out for injury, there are greater expectations implicitly upon his shoulders. He's got pace and fight, some development still needed, but maybe the potential there to shine as he's not yet done.

(Jevani Brown did little to stand out in his time with us, from my view, so it's interesting to see how he's taken Exeter by storm)

 

[Laker]

Every year there’s a number of players that come from nowhere and take the league by storm. Although I wasn’t following league 1 much last season, I can still see the likes of Alfie May and Cole Stockton were top performers, when many wouldn’t have known about them previously.

So who’s your under the radar player this season, or maybe better described as who’s your dark horse? Can I still say that? I just did.

For us, it’s Jevani Brown. We signed him from Colchester just over 12 months ago and many of their fans laughed. But, he was top class last season. Something like 15 assists and 7 goals. He’s great on the ball and just has that ‘something’ which gets you on the edge of your seat.

I think, out of all of our players, he’s the one who was most likely to step up. On Saturday at Lincoln he produced an excellent bit of skill and a great assist to reaffirm why I think he’ll be our top player this season. Us ECFC fans need to make the most of him as he’ll surely be moving on soon ish if his form carries on…

Interesting you mention Jevani. We had him at Cambridge a few years ago and we sold him to Colchester - we even got a fee! He always had raw talent but there was something about his application and attitude which didn’t seem to be right, which in fairness might have had something to do with the management/coaching team at the time.

Our whole team is full of players who fly under the radar and long may it stay that way!

 

[AmberRich]

For us, it’s Jevani Brown. We signed him from Colchester just over 12 months ago and many of their fans laughed. But, he was top class last season. Something like 15 assists and 7 goals. He’s great on the ball and just has that ‘something’ which gets you on the edge of your seat.

I think, out of all of our players, he’s the one who was most likely to step up. On Saturday at Lincoln he produced an excellent bit of skill and a great assist to reaffirm why I think he’ll be our top player this season. Us ECFC fans need to make the most of him as he’ll surely be moving on soon ish if his form carries on…

Jevani is a very talented player. We were the ones who gave him another chance in the EFL and picked him back up from non league after a phenomenal spell at St Neots.

He always had a great amount of talent, he was arguably our best player for a while and without his goals and assists we would have been relegated. A lot of fans loved him. The problem was for all the moments there were alot of times he went missing. Remember there being rumours of him being a bad character behind the scenes. So we sold him at the first okay deal we received. And looking where we are now the atmosphere seems 10x better and we are now in a division higher so for us it's worked out well.

Pretty sure there were similar stories about attitude when he was at pish as a teen as well, and then even at Colchester. The panenka penalty and the coded Tweets don't exactly help the reputation of his attitude.

There's undisputed talent there. And I feel he needs to have the right coach and teammates around him to really get the best out of him, whilst also getting loved by fans, which by the looks of it he's found at Exeter. But if a another club came in for him I wouldn't be confident he'd be able to keep his form unless it's under the perfect circumstances.

 

[AmberRich]

As for our dark horse, I feel like every Cambridge fan could say someone different.

Ironside was the cup hero last season, and Sam Smith is supposedly attracting attention of the most clubs. And Mark Bonner is saying Harvey Knibbs is going to have a big season.

Think our CB, Okedina is probably a player who could go on to have the most successful career at a higher level and maybe potentially follow the footsteps of Harry Darling (without the goalscoring though). Definitely keep an eye out for him.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

Adam Randell. We’ve got a very highly rated goal keeper in Mike Cooper so Randell kinda goes under the radar, but he has earned himself a starting place in our team now. Had a loan spell at Torquay a couple years ago where he did brilliantly, and looks like this might be the season he shows the whole of L1 how good he is.

I completely agree about Adam. Just to add he is a midfielder who is clearly our best passer.

 

[Si Robin]

He might have even flown under our own radar, but seeing Callum Ebanks come on to the pitch as a late sub on Saturday was quite eye-opening. He's a big lad who has an eye for goal, came through our youth team and has impressed a lot over pre-season. The fact he was on the bench ahead of the more established Charlie Brown says a lot.

It could be nothing, but the 5 sub rule could just be the launchpad he needs.

 

[Dan Phillips]

Connor Hall, without a doubt.

He'll be talked about as one of the best defenders in this league throughout the season, of that I'm positive. He's class.

Goal and assist on the opening day. Best centre half I've seen at Vale since the likes of Glover and Aspin I'd say.

 

[Luke Imp]

None of our signings are likely to be under the radar because two have been from L2 and one was one of the best players in the LOI.

Charlie Kendall is probably the closest we've got. He scored 25 in 37 in the NLS last season and looks a decent finisher but how many chances he gets this season I'm not sure. We played with one up front and Hopper is this seasons Captain, so it'll be mostly sub and Pizza Cup appearances I'd imagine.

 

[K-Win]

I'd say most of our first teamers aren't all that unknown really. Likeliest dark horse candidate is probably Jay Mingi who is slowly moving up the pecking order of our midfielders after a strong pre-season. It may take an injury crisis for him to get a run of games, however.

Also, winger Reeco Hackett-Fairchild may finally have a breakout season but he's in a similar boat to Mingi when it comes to the first team. Has a strong shot and plenty of skill but is also extremely one-footed.

 

[Moomin]

Jevani is a very talented player. We were the ones who gave him another chance in the EFL and picked him back up from non league after a phenomenal spell at St Neots.

He always had a great amount of talent, he was arguably our best player for a while and without his goals and assists we would have been relegated. A lot of fans loved him. The problem was for all the moments there were alot of times he went missing. Remember there being rumours of him being a bad character behind the scenes. So we sold him at the first okay deal we received. And looking where we are now the atmosphere seems 10x better and we are now in a division higher so for us it's worked out well.

Pretty sure there were similar stories about attitude when he was at pish as a teen as well, and then even at Colchester. The panenka penalty and the coded Tweets don't exactly help the reputation of his attitude.

There's undisputed talent there. And I feel he needs to have the right coach and teammates around him to really get the best out of him, whilst also getting loved by fans, which by the looks of it he's found at Exeter. But if a another club came in for him I wouldn't be confident he'd be able to keep his form unless it's under the perfect circumstances.

I was really concerned that we’d signed a player with an attitude problem and also someone who’d be lazy. Basically Colchester fans said he was just that.

But, he’s been anything but in his time here. He comes across as though he loves it here, he’s always signing autographs and his work rate/ fitness has been exceptional. I wonder if it’s a case that he’s basically just matured and we’ve caught him at the right time…He’s got two young kids now so he’s probably a different character to when he played for you guys a 3-4 years ago.

Annoyingly, we never announced his contract length when he signed last summer, so I worry he can walk for nothing at the end of the season. Fingers crossed we can tie him down long term and he keeps up his form with us.

 

[Moomin]

He might have even flown under our own radar, but seeing Callum Ebanks come on to the pitch as a late sub on Saturday was quite eye-opening. He's a big lad who has an eye for goal, came through our youth team and has impressed a lot over pre-season. The fact he was on the bench ahead of the more established Charlie Brown says a lot.

It could be nothing, but the 5 sub rule could just be the launchpad he needs.

I remember seeing Ebanks play for your u23s against ours a year or two ago and he is indeed a big lad for his age…Couldn’t believe the physical difference between him and everyone else on the pitch that day! If he has the talent to go with his presence (sounds like he does), you could have a great player on your hands.

 

[nelsonpfc]

I'd say most of our first teamers aren't all that unknown really. Likeliest dark horse candidate is probably Jay Mingi who is slowly moving up the pecking order of our midfielders after a strong pre-season. It may take an injury crisis for him to get a run of games, however.

Also, winger Reeco Hackett-Fairchild may finally have a breakout season but he's in a similar boat to Mingi when it comes to the first team. Has a strong shot and plenty of skill but is also extremely one-footed.

Agree with Mingi, however I can see Liam Vincent getting some pizza cup minutes and forcing his way into the squad if Hume can't get fit. One kinda not so much under the radar, but more a signing that was done without the fanfare was Joe Piggott. Written off after last season at Ipswich, loaned when Harness was sold and seen as a desperation signing by many.

 

[AmberRich]

I was really concerned that we’d signed a player with an attitude problem and also someone who’d be lazy. Basically Colchester fans said he was just that.

But, he’s been anything but in his time here. He comes across as though he loves it here, he’s always signing autographs and his work rate/ fitness has been exceptional. I wonder if it’s a case that he’s basically just matured and we’ve caught him at the right time…He’s got two young kids now so he’s probably a different character to when he played for you guys a 3-4 years ago.

Annoyingly, we never announced his contract length when he signed last summer, so I worry he can walk for nothing at the end of the season. Fingers crossed we can tie him down long term and he keeps up his form with us.

Yeah potentially, he was already a dad when he was here but being a father of two does change you as a person.

Also he must have moved much further west now to play for you guys, so it'll be a new environment and social bubble from what he had over here which might have had an impact to.

He is great with younger fans, he's the sort of player they adore. He's definitely found the right club in Exeter.

 

[BarrieOwl]

Fisaro Dele-Bashiru

We signed him in the summer of 2020 from Man City but he was very very raw and our relegation that season wasn't conducive to fitting him in the team.

Last season he got more of a chance and but for an injury would have played far more.

He's a powerful box to box midfielder who just lacks the composure and end product or so it seemed til Saturday. We need to tie him down cos there's a serious player in there.

 

[masi51]

Eoin Toal the Derry cap who we have just signed..........Evatt said he was the best defender who we looked at this summer. Connor Bradley 19 year old signed on loan from Liverpool modern rwb bags of energy and talent but will never shift TAA and last but certainly not least Aaron Morley signed from Rochdale in January the best footballer at the club bags of confidence we missed a penalty pre season against Wigan and he has now stepped up over senior players to score our penalty against Ipswich

 

[valefan16]

Connor Hall for us without doubt, he is a Rolls Royce of a Centre Half.

We signed him in January and none of us had heard of him but we've absolutely mugged Harrogate there (We sent them an ageing Leon Legge the other way).

Harrogate let him go as they were unhappy with him commuting from his Cambridgeshire home but he could travel in daily from the Congo for all I care.

Good on the ball, scores goals, at the weekend even sent the Fleetwood defender for a hot dog to set up our equaliser, thoroughly good looking chap to boot.

Best centre half I have seen down Vale since our time in the second tier and no idea how we managed to get him!

His defensive partner Nathan Smith will be one to see how he does, hes the opposite to Connor, hard bastard who is a massive shit house, loves the dirty side pinching and often gets a reaction (got two strikers sent off last season for smacking him!) The only surviving member from our last season in L1 in his debut season as a pro it will be interesting to see how he steps up.

Looking forward to see how both cope with the quality improvement at this level in the strikers.

 

[SVH]

Kai Yearn and Liam Bennett who is on loan at Walsall currently.

Both will be stars for us next season.

 

[Moomin]

Connor Hall for us without doubt, he is a Rolls Royce of a Centre Half.

We signed him in January and none of us had heard of him but we've absolutely mugged Harrogate there (We sent them an ageing Leon Legge the other way).

Harrogate let him go as they were unhappy with him commuting from his Cambridgeshire home but he could travel in daily from the Congo for all I care.

Good on the ball, scores goals, at the weekend even sent the Fleetwood defender for a hot dog to set up our equaliser, thoroughly good looking chap to boot.

Best centre half I have seen down Vale since our time in the second tier and no idea how we managed to get him!

His defensive partner Nathan Smith will be one to see how he does, hes the opposite to Connor, hard bastard who is a massive shit house, loves the dirty side pinching and often gets a reaction (got two strikers sent off last season for smacking him!) The only surviving member from our last season in L1 in his debut season as a pro it will be interesting to see how he steps up.

Looking forward to see how both cope with the quality improvement at this level in the strikers.

I always love it when a player comes in, who’s basically a total unknown and smashes it. Just shows that us fans have to give signings a decent chance even if they’re not the most well known. Sounds like Connor Hall is one to watch for sure.

 

[valefan16]

I always love it when a player comes in, who’s basically a total unknown and smashes it. Just shows that us fans have to give signings a decent chance even if they’re not the most well known. Sounds like Connor Hall is one to watch for sure.

We'd never heard of him, and obviously a swap with Harrogate for a Leon Legge that whilst a great servant was now a fringe player at his age it didnt really come with any expectation.

Had he signed last summer he would have mopped up our PotY awards.

 

[thewwfc]

I think because of our reputation for direct football (which let's face it isn't entirely unwarranted) then people tend to ignore our players who can actually get it on the deck and create stuff.

I haven't heard too much recognition from opposition fans for the likes of Anis Mehmeti and Garath McCleary but they're pretty damn good to my mind.

 

[masi51]

I think because of our reputation for direct football (which let's face it isn't entirely unwarranted) then people tend to ignore our players who can actually get it on the deck and create stuff.

I haven't heard too much recognition from opposition fans for the likes of Anis Mehmeti and Garath McCleary but they're pretty damn good to my mind.

will watch those two Saturday and give you my thoughts for what they are worth

 

[BRFC_Gas]

Ours are probably yet to enter the building on loan if last season is anything to go by.

As for the ones already here Anthony Evans and James Belshaw probably wont be well known in L1 but we know they are our 2 best players.

 

[Moomin]

I think because of our reputation for direct football (which let's face it isn't entirely unwarranted) then people tend to ignore our players who can actually get it on the deck and create stuff.

I haven't heard too much recognition from opposition fans for the likes of Anis Mehmeti and Garath McCleary but they're pretty damn good to my mind.

Mehmeti’s goal on Saturday was superbly taken. Just from that you can see he’s got some excellent ability.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Anyway, Jevani isn't 'under the radar' any more as he has just been called up by Jamaica and he will be missing three games for us later this month...