Ethan Laidlaw.

[Iain G]

Wonder if we could get Kurtis Byrne back as well, sure he still has potential

[Viva_Palmeiras]

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You need to at least tell us this story even if it isn’t true 😂

Maybe Laidlaw was unmasked as the phantom raspberry blower?

[Ribs1875]

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I did wonder if it would be something we could consider doing. The issue is at 20 years old now he'd pretty much need to come in as a senior player from the start or go out on loan to a decent level to actually play senior football from the start to gauge how far off he is.

I've kept tabs on him. It's an example of top performing young players being scouted and moving too early. He was in the same squad as Rudi Molotnikov, who is now getting his chance. Had Laidlaw stayed that might have also been the case, rather than getting lost down south in the b league.

[Smartie]

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You need to at least tell us this story even if it isn’t true 😂

Believe me, I tried to find out the story because it had the potential to be hilarious.

The person who mentioned the rumour didn’t elaborate but, er, walked away and just sort of let it linger there.

I’d hoped that over time the story would come out but it has not.

Maybe now’s the time?

[ian cruise]

Would be interested in taking him back on a couple of years as back up/see how he has developed but I wouldn't be pushing the boat out.

[Baader]

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Wonder if we could get Kurtis Byrne back as well, sure he still has potential

Celtic keen to sign him according to his Dad...

[oneone73]

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Celtic keen to sign him according to his Dad...

Isn't that Josh O'Connor?

[JimBHibees]

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How poor do you think these players are in the Scottish championship? It's a fine line between that and spl.
The Scottish championship is a far higher level than Brentford B, Big jump from an under 23 level to 2nd tier in Scotland.

No way will the Scottish championship be far higher than Brentford b

[Since90+2]

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No way will the Scottish championship be far higher than Brentford b

Agreed.

Difficult to say exactly as we've no real way to judge, but I'd be surprised if Brentford B weren't very competitive at that level, and better than most teams.

[Paulie Walnuts]

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No way will the Scottish championship be far higher than Brentford b

It absolutely will be.

If you look at the Brentford B team from 5 years ago, the players largely now play for teams like Horndean, Altrincham, Gloucester, Chesterfield, Hayes & Yeading, Fylde, Bury, Colchester, Rylands and Bo’ness Athletic. And that’s the e ones that have managed to get a club, plenty of them dont play for anyone anymore. Kane O’Connor regularly captained the Brentford B team 5 years ago and he’s at Berwick Rangers in the Lowland League.

There’s a couple who have went on to do well, but keeping in mind those players from 5 years ago will be coming into their peak years now and that’s the level they’re at then there’s absolutely zero doubt in my mind that the Scottish Championship is a higher level than a team of 19 year olds at Brentford B. Brentford B are essentially a team of youngsters who will go on to improve to the point the majority of them play non league or give up football altogether with one or two who will go on to have an alright career.

They would get battered in the Scottish Championship. They got knocked out a cup by semi pro Northwood FC who play regional football in the 8th tier of English football.

[Iain G]

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Would be interested in taking him back on a couple of years as back up/see how he has developed but I wouldn't be pushing the boat out.

He will just be another ex Hibs youth player that drops into obscurity.

[JimBHibees]

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Agreed.

Difficult to say exactly as we've no real way to judge, but I'd be surprised if Brentford B weren't very competitive at that level, and better than most teams.

Think it would be higher level

[Fanforlife]

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You need to at least tell us this story even if it isn’t true 😂

its true as in Ethan made a phantom raspberry blower type noise( 2 Ronnies style 🤣) Johnston was not amused. Know this as grandson was in corridor at time, Johnston demanded to know who culprit was but nobody said anything so Ethan got the blame in his mind.

[superfurryhibby]

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It absolutely will be.

If you look at the Brentford B team from 5 years ago, the players largely now play for teams like Horndean, Altrincham, Gloucester, Chesterfield, Hayes & Yeading, Fylde, Bury, Colchester, Rylands and Bo’ness Athletic. And that’s the e ones that have managed to get a club, plenty of them dont play for anyone anymore. Kane O’Connor regularly captained the Brentford B team 5 years ago and he’s at Berwick Rangers in the Lowland League.

There’s a couple who have went on to do well, but keeping in mind those players from 5 years ago will be coming into their peak years now and that’s the level they’re at then there’s absolutely zero doubt in my mind that the Scottish Championship is a higher level than a team of 19 year olds at Brentford B. Brentford B are essentially a team of youngsters who will go on to improve to the point the majority of them play non league or give up football altogether with one or two who will go on to have an alright career.

They would get battered in the Scottish Championship. They got knocked out a cup by semi pro Northwood FC who play regional football in the 8th tier of English football.

I think this offers a pretty clear indicator as to the standard of Brentford B. If anyone can provide better insight than this, I'd be surprised.

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Think it would be higher level

On what basis?

Football careers often seem to hang on pivotal moments, like rejecting one club in favour of another. Laidlaw moving south was always going to be a challenge and I get the opportunity that presented, but it also came with being hundreds of miles from home and at a club where there was next to no chance of knocking on the first team door. A case study in wrong choices I think, but hopefully he gets his career back on track and finds a level where he can play meaningful football.

[JimBHibees]

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I think this offers a pretty clear indicator as to the standard of Brentford B. If anyone can provide better insight than this, I'd be surprised.



On what basis?

Football careers often seem to hang on pivotal moments, like rejecting one club in favour of another. Laidlaw moving south was always going to be a challenge and I get the opportunity that presented, but it also came with being hundreds of miles from home and at a club where there was next to no chance of knocking on the first team door. A case study in wrong choices I think, but hopefully he gets his career back on track and finds a level where he can play meaningful football.

Apologies just lazily assumed their b team would comprise very good youngsters and guys not getting prem games

[eastmainsmsh]

A great young prospect hope Ethan can get going again

[Centre Hawf]

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It absolutely will be.

If you look at the Brentford B team from 5 years ago, the players largely now play for teams like Horndean, Altrincham, Gloucester, Chesterfield, Hayes & Yeading, Fylde, Bury, Colchester, Rylands and Bo’ness Athletic. And that’s the e ones that have managed to get a club, plenty of them dont play for anyone anymore. Kane O’Connor regularly captained the Brentford B team 5 years ago and he’s at Berwick Rangers in the Lowland League.

There’s a couple who have went on to do well, but keeping in mind those players from 5 years ago will be coming into their peak years now and that’s the level they’re at then there’s absolutely zero doubt in my mind that the Scottish Championship is a higher level than a team of 19 year olds at Brentford B. Brentford B are essentially a team of youngsters who will go on to improve to the point the majority of them play non league or give up football altogether with one or two who will go on to have an alright career.

They would get battered in the Scottish Championship. They got knocked out a cup by semi pro Northwood FC who play regional football in the 8th tier of English football.

Agree entirely. I watched Laidlaws age group batter Newcastle and a few other EPL teams at HTC, and yet it’s a possibility that no one from that team even makes a dent in a Hibs senior squad. There is no guarantee that anyone playing for these elite academies are any good at senior level. Some can look good but peak at youth level depending on various factors.

A Raith Rovers would wipe the floor with a Brentford B in my opinion and they would be relegated from that division in record fashion. I’m afraid to say but most of these guys are there to make up the numbers so the 2 or 3 laddies these clubs are genuinely hopeful of being stars have a team to play with for a few years when they’re not out on loan. Even Lincoln City battered Man City U21s 5-0 in the EFL Trophy and that is supposed to be one of, if not the best, academies in the world currently.

[Winston Ingram]

Not on the released list so looks like they've exercised the year option on him
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/35337...BU6yj-EXeuoGQQ

[CapitalGreen]

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Not on the released list so looks like they've exercised the year option on him
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/35337...BU6yj-EXeuoGQQ

Yeah, his contract was extended.

https://www.premierleague.com/news/4...=retained_list

[Centre Hawf]

Fair play to the laddie, still find it hard to see him breaking through there but would be interesting to see if he was to go out on loan how he does.

[The Modfather]

How is Landers doing at West Ham?

[Haymaker]

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How is Landers doing at West Ham?

Apparently quite well. Pretty sure he scored on his debut for the u21s or something.

[HIBS NUTS]

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Yeah, his contract was extended.

https://www.premierleague.com/news/4...=retained_list

Fantastic for the port seaton lad, I think we have a sell on, let’s hope he gets a chance at first team football soon.

[eastmainsmsh]

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Fantastic for the port seaton lad, I think we have a sell on, let’s hope he gets a chance at first team football soon.

Great prospect hope lad kicks on

[Smartie]

I don't think anything will come of these lads.

I don't blame them for taking the money, but I hope they're careful with that money because the best thing it will do is set them up financially for a career post football.

The era of Premiership clubs stockpiling players will not be one that history judges well as having looked after those players.

If they want to have successful careers they need to follow a different path - the John McGinn, the Andy Robertson route.

These players will get clubs after leaving their current clubs but their careers will be on the wane by then and the descent to part time football will be fairly rapid.

Players need to be playing an optimum amount of competitive football at the best level possible from about 18/19. Spending years training, with the odd U21 game and the odd loan spell will do nothing for them. Only very few will go on from that sort of background to have a respectable career imo.

[HIBS NUTS]

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I don't think anything will come of these lads.

I don't blame them for taking the money, but I hope they're careful with that money because the best thing it will do is set them up financially for a career post football.

The era of Premiership clubs stockpiling players will not be one that history judges well as having looked after those players.

If they want to have successful careers they need to follow a different path - the John McGinn, the Andy Robertson route.

These players will get clubs after leaving their current clubs but their careers will be on the wane by then and the descent to part time football will be fairly rapid.

Players need to be playing an optimum amount of competitive football at the best level possible from about 18/19. Spending years training, with the odd U21 game and the odd loan spell will do nothing for them. Only very few will go on from that sort of background to have a respectable career imo.

Funny you should say that, as I heard , that when young players go to play for teams in the London area, that the jump in their wages, are largely taken up, by the expense of higher rents, and living standards, reasonable standard young players, still don’t get huge money, until they break into the first team, and quite often find , they had more expendable income , when living at home.
But I suppose that could be labelled at any young person, living out with their home.

[Jock O]

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Funny you should say that, as I heard , that when young players go to play for teams in the London area, that the jump in their wages, are largely taken up, by the expense of higher rents, and living standards, reasonable standard young players, still don’t get huge money, until they break into the first team, and quite often find , they had more expendable income , when living at home.
But I suppose that could be labelled at any young person, living out with their home.

My understanding for a lot of the younger lads they end up in club digs, or shared flats with other young lads, Arsenal in particular are, or were, very protective of their U21's encouraging them to go to college etc outside their training times, and having liaison type officers to be regular contact. Not sure how long that extends, especially in the new world of development teams, but I think a few of the London teams followed that model, to make it easier to attract younger players.

I do know of someone who went to West Ham as 18 year old and although I don't know specific details, I believe he was on significantly more than his family expected, and much more than enough to be self sufficient although was encouraged to still stay in club digs,

[HIBS NUTS]

I believe Ethan laidlaw , was injured for some of last season.
He might have needed a small operation at the end.