Thetownend.com

Hi Guys,

Villa fan here.....we've got Alex Henshall at our game today and apparently he's joining us as soon he turns 16. No news yet on what compensation you're getting so hopefully we won't give you peanuts!

So...what's he like? Has he been playing in your first team? Is he going to be good enough for the Premiership?

Thanks,

Rob

We'll have what you paid for Delph please.

He's never played for us, but he's been built up to be pretty good. A few of the guys on here watch the Youth Team so will have a better idea.

Not yet played a minute for the first team as far as I am aware but has been on the bench a handful of times.

Played for the England under 16s in the recent tournament that was on sky and looked good apparently.

Has shone for the youths I believe and is supposed to be the next bright talent. Very highly thought of and I imagine we'd be seeking a fair whack of compensation.

Just once i'd like to see us get some use from a 'prodigy'.

Fair enough, Villa are a massive club with an excellent manager in Martin O'Neil who actually plays British players, so i don't blame Alex Henshall. Equally, I don't blame Swindon Town Football Club for trying to attain the best price for him, after all we have to be a selling club.

BUT... I would like to see him play a few times!!

we can't sell him cause hes still under 16, hes not got a contract with us yet  - i think thats correct?

any fee would be based on a tribunal

I was really hoping that Wilson might have bunged him on for 20 minutes at the Fulham game.  Instead of playing that bloody hutchinson cack.

he can be sold the same as any player under contract can.
if he wasn't under contract he could go wherever he likes for nowt.

first time i saw him i didn't know who he was,but fuck me i did after watching him play.was the best player on the park by a mile and stood out big time.
beats his man,crosses well and can score goals.

He certainly isnt ready for Premiership football, he's still 15. 16 next month I think.

Damn talented youngster though. Has just about every club in the Premiership come and watch him loads of times.

The best english young talent since Wayne Rooney (maybe!)

Dunno how long he has been at Swindon? hopefully for a fair few years. We should get fair old whack for him but tribunals never seen to favour the 'selling' club.

He's not under contract - you have to be 16 to sign a contract. He won't go for nothing either as we'll get compensation for the training and development and whilst we can't sell him we could agree a compensation package without it going to tribunal.

If I was a Villa fan I wouldn't get my hopes up as there have been a plenty of rumours that other teams were looking at him - Man Utd, Chelsea and Everton. Probably a good chance that Arsenal have looked at him as well.

Then there is the question of whether a move would be good for him personally. He'd be looking at a couple of years before he'd even be in the 1st team squad at a top Premier League team, whereas he'll most likely be in the 1st team squad and playing with us next season.

You only have to look at the young players that have moved on from us in recent years, not a single success story and all of their careers have taken a backwards step.

he is under contract.

how, he's not old enough?

kids aged from 8 have contracts.i dont know where this 16 stuff comes from as it's bullshit.

Different type of contract in the eyes of the law I believe.

@johnny

Theo Walcott is ex Town of course. He could arguably be considered a success story.

We got GBP2,000 for him. That's the sort of money you get for a youth player.

Disappointing if he's leaving without playing for us.

But I guess the lure of the £££ is too much for most kids, so if it happens lets hope we at least get good compo.

Jutkiewicz is doing alright at motherwell

Having said that I understand we paid 5 figure sums to Plymouth for Evans and Broomfield.

In my defence I'm not the first person here who doesn't know what they're talking about.

It's annoying that these players don't get to play for our first team.  I heard somewhere else (can't remember where) that the player wanted to sign for one of the big clubs.

It's a pre-condition of joinging the forum.

His old dear was on the radio relatively recently and as good as said he'd move on at the first opportunity.

Not sure you can get Radio Swindon in China, you may well have seen a transcription on this website.

You cant sign a full time professional contract till you are 16.

i know.never said otherwise

I've heard the bluenoses are coming in for him

and has had a call up to international duty.

with who? when? and where?

im sure he was called up to the poland squad at some point last year, maybe under 21's or maybe im just imagining it.

In addition to his country of birth, England, Jutkiewicz is also eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland thanks to his mother, and Poland where his grandfather was born, however, the player has made no decision.[6]

from wiki. from the look of it he hasnt played any matches.

<http://soccernet.espn.go.com/players/profile?id=77351&cc=5739>

Jutkiewicz is eligible to play for Poland, Lithuania, England and the Republic of Ireland. In 2007, Jutkiewicz decided to represent Poland, the country of his grandfather.

he may have chose but he still hasnt played a game. so in theory he could still play for whoever.

National Statistics
TEAM Federation GS G A
England U21 UEFA 0 0 0
Poland UEFA 0 0 0

 ??? Are you sure it was Alex Henshall though Rob? How do you know it was him? Perhaps he was just there to watch the game from a supporters point of view!!! May have nothing to do with signing for Villa! I heard the broadcast on the radio where 'his old dear' spoke about him. She defo did not indicate in any way that he "would move on at the 1st opportunity". Someone has mis-quoted her on here I think.

I've seen him play.......and thought he was awesome. There's summat about him. Defo excellent control on the ball at speed and a cracking left foot.

But maybe you were mistaken today?

Since he was 8 according to certain reports on STFC website and quotes from Jeremy Newton in the paper!

Tribunals have always been & will always be bollocks, We will probably get £50,000 maximum or something stupid like that.

It's his registration that we'll be compensated for IF he were to move.
I've heard Andrew Fitton talking about him (I think it was him it WAS about a year ago) & indicated that they have spoken with his parents who (at the time any way) agree that he is better off being a big fish in a small pond.
I would be surprised if he did move yet & if he does I think we are talking 6 (maybe even 7) figures

 True enough. But a lot can happen in a year. After all, the Henshalls are a year deeper into a recession, young Alex is starting to meet lots of very pretty girls and (pffft) everyone's got GCSEs these days. And aren't STFC still operating at a loss ? Soooo....why don't we play him at Stockport tomorrow, especially with Sheehan absent. It's only a short bus ride for the grubby fat Manc scouts and agents.....could start a bidding war. Or have 'undisclosed' arrangements already been made ? If anyone spots a young snowman at Sale Sharks, it could even be a promising Town player wrapped in cotton wool. Over to you Mr Mowbray.

I think he's training with us this week so don't know if that means he's officially now left you? It's definitely Alex Henshall. He came on recently for England apparently in a youth game as well.

i played against Alex at the end of last season, and i had to attempt to mark him, his movement was amazing, lightening quick, had a great first touch with the ability to cross and score goals.

If he is training with Villa I'm surprised there hasn't been an announcement by the clubs. He is on a school boy contract till the end of the season so I doubt he could train with another club without Swindon's permission. Besides, wouldn't he be at school during the day this week?

he'll pull a sickie

lads in a similar situation to henshall are regularly released from school for football.
it's not as if he doesn't know what he will be doing after leaving full time education.
plus in year 11 they are not at school full time as exams have started

It would be a shame to see him go without playing a game for us but I wouldnt blame him for leaving.

Where is TCP69 these day's he's usually got his ear to the youth team

In today's Adver the club denies that Henshall is signing for Villa.

Then its official then, he's going to Villa.

Gutted, sponsoring Alex Henshall this year, as he never played a game, I won't get a shirt! :D

You dont have a fucking lot of luck do you ?

Could you please sponsor Timlin next

If the Adver have run an article on it and Wilson says on the radio there is nothing to it, where are the rumours coming from? Bit strange they're only about Villa, no smoke without fire and all that.

I think the internet has proved it's possible to get a whole fucking lot of smoke without the slightest spark of fire.

i think you will find its more than just his ear.

Yeah Well I don't have any luck really.

NAMES I HAD ON SHIRTS

Cureton - He left
Fallon - He left
Wise - He left
Roberts - He left
Brownlie - He left

Don't bother now as they all leave!

PEOPLE I HAVE SPONSORED

Peacock with L&P - Still here
Malpas - He Left
B. Sturrock - He Left
Henshall -About to leave
Wilson - Still here

Brownlie???

Are you asking who he is?

No. I'm asking why on earth you'd have got his name on the back of your shirt!

Unique I suppose.

The one decent goal he scored... shows how easily pleased I am really...

Key part of his quote, is "no official approach" Seems to me there may well have been, and he knows there may have been, and is saying there may be some tapping up going on, probably on a grassy knoll behind the holt end.

I think it proves that posting something on the internet and it wil lbe in the adver the following day as it seems quite obvious these day's where they pick up a lot of the story's, what happened to good old investigative journalism

I think that's why TCP81 isn't about much anymore. He's probably been told off for revealing all the secrets.

Gaz, Henshall has been on the bench twice so surely he would have had a shirt both times - even if he never actually put it on, oh and dont curse Wilson next season!

TCP3.56 doesnt post much, as (this is a bit of a guess) his source is finally, no longer at the club.

Or maybe it'll pick up a bit now Morrison is back ?

Alex Henshall was in school today apparently.......'A friend of a friend' told me. He has also been quoted as telling a friend......' these rumours are just that....rumours. I am obviously not training with Villa as suggested, since I am in school. Can't be 2 places at once can I?' He also said that all the chat about him going to Villa is based on rumours and the fact that his parents and KEY SPORTS treated him to a box at the game on Sunday.

I believe that Key Sports have offices up that way.....so could be true. Oh I dunno. Could be number of things going on. But DW has since indicated that any discussions about Henshall moving are new to him. I wonder????........................

I reckon he'll stay ya know

It would be good if he at least played for the 1st team before he goes onto becoming a future star.

rumours then ?

Think theres a great chance of him staying...if we get into the Championship.

Quality



Do you work for the Adver ?

I believe Henshall turns 16 in a few weeks time, which I guess will mean he can sign a pro contract.

I wonder if Wilson will give him a run out as an encouragement to sign a contract?

I thought you couldn't sign pro terms until you were 17?

16 i believe barry

you can aslo sign a pre contract agreement at the age of 14 or 15 that says you will sign when turning 16. which is what i thought henshall signed last year

I think that is only in some European countries, not in England, and I'm not sure it is binding - it came up in one of the Chelsea or Man Utd signings from Europe recently. But in England I'm pretty sure you can't sign anything that is legally binding until you're 16, as you're not viewed as an adult until then.

I could be completely wrong (...and I cant be arsed to check) but didnt John Bostock sign a pre-contract with Crystal Palace then fuck off to Spurs causing Jordon to go off on one?

that is correct dave

Don't be presumptious! Course not!  >:( However, I do know a dad of one of Henshall's mates. Henshall was round there 1 night last week and the dad 'over heard' them talking. Chat spreads and it came to my 'attention'. Just thought I'd let ya know what I know. Won't bother again if gonna attract 'adver' comments.  :bye:

i bet he leaves

What's 'with' the random 'overuse' of 'quotes'?

just thought I was being accused of summat there mate!

don't be so sensitive - tough it out - you beast

With a few players potentially injured do you think there is a chance Henshall might at least be on the bench tomorrow?

If he's still a Swindon player, not heard anything about him for a while but I guess he's about to sit his exams?

I think more chance of billy bodin being on the bench

the cynic inside me says the fact Henshall has completely disappeared off the radar means he's on his way...

I imagine he'll be off but it wouldn't harm us sticking him on the bench if we need to. I have a feeling Billy Bodin might get minutes tomorrow.

To be fair, the lad will be sitting his GCSEs over the next month, which could explain his absence from reserve games, no?

True, but tomorrow is Saturday :)

Us Students spend the weekend revising!

Anyone in the Merlin tomorrow? ;)

when you take gcse's you get block release which means you only go to school when your doing an exam.

that wont kick in till later this month though i wouldnt have thought.

The weekend he was being linked with a move to Man City

Sounds plausible, given Fitton's meeting up in Manchester recently.

http://www.tribalfootball.com/man-city-beat-liverpool-swindon-prospect-alex-henshall-813061

the peopel eh?

Shame...wish we could keep our young talent.

Doesn't surprise me that both City and Liverpool are interested. Both clubs we've been building links with.