Interview with ex STFC chief scout (found Austin and others) and more

[JedDavies]

Firstly I apologise for signing up to 'plug' this. But I was fortunate enough to interview former Swindon Town FC chief scout Ken Ryder (who scouted Charlie Austin and Simon Cox etc). I'll add the link but if someone prefers to post the whole text then that is fine too.


Interestingly he talks about john campbell (who many might remember) who nearly signed for us from the lower league and like Austin, had a fantastic goal scoring record.

Great story about finding Charlie Austin though too!

I keep saying 'us' - but I'm actually a Cardiff City fan (born there) but grew up around Swindon and was actually lucky enough to play at the county ground a few times in cup finals! So in many ways STFC is my number two team!

Here's the link - on PAGEs 38 and 39 to save you the hassle!

http://en.calameo.com/read/001705068f3bd4655d3dd

Hopefully you'll enjoy this

And I also hope that this 'plug' doesn't get the negative response I know it would on the Cardiff message board if it had been cardiff relevant!

Ken text me recently to inform me that he is now the chief scout of shrewsbury town rather than Norwich (he left recently). So the article is out of date by a few months on that note.

Great stuff with P.DiC at the moment - wasn't too happy with me asking for a photo at Liddington a year or so a go though haha (turns out had his eyes closed in my one photo with him!)

All the best

[bigbobjoylove]

Interesting interview, thanks for posting that up. Always thought it was Fitton who claimed to have found Charlie?

[Batch]

Thanks, interesting to read we offered Campbell a year contract and that Flint cost 150K.

[Dostoyevsky]

Very good post. Made intriguing reading.

[pauld]

Interesting interview, thanks for posting that up. Always thought it was Fitton who claimed to have found Charlie?

Not necessarily mutually exclusive though is it? e.g. Fitton could have been the one who said "Go have a look at this lad" but it was Ryder who recommended him as a signing. Just different stages of the scouting process

[JedDavies]

thanks for the positive feedback. great to see it went appreciated. I'm sure Ken would have been recommended to watch Austin, as he probably has been about many non-league players. But I'm confident the word of the chief scout would have been persuasive in the invite to the trial.

Great to see Austin doing so well recently as well. I'll never forget the heartbreak when he missed the one on one in the playoffs not so long a go, he looked distraught too! I have confidence that Austin will always have a place for Swindon in his heart for giving him the opportunity he got!