Players that didn't quite make it

[DeeBairn]

So less players that got away, more ones that didn't quite hit the levels they easily should have, for whatever reason. 

The two that spring to mind at Falkirk over the last decade or so for me would be Thomas Grant and Kieron Duffie. 

 

Grant should have been a good attacking midfielder but a seemingly constant stream of viral illnesses and injuries pretty much left him ruined. 

 

Duffie was a good young fullback you had a few injuries, though it always seemed more his attitude that dragged him back. 

 

How about you lot? 

[DanMc99]

henrik larsson.

[19QOS19]

Stephen Simmons. Gus signed this guy who 'should have been playing at the top level' and it just didn't work. There isn't a day goes by I don't think what might have been had this underachieving specimen hit the heights expected of him.

[VictorOnopko]

Gabriel Rojo de la Vega Piccolo. 

Played for us in the Premiership.  Failed to find a club after that and then retired, aged 24, possibly because no one else at any level wanted him. Useful in quiz questions on footballers named after musical instruments.

Not in any way a reflection on AA's ability to spot a player.

[AsimButtHitsASix]

Dominc Shimmin. Probably the most talented defender, if a bit slow, I've seen at Cappielow. Just couldn't be arsed.

[HoBNob]

Nicky Phinn, possibly the youngest player to play for us in the Premiership? He was in the 1st Division (Now championship) team of the season having scored over ten goals in the league from centre mid, from the next season onwards though he just got utterly ruined after a string of brutal injuries. 

Steven Bell aswell, was absolutely bossing midfields for us having finally been played in centre midfield before a ligament injury against Morton ended his season, he then re injured it on his comeback from training and was pretty lucky to get back playing with Stranraer. 

 

Both players wouldn't have been superstars but they would have made a living from the game at a good level, Phinn would've made us some money aswell I reckon. 

[ShaggerG]

9 minutes ago, Grant228 said:

Nicky Phinn, possibly the youngest player to play for us in the Premiership? He was in the 1st Division (Now championship) team of the season having scored over ten goals in the league from centre mid, from the next season onwards though he just got utterly ruined after a string of brutal injuries. 

Steven Bell aswell, was absolutely bossing midfields for us having finally been played in centre midfield before a ligament injury against Morton ended his season, he then re injured it on his comeback from training and was pretty lucky to get back playing with Stranraer. 

 

Both players wouldn't have been superstars but they would have made a living from the game at a good level, Phinn would've made us some money aswell I reckon. 

Canny remember where I read it, although I think it might have been a recent interview with Rory Loy but I'm sure he suggested that Phinn was one of the best players he ever played with. Was Loy with you at the same time?

[Alert Mongoose]

Stephen Mcanologue (sp?) and Jamie McCunnie spring to mind at Utd. 

[ShaggysBeard]

11 minutes ago, ShaggerG said:

Canny remember where I read it, although I think it might have been a recent interview with Rory Loy but I'm sure he suggested that Phinn was one of the best players he ever played with. Was Loy with you at the same time?

Yes, Loy was at Dunfermline in Nicky Phinn's time. He was the one that jumped immediately to my mind. As with most of these he was dogged by a niggly hamstring.

I thought Chris McGroarty would have gone on to a higher level than Dunfermline. Another where their career can definitely be split into pre and post injury problems.

[ShaggysBeard]

1 hour ago, 19QOS19 said:

Stephen Simmons. Gus signed this guy who 'should have been playing at the top level' and it just didn't work. There isn't a day goes by I don't think what might have been had this underachieving specimen hit the heights expected of him.

He's is very much a pantomime villain for Dunfermline fans, who brand him lazy. I thought he was a fairly decent player for us though inconsistent and his body language did give off that lazy perception though I am not convinced that was actually the case.

[ShaggerG]

4 minutes ago, ShaggysBeard said:

Yes, Loy was at Dunfermline in Nicky Phinn's time. He was the one that jumped immediately to my mind. As with most of these he was dogged by a niggly hamstring.

I thought Chris McGroarty would have gone on to a higher level than Dunfermline. Another where their career can definitely be split into pre and post injury problems.

Ta, thought that's where I'd heard it. 

Aye they'll be multiple players that haven't made it due to injury. In fact, just to be completely off the wall with it, there must be loads of players who may have been world beaters who have never kicked a ball in their life! 

[TheScarf]

Bryan Gilfillan looked a great prospect when at ICT, but became a lower league journeyman.

[DeeBairn]

54 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

Bryan Gilfillan looked a great prospect when at ICT, but became a lower league journeyman.

Did he play for QOS? 

[Doonhamer doon south]

2 hours ago, 19QOS19 said:

Stephen Simmons. Gus signed this guy who 'should have been playing at the top level' and it just didn't work. There isn't a day goes by I don't think what might have been had this underachieving specimen hit the heights expected of him.

Ryan Conroy worth a shout?

[k-ton]

I'd probably offer Craig 'Hagi' McPherson.  An incredible left peg on him.

[19QOS19]

Ryan Conroy worth a shout?

Can't say I was overly impressed with him signing. I never really rated him when he was with us the first time. He was awful in his 2nd spell.

Not really sure who would seriously fit the bill for us.

Brian Gilmour could be a shout.

[Grangemouth Bairn]

Colin McNair had all the talent in the world but we’ll documented what happened there.

[Doonhamer doon south]

5 minutes ago, 19QOS19 said:

Can't say I was overly impressed with him signing. I never really rated him when he was with us the first time. He was awful in his 2nd spell.

Not really sure who would seriously fit the bill for us.

Brian Gilmour could be a shout.

Only other I can think of is Lee Millar. Quality player who rarely brought the quality. 

[ShaggerG]

6 minutes ago, Grangemouth Bairn said:

Colin McNair had all the talent in the world but we’ll documented what happened there.

Was going to post this but couldn't remember the fecker's name!

[Skyline Drifter]

11 minutes ago, 19QOS19 said:

Can't say I was overly impressed with him signing. I never really rated him when he was with us the first time. He was awful in his 2nd spell.

Not really sure who would seriously fit the bill for us.

Brian Gilmour could be a shout.

 

3 minutes ago, Doonhamer doon south said:

Only other I can think of is Lee Millar. Quality player who rarely brought the quality. 

Mark Millar I presume you mean? Whilst it's true, I don't think he or Conroy or probably even Brian Gilmour are anywhere near a shout. They were all already condemned to the life of the lower League "journeyman" (c) Peter Houston before they arrived at us.

If you are old enough then for a short while when he first came into our side everyone though Sandy Hodge would be a player who went far in the game and went for big money but he never really progressed, went backwards and ended up at Stranraer in a swap deal instead.

He was never truly "ours" but the obvious example for us is definitely Jamie Adams. I'm convinced if he'd not done his cruciate twice while on loan to us he'd have gone on to play for Scotland. His performance in our away leg in Denmark was as good as I've seen from any QoS midfielder and he completely dominated the middle of the park in those days. It's a crying shame how injuries ruined him.