Jordan Ball

[RoversAlias]

I was on my feet before he'd even headed that ball tonight. As he came on I turned to my old man and said "Here we go, he's gonna score with his first touch in professional football."

Ten seconds later I feel like Nostradamus as he stoops to nod it in, I can't believe nobody picked him up at all. Fantastic start for the lad and I really think we could have a good player on our hands here - that's from what he's done so far in the YT and on loan at Belper, certainly not just on that header tonight.

[MachoMadness]

I reckon it was because he'd just come on as a sub and they just forgot about him. He finished it well and although he didn't really have the chance to do much else 1 goal in 10 minutes of football is a hell of a stat to have on your side. Might even get some clubs a bit higher up than Belper (no disrespect intended) interested in taking him on loan. Will be interesting to see how he develops over this season.

[1879Rovers]

I thought Saunders might have kept him around after doing well in pre-season. I know he is getting much more first team football at Belper but he could be a huge asset for Rovers especially late in games.

[Sammy Chung was King]

As Brucie Forsyth would say ''Didn't Deano do well ''with the substitution!!,i think Jordan was ''Really On-the-ball tonight!! '',there's got to be a decent song one of us can make up for Bally !!

[Chris Black come back]

Gu on Jordan lad!

[MiKA]

As Brucie Forsyth would say ''Didn't Deano do well ''with the substitution!!,i think Jordan was ''Really On-the-ball tonight!! '',there's got to be a decent song one of us can make up for Bally !!

Certainly not a substitution that SOD would have made 

[andysly]

It wasn't that he wasn't picked up he moved from penalty spot after giving his marker a bit of a shove. Made himself the room. Well done kid. 

[Superspy]

It was a kansas city shuffle...everyone else went one way, he went the other :D

[Donnywolf]

I was on my feet before he'd even headed that ball tonight. As he came on I turned to my old man and said "Here we go, he's gonna score with his first touch in professional football."

Ten seconds later I feel like Nostradamus as he stoops to nod it in, I can't believe nobody picked him up at all. Fantastic start for the lad and I really think we could have a good player on our hands here - that's from what he's done so far in the YT and on loan at Belper, certainly not just on that header tonight.

Exactly what I said as Nostradamus 2

The bloke at the side of me said what position does this guy play ?

I said I dont know but can he score with his first touch

As the corner was half way over I said "NO"

Then JB simply buried it  !

[Rovin Reporter]

Fantastic to think there IS prospects coming through at the club .

[steve@dcfd]

If he can lose his marker at this level then he should be at least available to come on from the bench in our league games. The manager can see what he can do. He as been recalled from his loan so lets keep him around the first team squad. Well done Jordan and also Dean for putting him on.

[glosterred]

To miss quote someone or other "one goal does not a striker make" still got lots to learn and playing regularly for a lower league club can do nothing but help. Give him chance to toughen up a bit, maybe later in the season get him back, a bit like James Husband, and give him a run in the first team.

COYR

[MachoMadness]

To miss quote someone or other "one goal does not a striker make" still got lots to learn and playing regularly for a lower league club can do nothing but help. Give him chance to toughen up a bit, maybe later in the season get him back, a bit like James Husband, and give him a run in the first team.

COYR

Quite right. Let's not get carried away as that won't help anyone. If Ball is good enough, he'll get there eventually and we won't lose anything as long as he's on our books. We won't help him by throwing him against some 6ft 5 journeyman defenders who've been playing at this level. Important to remember also that Chesterfield are a poor team who were knackered from chasing the ball all night, so let's not start hailing him as the next big thing quite yet. As I said, he's proven himself at Belper's level, see how he copes a few more rungs up the ladder.

[1879Rovers]

'',there's got to be a decent song one of us can make up for Bally !!

How about to the tune of Ian Wright, wright wright.

We could have Jordan Ball, Ball, Ball.

OR
To the tune of Rubber ball

We could sing, 'He's Jordan Ball, he keeps scoring against you'

OR
To the tune of -We're on the ball world cup song.

Woodsy to Jonesy, Jonesy to Quinny, Quinny to Syers, David Cotterill, Cotterill to Bennett, Bennett to Browny, Browny to Bally and Goal.
He's Jordan Ball, he's Jordan Ball, He's Jordan Ball, He's Jordan Ball.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

We won't help him by throwing him against some 6ft 5 journeyman defenders who've been playing at this level.

Except in training !!

Young players of course have to work their way in to the team. I remember both Glynn and Ian Snodin making their respective debuts at you ages and what seemed very short time becoming first team regulars.

Particularly Ian was a slip of a lad but did that worry him, or us for that matter. He had the desire to become the best player he could be and Bremner gave him the opportunity.

Husband, like Snodin, can put a tackle in and he seems to have the right attitude. If he has these qualities and the desire, don't surpress it by leaving him on the bench, let him have his reigns.

May be with a few sub appearances Ball, Wakefield & co will follow Husband and if they're good enough, and can justify their selection keep em here.

I don't recall either Snodin's going on loan to learn their craft.   

[The L J Monk]

Early days for Mr Ball. Anyone remember Ben Jackson?

[MachoMadness]

Well, I'm not old enough to remember the Snodins first hand, but I'm certainly aware that they're club legends. Isn't it a bit unfair to be bandying that kind of talk around players like Ball who we haven't really seen yet? All I'm saying is, developing young players is risky business, how many times have we seen someone come up from the youth team and have everyone raving about how they should be starting just because they're "young and hungry" or whatever, and they turn out badly? I just think it's a bit short sighted to be building him up so much based on one free header against a poor team - it's always best to err on caution so he doesn't become a victim of his own hype like so many young players do.

Husband is different, he's proven several times this season that he can add to the team, and he obviously has to Deano in training as well. Husband also got a bit of game time last season, remember, so no doubt he has less to prove than the others. He's still really naive, and has a lot to learn but he's got enough raw ability and a good enough attitude that he won't be punished for it at this level (I think this is what Deano means when he makes comments about his age).

[1879Rovers]

Ian Snodin was one of two or three youngsters blooded at the same time by Billy Bremner, along with Steve Lister and David Harle. Snods just looked a class above even at 18.

I love to see lads come through from the youth team.

[RedJ]

'',there's got to be a decent song one of us can make up for Bally !!

How about to the tune of Ian Wright, wright wright.

We could have Jordan Ball, Ball, Ball.

OR
To the tune of Rubber ball

We could sing, 'He's Jordan Ball, he keeps scoring against you'

OR
To the tune of -We're on the ball world cup song.

Woodsy to Jonesy, Jonesy to Quinny, Quinny to Syers, David Cotterill, Cotterill to Bennett, Bennett to Browny, Browny to Bally and Goal.
He's Jordan Ball, he's Jordan Ball, He's Jordan Ball, He's Jordan Ball.

the Ian Wright thing sounds best to me

[The L J Monk]

Here it is:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1H1tBJKIeQ" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1H1tBJKIeQ</a>

[jonnydog]

'',there's got to be a decent song one of us can make up for Bally !!

How about to the tune of Ian Wright, wright wright.

We could have Jordan Ball, Ball, Ball.

OR
To the tune of Rubber ball

We could sing, 'He's Jordan Ball, he keeps scoring against you'

OR
To the tune of -We're on the ball world cup song.

Woodsy to Jonesy, Jonesy to Quinny, Quinny to Syers, David Cotterill, Cotterill to Bennett, Bennett to Browny, Browny to Bally and Goal.
He's Jordan Ball, he's Jordan Ball, He's Jordan Ball, He's Jordan Ball.

the Ian Wright thing sounds best to me

How's about (to the tune of the infamous Hitler song):

# DONNY, Has only got 1 ball.

Jordan, hitting the back of goal #

[Bristol Red Rover]

Great vid showing a great complementary angle on this goal to the highlights vid on Player, thanks LJM

Superb well judged run in and full marks for making a sweet connection with his first senior touch.

[DC-]

Chuffed for him. Would still expect to see him off on loan again in January, unless he makes an immediate impact in the team in the next few weeks. Perhaps this time to a Conference club, see how he holds himself there. Definitely one for the future.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I wish more of them would attack a ball like that.

[steve@dcfd]

Well said DBR if you watch the video no other Rovers player was any where near the ball when he put his head on the ball. In fact they had all gone near post, Chris Brown was static yet Jordan run away from his marker to score.

[MachoMadness]

According to my Spireite supporting mate Ronnie Moore was pissing himself laughing at their marking, he said that when Blake went off, they simply forgot to mark the new man who came onto the pitch! But yes, great to see a striker who bloody well attacks the ball, it's a sign he's got his head screwed on right, and that's a lot to ask for from a young striker.

I'm always cautious about young talent, as I'd much rather hold my hands up and be proven wrong than have to say "I told you so". I'd like to see how he copes at Conference level, where there's quite a few professional clubs these days (are all the clubs pro at that level nowadays?) but where he'll be able to develop without getting completely stifled by much more savvy defenders.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I agree with you all to a point about the benefits of a young player like Jordan going on loan BUT, when I think back to all the players over the years in the same category who we've sent out on loan. how many have come back better players and gone on to cement a future at the club. Very few.

With the size of our squad at the moment, I think he'd be better served here, coming on from the bench when Deano sees fit.

Plus, we refer to more experienced players being more savvy and marking out of the game. Say what? Centre halves at this level will have all on to keep up with him and are more likely to foul him to keep him in check.

Let's by comparison look at Bennett. You could argue that he would benefit for a spell on loan. We all know his issues with consistency, attitude and potential yet no one talks of him going on loan.

Young players like Husband and Ball have the 'no fear' approach and won't give a toss about the reputations of the players they are up against. No mental baggage etc, so the result is you get more experienced players more worried about them rather than visa versa.

I'd say if we have a full quota of strikers fit, then loan him out for no more than a month at a time.

[Wellred]

Raheem Sterling is 18 and playing for Liverpool. It would be nice to see JB being introduced as a sub in a few games and get him used to league1.
Who knows he might just be good enough already. I will trust Dean Saunders judgement but wouldn't it be nice for Doncaster Rovers to be talked about with a potential £m pound striker.

[MachoMadness]

I just don't know if that cliche of "young and hungry" is true, though. If they're good enough, they're old enough, that's true, but just because someone is a teenager doesn't mean they play any better than the other players at the club. I would agree with DBR that sending players out on loan hasn't worked out for us in the past, but then none of those players showed anywhere near the promise that our youth team has. We haven't really had a quality talent come up from the youth team and affect the first team since Paul Green, and that was about a decade ago. Now we have 3-4 who look very promising all coming up at the same time, and I just think we need to be careful because they could all be worth a lot to this club if they're handled right.

Maybe he will be good enough already, but the gap between tier 8 football where he's been playing and League One is a pretty big one, and I don't think a month out on loan (with a recall option, if we're smart) will do him any harm if he really wants to fulfill his promise.

[Filo]

It would be ideal if we could get him a loan deal at somewhere like Grimsby in the Conference