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Mirror/James Nursey - Why this season is make or break for Jay Simpson's Arsenal career
-I remember seeing Jay Simpson play for West Brom on loan from Arsenal last season.
- And I thought the young striker had half a chance of making a name for himself on his return to The Emirates.
But now Simpson, 21, finds himself out on loan again - this time at Championship QPR.
And Arsenal are believed to be considering using Simpson as bait in a swap deal for 15-year-old QPR and England schoolboy Raheem Sterling.
- Simpson is a Gunners fan and understandably wants a decent crack at trying to make it with his favourite side.
- It just underlines the dilemma facing youngsters with Premier League clubs as they debate whether to wait for their chance or move to a smaller club to carve out their career.
- Certainly there is a lot of hype about Sterling and I can understand why Arsenal want him.
- But Simpson also played for England at U17, U18 and U19 levels.
- At 13 years of age Simpson was playing Academy football for Arsenal U18s and then went on to write history by becoming the first player at Arsenal to score a hat-trick at the Emirates Stadium in the FA Youth Cup.
- He has not had a Premiership appearance for Arsenal but in his one senior start for the Gunners, he netted two goals against a strong Premier League Wigan side in the Carling Cup.
- The forward, who can also play on either flank, has plenty of experience behind him having been out on loan to Millwall and West Brom previously.
- He was PFA Player of the Year for Coca-Cola League One for 2007/2008 after scoring eight times in 46 games for the Lions as he helped steer them clear from relegation.
- While at West Brom, Simpson started fantastically for the Baggies but never sustained that form as they were bolted to the bottom of the Premier League.
- He had to come to terms with defeat week in, week out but now appears to be thriving at Loftus Road with eights goals in 19 games.
- I recall a young Nicklas Bendtner, who had a loan spell with Birmingham City in the Championship, scoring 13 goals in Brum's promotion season in 2006/2007 and has progressed since.
- Simpson's statistics are almost as good as he is always fit, works extremely hard and has an eye for goal.
- But his current contract expires at the end of next season and I know he wants first team football.
Surely providing Simpson has a decent remainder of season, he will be on his way to playing Premier League football either way.
But we will all have to wait and see if Wenger has Simpson in his plans." Mirror
Oastler & Brown Back at QPR?
Forest Green Rovers v Salisbury City preview Thursday 24th December 2009
- THE frosty conditions provided Salisbury City with a free weekend they could have done without on Saturday.
- Their home game against Tamworth was postponed, denying the Whites the chance to build on their two previous wins, both away from home.
- “The Saturday before Christmas is not renowned for big football crowds, so we weren’t too disappointed in that respect, but the momentum we have gave us cause to look forward to the game,” said manager Tommy Widdrington.
- It also meant that Queens Park Rangers loanees Lee Brown and Joe Oastler were unable to play one last game for City, as their maximum 93-day short-term loan spells came to an end.
- Widdrington’s former Southampton team-mate Jim Magilton lost his job at Loftus Road last week.
“I have to thank Jim Magilton, (assistant) John Gorman and (reserves manager) Keith Ryan for helping us out,” commented Widdrington.
“Lee and Joe are only 19-years-old and still finding their way in the game but whenever they were called upon, they did well.
“Our resources have been further reduced, but hopefully there will be some good news on that soon.”
Both played some part in the reserves’ impressive 2-1 win at Plymouth Argyle last Tuesday. “The staff were ribbing Darrell Clarke because he hadn’t won in charge of the reserves until then, but he was ribbing us back after his first win and it was a comfortable 2-1,” said Widdrington....". Salisbury Journal
Ex-QPR Scott Donnelly Turns 22 -Born December 25, 1987
- In his time at QPR, Donnelly made 13 league appearances (3 full, + 10 as sub). Made his debut as a 16 year old in October 2004, against Preston. Released last year, Donnelly joined Wealdstone. He's currently at Garry Waddock's Aldershot. See also: Wikipedia/Donnelly
What Donnelly Said in February 2007, re his QPR Departure
Scott sets his sights on league comeback - Ben Kosky/Kilburn Times
SCOTT Donnelly is determined to prove John Gregory wrong for booting him out of QPR - despite dropping down five divisions to kick-start his career.
Donnelly, one of eight Rangers players to be axed by Gregory last month, has been tur ning out for Southern League strugglers Wealdstone in recent weeks.
But the midfield playmaker - once rated as the best prospect to emerge from the yo uth set-up at Loftus Road for several years - is confident of returning to the Football League sooner rather than later.
Referring to his exit from QPR, the 19-year-old told the Times: "I saw it coming, to be honest. I'd been training with the youth team and you pick up signs that you're not really wanted.
"No disrespect to John Gregory or Richard Hill, they'd decided on their squad and unfortunately I wasn't in it.
"It's a kick in the teeth, but I've got to be strong enough to get back in there and make them regret releasing me. Hopefully it won't be long and I'll be back, maybe playing against QPR, who knows?
"When D-Day came, I didn't want to go - not only leaving some of the lads and that, also QPR was a good club to be at. But hopefully I've taken a step back to take two steps forward and I want to achieve that soon."
Donnelly was just 16 when he made his first-team debut for Rangers at Preston and had become a regular on the substitutes' bench by the end of Ian Holloway's reign at the club.
The youngster also featured significantly under Gary Waddock - his old youth team boss - but was given just one appearance by Gregory, against Derby last October.
Offloaded in January, Donnelly had a brief trial at Leyton Orient before John O'Brien, formerly QPR's head of recruitment, recommended him to Wealdstone boss Gordon Bartlett.
"I got a phone call from Gordon about a month ago and he asked me if I wanted to come down, play a couple of games and keep myself ticking over until I found something else," said Donnelly.
"I hadn't played for quite a few weeks, so I jumped at the chance and I'm enjoying myself again. It's just around the corner, so it's easy to get to and I'm trying to get back into the swing of playing football regularly."
So far, the midfielder has played five matches in a Stones shirt and, while the hurly-burly of Southern League football often passes him by, there is little doubt that his ability on the ball exceeds any other at this level.
Wealdstone have won four of those five games and Bartlett has made it clear he intends to get as much as he can out of the youngster, describing him as 'a good player with a lovely attitude'.
Donnelly added: "I can't wait to get back into the Football League - this is a stepping stone and the manager knows what I'm here for. He's very understanding of that.
"I'm more motivated now than in the last few weeks I spent at QPR and when something does come along, I'll be fit, ready and raring to go. Kilburn Times
January 2007 - QPR OFFICIAL SITE - DONNELLY DEPARTS
QPR midfielder Scott Donnelly has had his contract terminated by mutual consent.
The 19 year-old - who made just three starts for the R's in all competitions, as well as featuring a further 11 times from the bench - has left the Club with immediate effect.
Another product of the clubs Centre of Excellence, Donnelly signed a professional contract with the Superhoops in December 2005, just days before his 18th birthday.
Donnelly - who has previously represented England at Under-17 level - made nine appearances in total during the 2005/06 campaign.
However, he has failed to make an impact under the guidance of gaffer John Gregory and has today parted company with the Club. QPR