Curtis Allen?

[Council Juice]

Can anyone shed light on Curtis Allen, our striker whom we signed this summer? Is he still at the club? Is he fit? Is he injured?

Also does anyone know what's happened to Connor Pepper. Last season he looked a bright prospect but he's disappeared of the radar. Still listed as an ICT player on the sight.

[ICTRoughi]

Curtis Allen played in yesterday's U20 match and to be perfectly honest he didn't really do much.

Conor Pepper also played yesterday and he played in an unnatural position of Centre Mid. He played that role fantastically and he managed to get his head to the ball a lot of the times too!

[fraser]

I think the only time Curtis Allen might play is if we have secured a place in the league and we cant drop down or go up a place. Maybe Im wrong and I hope I am but from yesterdays performance there is no way he will get ahead of Toby or Billy

[Caleyjag157]

Connor Pepper has been playing regularly for the U20s. A good hardworker and fights for every ball.

[old caley girl]

Can anyone shed light on Curtis Allen, our striker whom we signed this summer? Is he still at the club? Is he fit? Is he injured?

Also does anyone know what's happened to Connor Pepper. Last season he looked a bright prospect but he's disappeared of the radar. Still listed as an ICT player on the sight.

Conor Pepper was on bench at ER. I've seen him play a few times this season for the U20s this season and he always does well. He's also had a couple of injuries I think.

I've also seen Curtis Allen play a couple of times for the U20s. He looked a bit short on fitness and certainly didn't look Premiership standard. Hopefully this is something we can improve on tho.

[CaleyD]

Keep in mind as well that we've not had too much call to change the first team squad.  A little unfortunate for those waiting patiently in the wings, but that's just the way it goes sometimes.

[Council Juice]

It's not that they've not been starting, which is entirely understandable given the form of those in possession, but I'd never even noticed either coming of the bench. Thought maybe Dick Advocaat had kidnapped them and put them in that cupboard Darius Adamczuk got lost in for all those years.

[AJS]

Hard for him cos he was injured at the beginning of the season. Billy was never going to get dislodged from the starting spot and Toby offers us something a bit different from the bench. Wouldnt be surprised to see him go in January tbh.

[Alex MacLeod]

I'm sure Curtis Allen was brought in specifically for U-20 squad. Conor has been on the bench the last couple of games. We also have to remember that we are running a very successful U-20 squad, who are working very hard to stay at the top of that league, and it would be very wrong to expect those lads to play twice a week.

[old caley girl]

I'm sure Curtis Allen was brought in specifically for U-20 squad. Conor has been on the bench the last couple of games. We also have to remember that we are running a very successful U-20 squad, who are working very hard to stay at the top of that league, and it would be very wrong to expect those lads to play twice a week.

I don't think so tbh Alex as he's overage. He did tell someone on twitter that the overage players are having to take turns in the U20s to get games. Agree re Conor tho...

[fraser]

I'm sure Curtis Allen was brought in specifically for U-20 squad. Conor has been on the bench the last couple of games. We also have to remember that we are running a very successful U-20 squad, who are working very hard to stay at the top of that league, and it would be very wrong to expect those lads to play twice a week.

 

I am reliably told that Toby was only signed because they discovered that Curtis Allen was not good enough for this level after all.

[Alex MacLeod]

 

I'm sure Curtis Allen was brought in specifically for U-20 squad. Conor has been on the bench the last couple of games. We also have to remember that we are running a very successful U-20 squad, who are working very hard to stay at the top of that league, and it would be very wrong to expect those lads to play twice a week.

I don't think so tbh Alex as he's overage. He did tell someone on twitter that the overage players are having to take turns in the U20s to get games. Agree re Conor tho...

 

My mistake re. Curtis

[Renegade]

Is he still on the porky side?  He looked awfully chubby when I saw him!

[Yngwie]

 

I'm sure Curtis Allen was brought in specifically for U-20 squad. Conor has been on the bench the last couple of games. We also have to remember that we are running a very successful U-20 squad, who are working very hard to stay at the top of that league, and it would be very wrong to expect those lads to play twice a week.

 

I am reliably told that Toby was only signed because they discovered that Curtis Allen was not good enough for this level after all.

 

 

I can believe that, in fact I suggested that very thing when Toby was unexpectedly signed.

[Rival]

Toby isnt all that brilliant either so Allen must be pretty poor

[CELTIC1CALEY3]

I saw the Under 20's game on Tuesday and thought Curtis looked pretty disinterested. He was not that well supported but did not look hungry for success. It was interesting comparing his work rate with Billy's - Billy is a workaholic. Curtis is not.

[Council Juice]

So off in January by the looks of it.

Reckon we should have just kept Shane Sutherland. He seems better than both Toby and Curtis. Even though he has only played 5 times for Elgin (please tell me he's been injured?!) I still think he'd be a better bet. Offers what Toby does and different to Billy.

[HumbersideDude]

So off in January by the looks of it.

Reckon we should have just kept Shane Sutherland. He seems better than both Toby and Curtis. Even though he has only played 5 times for Elgin (please tell me he's been injured?!) I still think he'd be a better bet. Offers what Toby does and different to Billy.

I never rated Sutherland as a premier league player.  He has played 15 times for Elgin scoring 4 goals in 3 games. That will be his level. I haven't seen Curtis play so cannot give a proper opinion, but the fact that he has so few 1st team appearances for the 5 clubs he has signed for in 7 years says it all for me.

[ICTRoughi]

So off in January by the looks of it.

Reckon we should have just kept Shane Sutherland. He seems better than both Toby and Curtis. Even though he has only played 5 times for Elgin (please tell me he's been injured?!) I still think he'd be a better bet. Offers what Toby does and different to Billy.

Talking about Shane Sutherland, he was there last Tuesday. Most u20s games I have taken in this season, he has been there.

[Rival]

Other than never playing for bournemouth, his other clubs record isn't bad tbh, but I agree that Sutherland is better than Toby

[Tichy_Blacks_Back]

For a few it may be a change in performance with a new manager coming in or we will be replenishing stocks with some new faces to replace them and keep the squad number up.

[ICTGAZ]

Seen him quite a lot for the U20's and yet to be impressed in any of the games. Carrying a few extra pound and seems lethargic at times not running his socks of to impress.

 

To be honest he's often overshadowed by some of those around him, Pepper, Polworth, Christie, Williams & Watkins.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

  Possibly watched the wrong video again ?

[lukemackay]

Can't exactly judge a player based on u20's. It'll be more about fitness for him than anything. The guys came in with a record as a goalscorer. Wait and see. Gems usually take a while to flourish. A.k.a billy and A.shinnie. Not saying he will flourish. But you never know.

[Renegade]

One thing I've noticed from the U20 games I've been at in the past, is you can tell who the regular first team players are instantly.  Marley Watkins this season has been a step ahead of the rest and the likes of Toby, Williams, Polworth, Pepper, and in the past Nick Ross, always just seem that cut above.

 

Admittedly, I've only seen Curtis Allen play once a few months ago, and he didn't really look that great at all.  His weight/fitness also seemed to be a problem.

 

While he came billed as a great technical player (which may well be true), was linked with the likes of West Brom and Swansea, and has a good record in Northern Ireland, that league is probably somewhere around Scottish Division 2 standard.  In fact, I watched a game on TV of the all-Ireland Setanta Cup once and the standard was so poor, I've seen better football down at Bught Park!

 

While it's the case that some players do well at U20/Reserve level, but fail to make an impact in the first team (see Rory McAllister as a classic example), I've never really heard of an example of the opposite being true.  Sounds like he's the dud of the signings this year I'm afraid.

Edited November 16, 2013 by Renegade