Former Imps loanee Jack Diamond has been released by Sunderland as part of their end-of-season clearout.
Diamond was an interesting figure, forming part of Mark Kennedy’s side last season. When he first arrived, at a similar time to Matty Virtue, he looked lively and exciting. Such was his form, he was nominated for the EFL Player of the Month, and caught the eye by grabbing a hat trick away at Bristol Rovers as we handed out a 6-3 thrashing. It seemed those two might form the nucleus of a side knocking on the door of the play-offs, but trouble was on the horizon.
Jack got caught up in a controversy that wasn’t of his own doing, a rape charge of which he was found not guilty by a jury within minutes of their deliberations starting. However, once the charges were announced, his loan with City was terminated after just one goal from open play in six months.
Jack is now trying to rebuild his career, first going on loan to Carlisle last season. He appeared 16 times, 10 of those as starts, but was unable to recapture the form he showed for Harrogate Town. Indeed, his best spell in professional football came at Wetherby Road across two loan stints. He helped them to the Football League in 2019/20 and then returned a season later to bag 14 goals in all competitions for Simon Weaver’s side.
It’s now likely clubs in League Two will be eager to hand the 24-year-old a career lifeline, and with justification. He’s certainly talented, and events off the field may have overshadowed his spell here. His form likely suffered, and his spell at Carlisle will have been a gentle reintroduction to the game. However, with a big pre-season and a settled place in a first-team squad, I think a top League Two player is waiting to prove a point.
Whilst he’s not one I’d suggest we revisit, due to his player profile and question marks over whether he can do it in League One, he would certainly be a great capture for Harrogate, or a side like Grimsby, needing someone capable of getting fans off their seats. If he did join Grimsby, he could team up with Charles Vernam, the pair being big hopes for us in the 2022/23 season without reproducing the form we thought them capable of.
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