
I got to thinking after the Imps game the other week; what happens to the failed trialists?
City had King Baidoo on trial the other week, and I’m fascinated to see if he achieves his dream of professional football in the future. It got me thinking: what of other trialists? I’m working on an article around the 2005/06 season, and I see we had a striker called Graeme Armstrong, who never quite made the grade. I’m also drawn to thinking about Lee Shaw, a player who I clamoured for us to get onboard with, but who again failed to make it in the professional game.
For a bit of fun, I searched ‘trialist’ (rather than triallist) on my site, and pulled a list of names from the past who have triallied with us. Did they go on to bigger things? Or were we right in letting them go on their way?
I know this is by no means an exhaustive list, I’m sure there are players I have missed.
Choz Charlesworth
July 2018 – the Imps beat Boston 4-1 and a host of players trial with the club. One of those was Charlesworth, a young defender from Forest. He didn’t get a deal, and wound up at Grantham Town.
Alex Clark
Clark was another who played for us briefly, but didn’t make the grade. He didn’t end up in th EFL either, with Harlow and East Thurrock among his later clubs.
Charlie Jemson
Jemson’s father, Nigel, was once a trialist at City, but like his dad, the youngster didn’t get a deal. He also drifted into non-league, counting Ilkeston and Gainsborough among his former clubs.
π‘ Connor & Adam Get Your Votes!
The Yellow Army have voted Connor Lemonheigh-Evans as Torquay Unitedβs 2020/21 Player of the Season, with Adam Randell winning the Young Player of the Season award. @TheTorbayWeekly #tufc #PlayerOfTheSeason
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β Torquay United AFC (@TUFC1899) June 10, 2021
Connor Lemonheigh-Evans
It was widely reported that Evans was also on trial with us from Bristol City, given the connections between Jamie McCombe and the Robins. He did go on to have a good career, spending several seasons with Torquay United. After a couple of campaigns with Stockport, he recently agreed to sign for MK Dons.
Christian Mbulu
Mbulu’s is a tragic story. He was a trialist for the Boston game, but we didn’t pick him up. He later made a couple of appearances for Morecambe, Motherwell and Crewe. Sadly, he passed away aged just 23.
Alex McQueen
Since not signing for us, another of the Boston 2018 trialists has had a crazy career. He’s played in Finald, Dagenham, and the United States. Not only that, he’s represented Grenada 17 times,
HARRIMAN STAYS FOR 2024/25 |
The club are glad to announce that Michael Harriman has agreed to remain as First Team Manager for the 2024/25 season! π pic.twitter.com/QGjVj4jtAN
β AFC Rushden & Diamonds (@AFCRD) May 7, 2024
Michael Harriman
Harriman is believed to have trialled with us in July 2019, as we looked to forge a path into League One. After us, he moved to Northampton, helping them to promotion in 2020 and appearing against the Imps in 2021. He’s now manager of AFC Rushden and Diamonds.
Jarvis Edobor
After internationals and title winners, we’re back to earth with a bump. Edobor was a left-footed centre back out of Brentford’s B team, but after us he didn’t secure a deal anywhere else in the EFL. He later appeared for Chelmsford.
Alex Wollerton
Youngster Wollerton had been with Leeds youth set-up, and played in a game against Gainsborough in which a lot of other players seemed to cross over between us and Trinity – it was when Tom Shaw was manager there. If he was trialling with us, he didn’t get a deal, but he did play for the Holy Blues, before a move to FC United of Manchester.
Toby Edser
I billed Edser as possibly being the next ‘Jorge Grant‘ when he trialled with us in 2018. Of course, a year later we’d sign the real Jorge Grant, but what of Edser? He had a loan spell in the league with Port Vale, but didn’t play, and has since plied his trade in the National League with Aldershot, and latterly Ebbsfleet.
π¦πππ‘ π π¨π₯π₯ππ¬ β‘οΈ ππ’ππ‘
The club can announce that Sean Murray will join Cork City on loan until the end of the season, subject to international clearance. We wish Sean well for the rest of the season πͺ pic.twitter.com/F3XxUUnFTBβ Glentoran FC (@Glentoran) January 9, 2024
Sean Murray
Murray was another who trialled in 2018, having previously been with Watford. Having been released by Colchester we had a look, then he went to the Danish Super League with Vejle. He’s now over in Ireland, where he’s had a spell with Glentoran, and is currently with leaders of the second tier, Cork City.
Erwin Senakuku
Two of the exciting names on this list came in to the club while we were National League. Senakuku was a big striker (still is) who didn’t get a deal. He’s since played much of his football in Belgium, outside of the top division. He was most recently with Stockay in the Belgian fourth division.
Johan Ter Horst
Ter Horst might sound like he came from Europe, but actually, he came from Hull City on trial. He was another who trialled in the New Year and didn’t get a deal, and he’s stayed in the non-league system, playing for Maidstone and Folkestone.
π¬πΎ Happy independence day Guyana!
English-born ballers @KMarshBrown, Reiss Greenidge & Matthew Briggs have all represented the Caribbean nation whilst playing for clubs abroad.#guyana #englishabroad pic.twitter.com/CinCC2pT5G
β English Players Abroad (@EnglishAbroad1) May 26, 2020
Matthew Briggs
Briggs trialled ahead of our return to the Football League, having been released by Colchester. We didn’t pick him up and he had spells at Barnet and Chesterfield, as well as some time with Vejle. He’s also played international football since his trial, representing Guyana.
Michee Efete
Efete was one of two that came from Norwich City on trial, playing against Lincoln United in 2017. He didn’t end up joining us, but he has played Football League since, turning out more than 40 times for Grimsby. He’s currently in Scotland with Ross County, where he was briefly a teammate of new boy George Wickens.
Louis Ramsay
Ramsay was the other triallist from Norwich, and instead of us, he joined Woking. He had a good season there and was picked up by Leicester City to play in ther Under 23s. He didn’t make the grade there, and other than a spell in the US has become another on the non-league circuit, most recently with Concord Rangers.
Brandon Ormond Ottewill
I’ve left the most interesting until last. The former Arsenal trainee had been with Swindon, but was sacked after he was caught inhaling nitrous oxide. He trialled with us and didn’t get a deal, so off he went to the Netherlands. He was a teammate of Lewis Montsma at Dordrecht, before moving to Hungary with Puskas Academia. He’s done so well there that in January, Sheffield Wednesday were linked with a move for him, as were several MLS clubs.