Inspired by our youth cup win, I wanted to check out where some of our youngsters have ended up. It doesn't make for the best reading, but at least they stayed in football. These are just ones I remember now, feel free to add more. Clayton Donaldson: Made a handful of appearances before being released and signing for York, where he had much success, scoring 41 goals in 85 league games. Left for the SPL, before a spell at Crewe saw him join Brentford on a free transfer, where he has become a succesful League One goalscorer. Paul Anderson: Paul left Hull without making a first team appearance and was involved in a swap deal for John Welsh. He never made a first team appearance for the Reds, but did feature on the bench for a Champions League tie against Benfica. Was loaned and then signed by Forest for £250,000 where he became a first team regular. Broke his arm in a match against Derby but bounced back to help Forest finish 19th, before being released and joining Bristol City. Ryan Kendall: Prolific at youth level with City but never got a chance to shine. He was loaned to Bradford City on an emergency loan, where he made 6 appearances, scoring twice. Bradford passed up the opportunity to sign him, so he moved to Harrogate after his City contract expired. He only made one appearance for Town, despite manager Simon Weaver saying "Make no mistake about it, this lad is talented". Shame he didn't stick with him, because upon leaving Harrogate, Ryan joined Conference North rivals Gainsborough Trinity, where he scored 27 goals in 68 appearances. After his contract expired, he returned to East Yorkshire where he signed on a free for North Ferriby United, where he is currently the top scorer with 22 goals in 30 games. Nathan Peat: Having made a few appearances in the Hull City first team, Nathan moved onto York City after an impressive trial. He was sent off for throwing three punches in a brawl against Woking; he was fined £200 and given a three match ban; he was subsequently released at the end of the season, where he joined Conference North side Harrogate Town. In a similar career path to the aforementioned Kendall, Peat then joined Gainsborough and then Ferriby in 2011, where he remains a first team regular. Gary Bradshaw: A bit of an enigma at City, he only ever managed one league goal, after which he joined Scarborough on loan. His contract was terminated and he joined Harrogate Town. Gary decided a trip to Gainsborough wasn't necessary and jumped straight to Ferriby, where his goal scoring exploits caught the attention of Cheltenham Town. He was sent off on his debut and made a further two appearances, before rejoining Ferriby, first on loan and then permanently, where he became their first ever contracted player. Chris Bolder, Dean Lisles and Steve Gardner: All play at Ferriby, the latter of the three also went out to Harrogate on loan during his City days, scoring once. Chris also played for local rivals Grimsby, where he lined up against his brother, then playing for Derby. Adam Bolder: Made 20 appearances in midfield for City, before spending seven years at Derby County. Following his release, Bolder had spells at QPR, Sheffield Wednesday, Millwall (both on loan and permanently), Bradford and Burton, before joining current club Harrogate (they really do like City players don't they?). Will Atkinson: Came up through the ranks at City, making his debut in the league cup against Plymouth Argyle. Broke through into the first team under Iain Dowie, which says it all really. The Driffield born winger only managed one goal for City; in a PL league game against Wigan Athletic. Fellow youth team player Mark Cullen also scored that day in a 2-2 draw. After his release in 2012, he joined Bradford where he was part of the League Cup side that made it to the final, in which he also started. Roy Carroll: The then unknown goalkeeper had no idea what his career had in store for him when he signed youth terms at City, fresh from Ballinamallard United in Northern Ireland. He made 50 appearances for the Tigers before being snapped up by Wigan in 1997. He was then signed by Manchester United for a fee believed to be £2.5m, where he became understudy to Fabien Barthez. After winning a PL Champions Medal with United, Carroll left for West Ham, going on to make 35 appearances. Following this, he had spells at Rangers, Derby, Odense BK, OFI Crete and finally Greek giants Olympiacos, where he currently plays. Yann Ekra: City won the battle to sign up and coming French striker Ekra in 2008. Having only played two reserve games, Ekra was one for the future, but never really showed himself to be anything more than average. A loan spell at Greek side Panionios was ultimately fruitless. In that same year, Jamie Devitt won young apprentice of the year and Ekra was released in 2010. He impressed in pre season games for Harrisburg City Islanders in the USL Pro League and has scored 5 goals in 19 games. Harry Ngata: Not technically a youth player (could be wrong, he left City at the the end of my first season going as a lad), but possibly the first Maori to play in the football league. He made 25 appearances for the Tigers, before having a disjointed career in Australia. He now works as a TV pundit for Sky in New Zealand. Gavan Holohan: Never played a first team game for City despite being a tenacious yet graceful midfielder, he always looked sharp in pre season. Now plying his trade at Alfreton Town in the Conference after being released at the end of last season. Nicky Featherstone: Hull City's most promising youth player finally broke through in 2007 in a League match against Burnley. A sporadic spell of loans to Ferriby, Grimsby and Hereford followed before he joined the latter in 2011, which despite their relegation, showed Featherstone to be a useful midfielder at that level. Upon Hereford's relegation, Featherstone rejected the offer of a new contract and signed for League 1 side Walsall on a one year deal, where he wears the number 6 shirt. Nathan Hanley: A promising Northern Ireland youth international recommended by Stuart Elliot, Hanley represented his country right up to U21 level. He failed to make a first team appearance however and was released in 2010. After a short spell with Ballymena, he joined Linfield United and featured in the Champions League for them. John Leonard: Not much came of him; he was released by the Tigers in 2010 before joining Harrogate the following season. He made 2 appearances for them and was released the same season. Brewster Frizzell: Easily the best name in football, Brewster came through the Tigers ranks but never made so much as a sub appearance for us. He was released in 2009. Since then, he has been captaining the East Coast FC Futsal team, who are apparently quite good. Frank Belt: Once given a squad number by Hull City, he now plys his trade at Bridlington Town as a RB. James Bennett: Signed Pro deal in 2007, but never broke through and is now at Scarborough Athletic. Matty Plummer: In the same year as Featherstone, Atkinson and Bennett but never made a first team appearance, the hometown defender opted to join Darlington when his contract expired with City. He went on to make 8 appearances but was released along with James Bennett. Matty joined Ferriby but didn't settle. He played a couple of games for Westella and Willerby, followed by a jump up the leagues to FC Halifax. Plummer then joined Bradford PA before settling into the Scarborough Athletic first team. Jordan Holt: A Wales youth international who was widely tipped to feature in the first team in the not too distant future, Holt briefly made the news when he featured for Wales against England in the Victory Shield. The York born youngster never did make the breakthrough for the Tigers and joined St. Mirren at the start of the season, where he has yet to make a first team appearance, but he has spent time on loan at perrenial strugglers East Stirlingshire. Joe Lamplough: Left sided player who never broke through the youth system. Signed for Mansfield Town upon his release but quickly moved abroad to Sorrento in Austrailia. Following this, he then moved to Jerez Industrial in Spain, which is a feeder team for the Glenn Hoddle academy. Having spent two seasons at Jerez, Joe signed for AFC Telford. Nick McNamara: Last seen playing for Rushden and Diamonds in 2011, no data on where he is now. Ben Wilkinson: Never made a first team appearance for the Tigers, but spent time on loan at Gretna FC when they were in the SPL. Following his release from the Tigers, Ben joined York where he made 21 appearances and scored 2 goals. An uneventful stint at Chester followed, before joining Boston United. Following his release from the Pilgrims, he has been playing local football to keep fit.
James McGarry, who was the top scoring striker for the youth team about 7 or 8 years ago never got a pro deal but ended up being a lab assistant at my school when I was there. Also Ashley Allanson was another one who scored a fair few in the juniors/reserves but never got a deal, he now works for the Tigers trust.
I remember the Hype around Featherstone.. Glad to hear he's not doing so bad! I was impressed when i heard scott wiseman was or is playin for barnsley? Could be mistaken?
You forgot the bit where Matt Plummer played for the village hotel vs ramada jarvis in the summer of 2012 and was outshone by none other than yours truly putting in a motm performance! true story
Steve Gardner was, until recently, also a personal trainer at my gym. The now sadly doomed Fitness First.
