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Below is from a Millwall fan, written last season regarding Charlie Austin. This guy is white hot, would be a great signing for us. Just a pity we couldn't have got him for peanuts last season, and just shows how the ordinary fan can be as good as any scout.
I have no experience of scouting. I just watch around 80 games at all levels through the season local to where I visit my parents, or where I live.
Last season I saw a certain youngster, who was 18 at the time and went by the name of Charlie Austin, playing up front for Poole Town. This lad wasn't just special. He was something very special and it was obvious as the season went on, with him scoring a goal a game, that he was playing well below his level. The more I saw him the better he played and scoring goals was just a natural instinct to him.
There are two things needed to become a top striker, one is 'match fitness', and the other, more importantly is, 'match awareness'. Match awareness is an inbuilt radar to a good striker that will take them in to areas ready to receive a ball - and score. If you haven't got fitness you can soon work on it, but can you do the same if you haven't got this 'awareness'? Jimmy Greaves had it, as did Gary Lineker. So it wasn't long before I was mentally measuring up Austin from the sidelines in Millwall colours.
Even though he was on a two-year contract at Poole Town, Bournemouth came in for him and he started training with them at the tail end of last season, but because of their transfer embargo they couldn't sign him. Bournemouth wanted him as he had scored in their reserves.
Charlie had experience from being in the youth set up at Reading - with James Henry, so Charlie's dad tells me. But because he matured late, at 18 he signed for Poole, where his parents live. Charlie was upset about the embargo and would have done anything to get into a league club. On top of his scoring record you could see this lad was special and I thought, if only I could talk to someone at Millwall, I would drive the lad up there myself - even if it meant financing his trial.
I was aware that Millwall were in for Steve Morison but Austin could have been bought for a much lesser fee, besides, what would a trial have cost Millwall?
I desperately wanted Millwall to look at him and in May I set about contacting the club. I passed the Fan on the Board my details. He was honest and stated he would pass on the message but wouldn't be able to give feedback. He did his best for me and I don't want him brought into this.
I twice rang the club and was told I couldn't talk to anyone and should contact the chief scout through the email address provided on the web-site, but again, was I going to get feedback?
I needed to have quick communication before any other club came in for Charlie. I still emailed Stuart Murdoch, the chief scout, but heard nothing. I also decided to follow this up with a personal letter to Kenny Jackett and typed one out on this PC, put it in an envelope and posted it to KJ c/o Millwall Football club at the Den etc etc and again waited for feedback.
I was now aware that Danny Wilson had heard about Charlie and I was told from a good reliable source that Swindon's Scout had said: "I believe I've uncovered a gem, if Swindon don't sign him I must seriously consider my position as scout at the club."
In the meantime the new season had kicked off and I watched Charlie score the winner against AFC Bournemouth for Poole in a friendly. He pissed all over their defence that night and had several shots on target. I also watched him play in friendlies against higher non-league sides.
In one game he got lost and couldn't find the ground and came on with half-an hour gone - he still scored a hat trick. When the season started he was scoring for fun and when he travelled to Moneyfields (Pompey), his final game for Poole, they put two or three defenders on him - he scored five.
In my mind I was thinking, 'Where the **** are Millwall' but was told at that game that Swindon had signed him. He went for a very small fee that didn't amount to £10,000, but there are sell on clauses.
I was absolutely gutted that the scouts at Millwall didn't get off their back sides and check him out.
True to form he scored six goals in four games for Swindon's reserves and was handed a full first team debut at Carlisle. He also started against Huddersfield and in both games came up with the winner to gain six points and lift Swindoh above the Lions in the league.
Unable to attend the game at Exeter, I decided to listen in on BBC Radio London, so you can imagine how I felt hearing that while Morison was missing 'sitters', Austin was scoring 'winners'.
I was angry. No, discount that, I was furious. Not so much because Millwall didn't sign Austin, but because the scouting department couldn't even be bothered to look at him or at least afford the courtesy of contacting me to find out more - so do these temporary custodians even care about the 'Customers' Charter'?
I've found the whole experience of trying to talk to the scouting department at Millwall very frustrating and while in some areas the club is doing well, with reference to 'Help our Heroes', other departments are grossly letting the club down.
For a club that once turned out a good conveyor belt of new talent through the academy and scouting, both by supplying players for the first team as well as making money in the transfer market, it seems to be very quiet at the moment.
Is it also any coincidence that with the present lack of communication and feedback with the scouting department that the new talent coming through has dried up?
After talking with other supporters it seems I am not alone in my experience and in my opinion this is one area of "the club" that badly needs attention.
Cliff Barrett
I have no experience of scouting. I just watch around 80 games at all levels through the season local to where I visit my parents, or where I live.
Last season I saw a certain youngster, who was 18 at the time and went by the name of Charlie Austin, playing up front for Poole Town. This lad wasn't just special. He was something very special and it was obvious as the season went on, with him scoring a goal a game, that he was playing well below his level. The more I saw him the better he played and scoring goals was just a natural instinct to him.
There are two things needed to become a top striker, one is 'match fitness', and the other, more importantly is, 'match awareness'. Match awareness is an inbuilt radar to a good striker that will take them in to areas ready to receive a ball - and score. If you haven't got fitness you can soon work on it, but can you do the same if you haven't got this 'awareness'? Jimmy Greaves had it, as did Gary Lineker. So it wasn't long before I was mentally measuring up Austin from the sidelines in Millwall colours.
Even though he was on a two-year contract at Poole Town, Bournemouth came in for him and he started training with them at the tail end of last season, but because of their transfer embargo they couldn't sign him. Bournemouth wanted him as he had scored in their reserves.
Charlie had experience from being in the youth set up at Reading - with James Henry, so Charlie's dad tells me. But because he matured late, at 18 he signed for Poole, where his parents live. Charlie was upset about the embargo and would have done anything to get into a league club. On top of his scoring record you could see this lad was special and I thought, if only I could talk to someone at Millwall, I would drive the lad up there myself - even if it meant financing his trial.
I was aware that Millwall were in for Steve Morison but Austin could have been bought for a much lesser fee, besides, what would a trial have cost Millwall?
I desperately wanted Millwall to look at him and in May I set about contacting the club. I passed the Fan on the Board my details. He was honest and stated he would pass on the message but wouldn't be able to give feedback. He did his best for me and I don't want him brought into this.
I twice rang the club and was told I couldn't talk to anyone and should contact the chief scout through the email address provided on the web-site, but again, was I going to get feedback?
I needed to have quick communication before any other club came in for Charlie. I still emailed Stuart Murdoch, the chief scout, but heard nothing. I also decided to follow this up with a personal letter to Kenny Jackett and typed one out on this PC, put it in an envelope and posted it to KJ c/o Millwall Football club at the Den etc etc and again waited for feedback.
I was now aware that Danny Wilson had heard about Charlie and I was told from a good reliable source that Swindon's Scout had said: "I believe I've uncovered a gem, if Swindon don't sign him I must seriously consider my position as scout at the club."
In the meantime the new season had kicked off and I watched Charlie score the winner against AFC Bournemouth for Poole in a friendly. He pissed all over their defence that night and had several shots on target. I also watched him play in friendlies against higher non-league sides.
In one game he got lost and couldn't find the ground and came on with half-an hour gone - he still scored a hat trick. When the season started he was scoring for fun and when he travelled to Moneyfields (Pompey), his final game for Poole, they put two or three defenders on him - he scored five.
In my mind I was thinking, 'Where the **** are Millwall' but was told at that game that Swindon had signed him. He went for a very small fee that didn't amount to £10,000, but there are sell on clauses.
I was absolutely gutted that the scouts at Millwall didn't get off their back sides and check him out.
True to form he scored six goals in four games for Swindon's reserves and was handed a full first team debut at Carlisle. He also started against Huddersfield and in both games came up with the winner to gain six points and lift Swindoh above the Lions in the league.
Unable to attend the game at Exeter, I decided to listen in on BBC Radio London, so you can imagine how I felt hearing that while Morison was missing 'sitters', Austin was scoring 'winners'.
I was angry. No, discount that, I was furious. Not so much because Millwall didn't sign Austin, but because the scouting department couldn't even be bothered to look at him or at least afford the courtesy of contacting me to find out more - so do these temporary custodians even care about the 'Customers' Charter'?
I've found the whole experience of trying to talk to the scouting department at Millwall very frustrating and while in some areas the club is doing well, with reference to 'Help our Heroes', other departments are grossly letting the club down.
For a club that once turned out a good conveyor belt of new talent through the academy and scouting, both by supplying players for the first team as well as making money in the transfer market, it seems to be very quiet at the moment.
Is it also any coincidence that with the present lack of communication and feedback with the scouting department that the new talent coming through has dried up?
After talking with other supporters it seems I am not alone in my experience and in my opinion this is one area of "the club" that badly needs attention.
Cliff Barrett
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