Quote Originally Posted by Nemo View Post
The signing of Meite set me thinking about past non-league signings. It was something we did quite often and with some success in the 60's and70's. For example Peter King, Gary Bell, George Andrews, Gary Stevens, Jim Eadie and Bill Irwin all came from outside the Football League. There are two others I vaguely remember from slightly later in the Century. A tall skinny Irishman called John something who played with a lot of promise for us up front and in midfield, was stupidly given a free transfer and went on to have an excellent career as a centre half with Rangers and (Nothern?) Ireland. Also an extremely quick striker who played successfully alongside Jimmy Gilligan. A black lad whose surname began with B I think.Anybody remember those two better than I do or others I have no doubt completely forgotten?

With the exception of Ralls, I don't recall any successful non- league signings in recent years. Is that beacause it's more difficult make the jump now or because our scouting system is rubbish? I suspect it's the latter.
John McLelland was an awful centre forward - I can't agree with you about him showing a lot of promise I'm afraid. I can remember him scoring against Bristol Rovers in a relegation four pointer as it would have been in those days, but he didn't look ready for league football and I was not surprised at all when we released him.

I don't blame the club really about McLelland because he went from a long string of nothing to a really solid citizen during the years he spent at Bangor City I think it was - he looked a natural centreback then and did well in the old First Division with Watford as well as his spell with Rangers, but I'm sure we would have tried him as a centre half if he'd filled out a year or two before he did.