Ryan Leonard: Has made an early impression on Luggy!
Let's face it, your introduced to your team mates just before the kick-off of a pre-season friendly at Dartford, and let's face it, for a Plymouth boy he probably hasn't got a frigging clue where the hell that is, blimey if they didn't have a tunnel nor would I.
You get on as a right-back at half time, it's 0-0, the games is dull in the extreme, and then after you've seen your side go two up you decide to let fly from an estimated 30-yards out and see it scream past the opposition keeper and nearly break the back of the net for the third........and then for good measure the very next night, at around the same time, you do it all again, but this time further out and even harder, and the team your trying to prove a point too have finished with five against Great Wakering Rovers!
Not a bad two night's work, especially for a teenager who was taken on by the team manager who introduced him to the Pilgrims as a youth player when Paul Sturrock was in charge there and is now looking for new employment!
In fact, he was one of only three players who stayed on for the whole 90 minutes, not bad indeed.
Sturrock told www.southendunited.co.uk: “I will be having talks with Ryan. He's someone I signed for the youth team at Plymouth and have admired from afar ever since. He didn't get a look in at Plymouth after getting injured but he's done well in the two games he's had for us and has probably scored the best two goals of his life.”
And let's face it having been with Plymouth he's used to clubs with financial problems!
Though after being with on loan to a couple of non-league clubs Ryan will not be busting the budget while giving Sean Clohessy some decent cover.
Leonard himself told www.echo-news.co.uk: “I would definitely love to sign for Southend and that’s why I’ve come here on trial. I think I’ve done OK in the two matches I’ve played so far and my aim is to keep on playing well to try and earn a contract so hopefully I will be asked along for the tour of Scotland. My goalscoring record for a right back isn’t bad but those two are certainly up there with the best goals I’ve ever scored. At Dartford I was going to pass the ball but it sat up nicely and, at the last minute, I just decided to hit it. The one at Wakering I just made a good connection with and it was great to see it go in. But I don’t think I’ve ever scored goals like that in back to back games before.”
Obviously the young lad is keen and after chatting to Echoman Chris phillips after the GWR win it would be no surpris if Ryan puts pen to paper sooner rather than later.
Phillips wrote: 'Looking like Ryan Leonard will be signing. He said last night he would jump at the chance of joining Blues. Also said he has a good goalscoring record for a right back.'
And nobody at the two pre-season games would argue with that!
UPDATE: Ryan Leonard has joined the squad on the Scottish tour!
The Leonard Files
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Ryan Ian Leonard[1] | ||
Date of birth | 24 May 1992 | ||
Place of birth | Plymouth, England | ||
Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
Playing position | Defender / Midfielder | ||
Youth career | |||
2001–2010 | Plymouth Argyle | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
2010–2011 | Plymouth Argyle | 1 | (0) |
2010–2011 | → Weston-super-Mare (loan) | 5 | (0) |
2011 | → Tiverton Town (loan) | 18 | (1) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:12, 25 April 2011 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). |
(Player info supplied by Wikipedia, for the full article go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Leonard)
Many thanks to www.weston-s-mareafc.co.uk for the use of the photo