Greer's end of season loan report

Pathway development manager, Gordon Greer, reflects on the progress of our players who have spent time away from the club on loan this season.

How do you reflect on the season overall?

Generally, things have gone really well for the loan players. There have been ups and downs for all of them, but we’ve had two players who have been promoted with their clubs, likewise players who have had excellent seasons – creating chances and scoring goals – so it’s been positive overall. A lot of the boys have adapted well to being out on loan, which can be difficult to do, but they’ve all gained something from their experiences which is the main aim.

Ed Turns and Marc Leonard were the players who got to enjoy those promotions. What was that experience like for them?

I said to them to enjoy the experience because there are players who don’t enjoy a promotion once in their careers. For Ed, you had a good feeling that Leyton Orient were going to be promoted, but for Marc with Northampton, it went to the last day, so it was a huge pressure situation. I was at the game [at Tranmere, a 1-0 win] and the atmosphere was amazing. After the game, the fans ran onto the pitch and it’s something he will cherish for the rest of his life. It was great for him. I am sure that because it’s their first loans, they think promotions are easy! But they’re both level-headed guys and they know it can’t always be like that.

At the other end of the spectrum, you’ve got players who have been relegated…

Obviously being relegated while out on loan is far from ideal, but the players have got a lot of minutes under their belts and it’s an experience that they will look back on and learn from. I am only looking at it from a Brighton & Hove Albion perspective, but obviously for those clubs, relegation is horrible and I feel for them. For us, however, it’s about the individual and how they develop, regardless of whether they are promoted or relegated. You actually reflect on things more when times were bad, rather than when they were good, so it might be the thing that spurs them on for next season. 

Ultimately, though, the aim is for all the players to learn from these loan experiences…

The goal for the club is to use the loan pathway to develop the players, to improve them to a level where they can play in the first team. There’s ups and downs in any profession, but it can be difficult when there’s a lot of negativity around, and also the positivity, when things are almost too good, so you’re intrigued as to how players are going to handle it. I would say the main thing is to keep the boys as level-headed as possible, but, ultimately, they have to find their own ways and to work out how to develop outside of our club. 

Do you think there are going to be players returning from loan who could be involved in the first-team squad next season?

The first team are doing so well and the level of the team has risen, so for the boys out on loan they need to work even harder to get to that standard, but there’s going to be two or three who could be in and around the squad. I think we’re going to have a larger squad next season and there’s been a couple who have really impressed, so I hope they can make an impact on the group next season.

This has been your first full season in the role as pathway development manager. How have you found it?

I’ve loved it. The interactions I have with the players is what I enjoy the most. I had a couple of loans as a player, so you hope you can give these guys some good advice. It’s great to be trusted to have that influence. You’re the main point of contact for them with the Albion, so anything I can do to help the players throughout the loan is what I am employed to do. I really enjoy sitting down with the players, giving them some pointers and them then taking it on board and applying it. It’s rewarding to be able to work with talented lads, and I am delighted that I can do that. Hopefully we can keep signing and bringing through these types of players, so I get to work with them and help them onto fantastic careers.