Jack Sparkes

[red1]

A lot of young players dont posess the right mental attitude to be successful. Some get carried away with a smidge of success and believe they are actually better than what they are, rather than head down and learn and await their chance.

 

[grecIAN Harris]

It was such a shame. The lad was brimming with confidence at a tough place to go.. To disappear off the radar completely seemed odd.

Wasn't some of that down to a serious injury which is why he didn't come through so quick after that Swindon debut?

 

[Oldsmobile-88]

Wasn't some of that down to a serious injury which is why he didn't come through so quick after that Swindon debut?

Maybe ...I thought his injury was later ?

 

[STURTZ]

Isn't it quite common for players to be given a taste of first team football at a young before going out to learn the basics of playing weekly first team football on loan. Happened with Ollie Watkins and is happening now with Sonny Cox.

 

[Ex-ciderrr]

Unfortunately hes not had the best of luck with injuries 1/2 bad ones and that may have hindered what could of been for me. Just feel hes never really cut it in our 1st team, at times he looked out of his depth in L2 and now this season in L1 even more so.

One of his best traits is that imo he can deliver a decent ball into the box and can leather a ball but is very 1 footed. If we were to cut ties with him i feel step back to take 2 steps forward for him could be the case, with a L2 club most likely unless a good offer came in from the national league, ultimately he needs to play. Theres still time ahead for jack, hes at a good age with plenty of football ahead of him weather its with or without us.

 

[SEA Grecian]

Unfortunately hes not had the best of luck with injuries 1/2 bad ones and that may have hindered what could of been for me. Just feel hes never really cut it in our 1st team, at times he looked out of his depth in L2 and now this season in L1 even more so.

One of his best traits is that imo he can deliver a decent ball into the box and can leather a ball but is very 1 footed. If we were to cut ties with him i feel step back to take 2 steps forward for him could be the case, with a L2 club most likely unless a good offer came in from the national league, ultimately he needs to play. Theres still time ahead for jack, hes at a good age with plenty of football ahead of him weather its with or without us.

Jack was our best player at the start of last season and then, once he had fully recovered from injury, he re-established himself as first-choice left wing-back in what was, let's not forget, the best team in League 2 at the time.

 

[MJP_Exeter]

I actually disagree that Jack has had a poor season, This season going forward he has shown how good he can be, but his defensive frailties will obviously be more obvious at league one level. I really rate Mitchell, but i think Defensively he is not much better than Jack (Albeit a little better) and going forward I rate them about the same, but Mitchel does have more pace. But Jack has won a number of penalties this season and his crossing is very good, especially compared to the RWB's in our side.

I personally would seek to retain both for next season as I think they are both good enough for this level and both can give each other proper competition for the LWB berth. But I do think Jack will go in the summer, since the Charlton rant, Caldwell does seem to have outed him from the side. Caldwell was right in a sense to punish that outburst, but I would still keep both here next season.

 

[arthur]

Does anyone have conclusive proof that Caldwell has written Jack off? He's been in the squad for pretty well every game and there is a simple explanation for him not being in the first team - Mitchell is a better player.

I agree we should try to keep him. His defensive frailties have been suspected for some time and now proved at this level beyond all reasonable doubt. But there could be a role for him further forward, particularly left MF is where we've often stuck our best players as there's no-one else to fill the role. And he's relatively cheap..

 

[Cowshed Grecian]

Does anyone have conclusive proof that Caldwell has written Jack off? He's been in the squad for pretty well every game and there is a simple explanation for him not being in the first team - Mitchell is a better player.

I agree we should try to keep him. His defensive frailties have been suspected for some time and now proved at this level beyond all reasonable doubt. But there could be a role for him further forward, particularly left MF is where we've often stuck our best players as there's no-one else to fill the role. And he's relatively cheap..

You never know GC might just be giving him a kick up the arse. I don’t care what anyone says Caldwell has been a bit strange in his strategic picks. He didn’t give Harper a single minute at first, literally nothing for his first two-three months in charge…then all of a sudden he starts every game..work that one out.

 

[Snoop Fog]

I'm not sure we can say at this moment in time that Mitchell is a better player. Faster, for sure, but can he cross the ball as well as Jack?

Mitchell has shown some great bits of speed and skill, beating a man and getting into the box but he's also gone missing for large spells of the game, particularly in the second half, whereas Jack seems to see a lot more of the ball than Mitchell as the game enters the final phases.

For me neither are the complete player with both offering differing attributes and there's a place for both of them in the squad next season.