Chris Smith's seal of approval as Tom Allan joins York City's first-team squad

11:00am Wednesday 12th December 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Dave Flett, Sports reporter

Teenage York City defender Tom Allan, right Teenage York City defender Tom Allan, right

SKIPPER Chris Smith has welcomed York City’s newest pro, Tom Allan, into the first-team squad.

The teenager, in the second year of his scholarship, signed a professional contract last week and made the trip to Plymouth with the first team on Saturday.

Smith has been impressed with the 6ft 4in tall defender – on and off the pitch.

Smith shares manager Gary Mills’ opinion that the Minstermen could have a talented prospect on their hands, saying: “He’s a good, young lad who has matured so much over the last year and must have worked hard over the summer.

“He’s still got more growing to do and will fill out a bit more on the weights. Last year, he was a left-back and was a bit tentative when he had the ball but he’s come back as a left-sided centre-half and the best thing he can do is train with us and learn from the defenders we have at the club.

“York needs good young players to come through and, if he’s good enough, the gaffer will have no qualms about playing him. Then, he either kicks on with York or gets a move.

“I’ve not seen him in many games but, in training, I think he has all the attributes to become a very good centre-half. He has a good attitude and that’s important because it’s not all about what you can do as a player.

“He’s a good lad off the pitch. I saw Dean Saunders saying on Football Focus that he values character over talent when he’s picking a team.

“He believes the importance of character is massive and Tom has good character.”

York-born Allan was subjected to the usual initiation rituals during the weekend trip to Plymouth, including singing Katie Perry and Pixie Lott songs in front of his team-mates, as well as coffee and tea-making duties on the coach.

Comments(16)

Phil, Leeds says...
11:04am Wed 12 Dec 12

Singing Katie Perry and Pixie Lott songs - God help us, how awful. I must be getting old!

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HTC says...
11:32am Wed 12 Dec 12

Phil, Leeds wrote:
Singing Katie Perry and Pixie Lott songs - God help us, how awful. I must be getting old!
Isn't that the point of an "initiation ritual"? It's supposed to be awful.

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HTC says...
11:34am Wed 12 Dec 12

HTC wrote:
Phil, Leeds wrote:
Singing Katie Perry and Pixie Lott songs - God help us, how awful. I must be getting old!
Isn't that the point of an "initiation ritual"? It's supposed to be awful.
Ah, I see you meant it should have been much worse - possibly the finer details of the full "ceremony" can't be published in the press as it's too sordid.

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headhunter100 says...
11:56am Wed 12 Dec 12

Well done Tom. Still say that the Youth Team picked this time round was not right, brilliant lad I keep trying to promote who is losing his fitness quickly after 5 years with the Academy. Has a fantastic attitude and character, knows the game inside out, brilliant striker sent down the road, set up all goals in the Under 16's last season

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Tug job says...
1:35pm Wed 12 Dec 12

Phil, Leeds wrote:
Singing Katie Perry and Pixie Lott songs - God help us, how awful. I must be getting old!
Perhaps that's why Smithy was "desperate" to stay at Luton?

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old_school_minsterman says...
2:10pm Wed 12 Dec 12

headhunter100 wrote:
Well done Tom. Still say that the Youth Team picked this time round was not right, brilliant lad I keep trying to promote who is losing his fitness quickly after 5 years with the Academy. Has a fantastic attitude and character, knows the game inside out, brilliant striker sent down the road, set up all goals in the Under 16's last season
Stop harping on about this 'teenage sensation' that you are aware of! A decent u16 player often does not make a great senior pro. A bitter parent of a rejected YT perhaps?! Haha!

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andy jamo says...
2:44pm Wed 12 Dec 12

i do hope tom sang em that class madness hit on the way home from plymouth.
you're an embarrassment.

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headhunter100 says...
7:32pm Wed 12 Dec 12

Definitely not his parent. Just think its all a farse the picking process, if your not in the know obviously. No, family or lad will not even know I am doing this. Just someone I know who has been cheated out of his place and trying to get across that some lads playing in the first year are not as good as . Don't mock comments you know nothing about. We obviously cannot voice an opinion on here. Signing off and will not comment again.

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redbluelion says...
11:54pm Wed 12 Dec 12

headhunter100 wrote:
Definitely not his parent. Just think its all a farse the picking process, if your not in the know obviously. No, family or lad will not even know I am doing this. Just someone I know who has been cheated out of his place and trying to get across that some lads playing in the first year are not as good as . Don't mock comments you know nothing about. We obviously cannot voice an opinion on here. Signing off and will not comment again.
i know what you mean if your not an happy clapper you can't post on here without some knob having a go..

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chalkytalky says...
8:53am Thu 13 Dec 12

headhunter100 wrote:
Definitely not his parent. Just think its all a farse the picking process, if your not in the know obviously. No, family or lad will not even know I am doing this. Just someone I know who has been cheated out of his place and trying to get across that some lads playing in the first year are not as good as . Don't mock comments you know nothing about. We obviously cannot voice an opinion on here. Signing off and will not comment again.
I know a current youth team player and one who was released last year. Whilst from what I've seen the club don't always help the lads in their development with a lack of 'mens' football available they are fair with their selection process at the end of the day.
The lad who was let go last year didn't believe that anyone who was let go should have been kept on (himself included). Which would say to me the process works. Also said Allen deserves a deal as he is a top player.

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headhunter100 says...
9:06am Thu 13 Dec 12

Will make one more comment, not talking about a youth team player, talking about one who should have been in the youth team but was rejected, excellent player and the team picking was not accurate. He set up all the under 16's goals, gave his goals away, worked too hard. No more said, when reading comments read them properly.

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nomadic85 says...
1:41pm Thu 13 Dec 12

if this kid is as good as you say headhunter, and I've no reason to doubt you, then he will get a deal elsewhere. If he is losing fitness already he clearly isn't that motivated to make it in football though.

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headhunter100 says...
8:47am Fri 14 Dec 12

No cheated out of his youth team place, those lads earn cash and train everyday, this lad has to do A levels, work and fit in training for his new team, so it is so much harder to keep it up,. He does not know I write this about hin, as such a lovely lad. Through heresay I believe a lot of his former coaches at York City believe the same. Sorry I have to say all this, but I hate to see talent go to waste , complete waste and was completely unnecessary **** for the kid. I have seen this lad play since he was 11 and had all the right credentials, waste of time he should have moved on to Hull or Leeds locally and believe you me would probably still be there but stuck with City. Crap.

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chalkytalky says...
9:26am Fri 14 Dec 12

Lets have his name pal. Would be interested to ask the lads I know what they think. Like others say if he is good enough he will get a go elsewhere.

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headhunter100 says...
1:10pm Fri 14 Dec 12

Oh believe me the first year youth lads will know who you mean an excellent backbone striker who has been with them all the way apart from now.

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footballmum8 says...
2:44pm Fri 14 Dec 12

I have been told that someone is writing about my son on this website, headhunter100 so I have signed up just now to write my comment. Thank you for backing him and promoting his readiness and goodness to be a footballer. Yes he played some fantastic football from being 11 for York City and York City Schoolboys gaining players player award etc, and as you say was one of the backbones of the team and scored and set up many goals, a lot of the team relied on his hard working attitude, so yes he was very disappointed to not get a Youth Team place along with everyone else in his Under 16 team. He is hard working with A Levels now but his main aim in life would be to play professional, but as you rightly say , York have taken that opportunity from him, as once you leave an academy, not much chance elsewhere. I dont know who you are but if you know us please make yourself known. I know Toms family and we wish him all the best for the future .

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