Harry Forrester Leaves

[Dan England]

Harry Forrester has Just tweeted:-

@harry_forrester
harry forrester
 last day at villa today.. would like to thank everyone there for there support, fans also... one door shuts, another door opens..

Anyone else know anything more about this. There were a lot of promising things said about him in the MON days,

[luke25]

Shame that, I thought at one stage he was going to be summat special.

[The Left Side]

Sky sports website is saying Ajax are keeping tabs on him.

[adrenachrome]

Skysports.com understands Dutch champions Ajax are eyeing a move for Aston Villa starlet Harry Forrester.

Forrester is on the look-out for a new club after being informed by Villa boss Gerard Houllier he will not be offered a new deal as he does not figure in his plans.

Villa beat a host of clubs to sign Forrester from Watford for a seven-figure fee in January 2008.

Forrester, who has been capped at youth level for England, impressed during his time with the Midlands outfit's academy and reserve sides, but Houllier has decided to let the player leave Villa Park.

Following his release, Forrester linked up with Championship side Barnsley after being watched in the reserves by Mark Robins.

Robins was keen to bring Forrester to Oakwell for next season, but in a twist of fate the move fell through after he quit his role at Barnsley last weekend.

The 20-year-old is believed to have caught the eye of Ajax's coaching staff after deciding to link up with Villa for the Hong Kong Sevens tournament last week.

Forrester was one of the top scorers with four goals in the tournament, which involved Ajax, Celtic, Liverpool, Rangers and Boca Juniors, and his performances have alerted Ajax to his possible availability.

Ajax believe skilful attacker Forrester has the technical ability to fit in with their footballing philosophy and could now offer the player a dream move to Amsterdam.

[Damo70]

Lots of talk about how great a prospect he was when we signed him. Another Luke Moore? Martin Carruthers? I can remember when Mark Burke was the next George Best.

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

Why would we release him if he's recently impressed in the Hong Kong Tournament?

And does this mean Houllier thinks he's staying?

[TopDeck113]

Professional football is littered with the discarded young lives of those who were going to be world beaters at 16, surplus to requirements at 20. Such is the way of the dog-eat-dog world of the top flight game. 

AVFC is not unique in that respect.

Five or six years ago the PE teachers at our local High School were raving about a lad called Kieran Trippier.  One of the staff who has been there for 20 years or so and has seen a few lads who went on to play professionally, reckoned he was head and shoulders above anyone else he'd ever taught.  Anyway, Kieran made his way through the Man City academy, signed a professional contract, played for England at his age group level... and spent the last year on loan at Barnsley.  I don't know how he's done at Oakwell, but I wouldn't now bet on him making it at the highest level.

[sid1964]

Would rather us have offered him another 12 months, but instead of that we will keep Pires

[eric woolban woolban]

Would rather us have offered him another 12 months, but instead of that we will keep Pires

Or Salifou.

[mozza]

Wish Harry all the best -

Have watched him numerous times but couldn't decide if he is striker or midfield ?

We have plenty of other youngsters coming through that arguably show more promise-

Good luck with your future career mate 

[TheSandman]

All the best to Harry in his future endeavours.

It is a brute fact that not every youngster will make the grade or even be a success at his first club. He may go on and make a great career for himself somewhere else and we'll curse our luck in releasing him or he may sink without trace. It happens.

[Chipsticks]

Signs that another striker is on the horizon in the summer transfer window?

[Jim Shoes]

I also had high hopes for this lad at VP, only saw him once and was impressed. What did those who saw him a lot more than me make of him? Is this another Cahill or is it like the Moore's.

Before I left Brum I saw the Moore brothers quite a bit when everyone was creaming their pants about the two of the being the next big thing, never saw anything in either of their game to suggest they had the right mentality to make it to the top in fact my words we that they both looked like a pair of lazy prima donnas or words to that effect!!

Not saying I know what makes a player tick but and I rarely ever go over board about any player because I support Aston Villa, players come and go but it's always a little sad when a youngster you think will come through for Villa doesn't.

As long as he never plays for the noses I wish Harry all the best for the future.

[Greg N'Ash]

Another MON "bargain" shown the door. Good luck to him.

[Dave]

Signs that another striker is on the horizon in the summer transfer window?

Where are these signs?