Was it a mistake to let Kightley go?

[conehead12]

I know it's a bit random but seeing how well he is doing at the moment, I thought it would be an interesting question.

 

[Maldon Blues]

At the time, I don't think so.

Time will tell, still, as to whether he really makes it at Wolves.

 

[Cliff Pavilion]

At the time I thought it was a poor decision. No certainty that he would come through but his ability at a young age was worth a risk I thought.

Similarly disappointed to see Mitchell Cole leave. Although I'm sure Kightley's excellent attitude has helped accelerate his development wheres Cole's may let him down.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

It was the right decision at the time. Kightley was stagnating and wasn't going to get first team opportunities. Without serving a first team football apprenticeship at Grays he wouldn't be the player he apparently now is.

Moreover its taken him three years to reach this level. Three years is a long time to pay someone for without having anything to show for it.

 

[Cricko2]

It was the right decision at the time. Kightley was stagnating and wasn't going to get first team opportunities. Without serving a first team football apprenticeship at Grays he wouldn't be the player he apparently now is.

Moreover its taken him three years to reach this level. Three years is a long time to pay someone for without having anything to show for it.

I agree YB ..His promise then wasnt much.Good luck if he proves himself, early days yet.

 

[Maldon Blues]

It was the right decision at the time. Kightley was stagnating and wasn't going to get first team opportunities. Without serving a first team football apprenticeship at Grays he wouldn't be the player he apparently now is.

Moreover its taken him three years to reach this level. Three years is a long time to pay someone for without having anything to show for it.

And I think you can say exactly the same for Mitchell Cole.

Cole has bundles of talent, but at the moment isn't a Football League player. A couple of years in the Conference could do him wonders.

 

[Pubey]

cole has serious health problems which aren't a secret...

 

[Maldon Blues]

Go on......

 

[Beefy]

Go on......

He's got a dodgy heart.

As for Kights, obviously its frustrating seeing him score every other week but I honestly don't think that he'd be a £2m rated player being tracked by the top clubs had he stayed here. Had we stayed in League Two that season I think he may have stayed but we went up, we "upgraded" (or so we thought at the time) to Mitchell Cole, Kights spent a year toughening up in the Conference and the rest is history.

 

[Bromley Blue]

Who knows once we get the new stadium and are hopefully a championship side we might re-sign him. Stranger things have happened.

 

[Beefy]

Who knows once we get the new stadium and are hopefully a championship side we might re-sign him. Stranger things have happened.

Hopefully. I've got a feeling we may see Mitchell Cole back here one day too, health permitting.

Whatever happens to Kights I'm sure most here would wish the lad well.

 

[Blue Streak]

"Kights spent a year toughening up" Think you hit the nail on the head there Beefy. Thats the key to his success IMO. He no doubt had bundles of skill and potential but he needed to become a bit more physical to play at Championship level and he's managed that so good luck to the lad. Hindsights a wonderful thing.

 

[duncan bulgaria]

The trouble was that League 2 was a must that we got out of it and i feel Tilly needed someone with a bit of experience, that person was Carl Petterfer.

To be fair to Tilly Pets did a great job on the right side of midfield,in the sense that he battled hard and won a lot of tackles and second balls but thats all he was ' a league 2 player'

Kights was a great prospect and has turned out to be a better player, but i don't believe he would have done as good a job in league 2 as pets

so all in all, a shame we had to let him go but maybe we wouldn't be where we are now if he wasn't let go.

 

[KrustyTheKray]

He's got a dodgy heart.

As for Kights, obviously its frustrating seeing him score every other week but I honestly don't think that he'd be a £2m rated player being tracked by the top clubs had he stayed here. Had we stayed in League Two that season I think he may have stayed but we went up, we "upgraded" (or so we thought at the time) to Mitchell Cole, Kights spent a year toughening up in the Conference and the rest is history.

So how much did we get for Stan the man then?

And Freddy not so long ago was being rated in the 2 Million pound bracket.

It was a mistake for us to let go of Kightly, as he wasn't really given a chance was he!

Mitchell Cole was never a 90 minute player, and no where near the class of young Kights.

 

[shrimper4life]

We should have struck up a buy back clause when we sold him so if any club came for him, we would have first option. I think we should also have done something like this for Cole too.

 

[Kris]

Hindsights a wonderful thing.

This is ultimately it. It's all very well people moaning that we shouldn't have released Kightly but I don't remember ANY posts criticising the decision on here at the time. Considering we lacked options in wide areas during that promotion season from League 2, Kightly's name was rarely mentioned at all as a possible solution - and rightly so, really, because he was far too lightweight to be a professional footballer at the time.

Fair play to Kightly, though, he looks a completely different player now.

As for Mitch Cole, it's a shame he didn't really do the business at Roots Hall because he certainly had the raw talent. I'm surprised he's dropped out of the Football League altogether, though. By all accounts, he did well for Northampton on loan. And given that Luke Guttridge and Billy Paynter are fans' favourites at their new clubs after struggling with us, it just emphasises again the difference in class between The Championship and League 1.

 

[turkishm]

strait forward mistake by tilly,it happens.im sure west ham would like eastwood back.no one gets it right all the time.