There’s nothing better than watching a young player
progress from the youth team (old money) or academy into the first team. Seeing
that player become a star is even better. Until one day, they outgrow the club
and moving on becomes inevitable. If you want to be really dramatic, it’s like
watching your child grow up and leave home. You have to let them go but you
still close the door behind them and have a little cry.
Jarrod Bowen is what the FA would define as a home-grown
Hull City player. Others may question that, given he arrived as a 17 year old
having already played senior football and scored in the (then) Conference for
Hereford United. Regardless, his subsequent progression into senior football in
the Premier League and the Championship has been the result of City’s academy
and U18 and U23 staff so he fits the home-grown definition.
When Hereford went bust in 2014, Steve Bruce picked up
Bowen on a free transfer. It was a no brainer. He had a mature head on young
shoulders, was brave enough to move miles from home and, most crucially, he was
a bloody good footballer. A left winger back then with quick feet, an eye for
goal and a sweet left foot, he quickly became one of the standout players in
the U21 side along with Conor Townsend and Max Clark. He scored goals coming off
the left wing and worked hard to improve his game.
He never stopped working. Long after his ascension into
the first team, he continued to work hard to improve. His strength, stamina
levels, right foot and decision-making all improved ppractically game on game.
After his breakthrough season in 2017/18 when he scored 14 goals in the
Championship, plenty questioned whether he was a one-season wonder. He then
scored 22 goals the following season. He’d become Hull City’s best and most
important player, by far.
Bowen was the obvious threat in the side and must have
formed most of every opposition’s scouting reports before games. They knew he
was the danger with his runs in from the right hand side, ability to arrive in
the box at the right time and unerring finishing. Yet stopping him was another
matter - he has 16 goals this season and would have been well on course to best
last season’s tally and go close to the 25 goals Andy Payton scored in Division
2 in 1990/91.
It’s tough to see him move on - though it has been coming
for the better part of two years. This next summer his contract would have one
year remaining so he’d definitely have gone then. I’d made peace with that. So
while it isn’t a surprise that he is leaving, with no bids going into the final
36 hours of the transfer window – there was hope that he’d see out the season.
I’m delighted for Bowen. He’s more than earned the chance
to go and play at the top level and with all the will in the world, it’s not
going to happen here any time soon. I make the biggest fee City have received
for a home-grown player the £1.1m (eventually) received from Blackburn for Tom
Cairney so this will absolutely smash that record. It’s win-win for the player
and the club. Just as gutting for fans as it is whenever the best player
leaves.
Bowen certainly leaves some memories. The best might just
be his first goal for City at Aston Villa on the opening day of the season in
2017. He stole in at the back post to nick an unlikely equaliser then assaulted
a few stewards to celebrate with his family in the stands at Villa Park. For
all the many goals, the games he dragged City back into, the three points he
pinched on his own – that’s the one I’ll always remember him for.
He was the star man playing on our right. All the best, Jarrod.
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