Loan Watch: 19/9/08 - 26/10/08

26 October 08 by Bill McGlone

Here at Blog United we like to keep updated with the goings on of our future talent by keeping a close eye on our players on loan. Currently, United have six players on loan; Tom Heaton, Fraizer Campbell, Danny Simpson, Lee Martin, Craig Cathcart and Febian Brandy. So without further ado here is an update on their progress.

Tom Heaton

Tom Heaton continued his loan spell at Cardiff City playing the full ninety minutes in seven of the club’s eight fixtures (he played in all seven league games). Heaton kept goal in Cardiff’s 1 – 1 draw with Derby County (20/9) before missing their Carling Cup 1 – 0 defeat to Swansea City (23/9). Heaton returned to the team for Cardiff’s first league defeat as they went down 2 – 1 away to Birmingham City (27/9). Cardiff went on to win their following match; a 2 – 1 home victory over Coventry (30/9), before drawing away to Blackpool 1 – 1(4/10).

Heaton kept a clean sheet in the following match as Cardiff beat Charlton 2 – 0 at home (18/10), conceded two away to Watford as Cardiff battled back from two nil to earn a 2 – 2 draw (21/10) and kept another clean sheet away to Nottingham Forest (25/10), winning 1 – 0. Speaking after the Forest victory, Cardiff manager Dave Jones was full of praise for the young goal keeper. He said:

“I’ve sent a report to Sir Alex and said he’s a boy with great potential to be a top player. He’s still young, he’ll make mistakes and we’re working hard on him because that’s our job. He’s not ready to play for Manchester United yet and I’ll be happy if Sir Alex doesn’t want him back yet. We want him to continue learning here!”. (Back to Top)

Fraizer Campbell

Fraizer Campbell got himself more minutes this month as he made four appearances for Tottenham Hotspur. Campbell came off the bench at half time in Tottenham’s 0 – 0 draw with Wigan (21/9) before coming off the bench in the 62nd minute in Tottenham’s 2 – 1 Carling Cup win over Newcastle (24/9).

Frazier was handed his first start for the club in the 1 – 1 away draw with Wisla Krakow (2/10) but was substituted after 67 minutes. His first league start came shortly after as Tottenham went down 1 – 0 at home to Hull City (5/10). Campbell has been named in the squad for Tottenham’s last three games (away defeat to Stoke, away defeat to Udinese and home win over Bolton) but hasn’t come off the bench. (Back to Top)

Danny Simpson

Danny Simpson has been a regular for Blackburn Rovers playing the full 90 minutes in all five matches in which he was available, starting with 1 – 0 home victories over Fulham (29/9) and Everton (24/9) followed by Blackburn’s 2 – 1 away win at Newcastle (27/9). Danny Simpson was unavailable as Rovers played host to Manchester United (Utd won 2 – 0 - 4/10) but returned for the 0 – 0 draw away to Bolton (18/10) in which Simpson picked up a booking and Blackburn’s 1 – 1 home draw with Middlesbrough (25/10).

Lee Martin

Lee Martin started for Nottingham Forest as they drew 0 – 0 at home to Charlton (20/9) but was substituted in the 65th minute. He kept his starting place for Forest’s 1 – 0 defeat away to Plymouth (27/9) but again was pulled from action, this time in the 67th minute. Martin came off the bench in the 68th minute in Forest’s 1 – 0 defeat away to Sheffield Wednesday (30/9) before reclaiming his place in the starting line up as Nottingham Forest continued their bad form losing 2 – 0 at home to Crystal Palace. Martin was subbed in 69th minute.

Martin missed Forest’s following trip to QPR but returned to make a 74th minute substitute appearance in the 1 – 1 draw at home to Ipswich (21/10). Martin was again missing from the squad in Nottingham Forest’s home defeat to Cardiff (25/10). (Back to Top)

Craig Cathcart

Craig Cathcart got plenty of experience under his belt at Plymouth Argyle over the last month or so as he has made him self an ever present in the first team. Cathcart played the full 90 away to Crystal Palace as Plymouth won 2 – 1 (20/9) and then made his home debut against Nottingham Forest as Plymouth won 1 – 0 (27/9). The young defender played 54 minutes before being withdrawn. He went on to play the full 90 minutes in Plymouth’s following five games starting with a 2 – 2 draw away to Bristol (30/9), a 4 – 0 home win over Sheffield Wednesday (4/10) and a 2 – 1 defeat away to Derby (18/10).

Plymouth’s latest matches have been a 1 – 0 home victory over Preston (21/10) and a 3 – 1 defeat to Ipswich (25/10) at home in which Cathcart scored his first goal for the club; a diving header in the 80th minute. (Back to Top)

Febian Brandy

And finally, Febian Brandy who has struggled to make an impression on loan at Swansea City. The 19 year old striker sat on the bench for Swansea’s 1 – 1 draw at home to Burnley (20/9) before coming on in the 85th minute in Swansea’s 1 – 0 win at home to Cardiff. Swansea were 3 – 0 down at half time away to Reading which led to Brandy being given 45 minutes in the second half but he was unable to do much as Swansea suffered a heavy 4 – 0 defeat (27/9). Another game and another substitute appearance for Brandy this time away to Preston in a 2 – 0 victory.

Brandy was on the bench but never made it onto the pitch in Swansea’s following 3 matches; a 3 – 1 home win over Wolves (4/10), a 2 – 2 away draw at Ipswich (18/10) and a 0 – 0 draw at home to QPR (21/10). Brandy was given another 15 minutes in Swansea’s 3 – 0 win at home to Southampton (25/10) with the match already won (3 – 0) before Brandy’s introduction. Roberto Martinez clearly doesn’t fancy Brandy and you have to wonder why. (Back to Top)