Elyh Harrison: Why a tough first loan is rarely the full picture for young goalkeepers

Young goalkeeper Elyh Harrison traded Old Trafford for League Two prior to the commencement of the season. After a 20-game spell at Chester FC, Shrewsbury enquired about the possibility of taking Harrison for the season upon their relegation from League One. This was accepted by United, and Harrison started the first nine games of the new season before being recalled in early January.

Harrison had a few tough performances early on, notably in defeats against Salford and Notts County, which led to manager Michael Appleton deciding it would be best if Harrison was “taken out of the firing line”. He was replaced by Will Brook, who, unfortunately for United’s young-stopper, impressed enough to regain the goalkeeper jersey right up until a televised FA Cup game against struggling Premier League side Wolves.

In what turned out to be his final appearance for Salop, Harrison had a tough game, suffering a hammering at the hands of Wolves and making an error for the third goal. Shrewsbury correspondent Luke Powell was “impressed with what he saw” from Harrison, but it was ultimately the form of Brook that kept him out of the team. However, his club form did not stop him from being selected for England U20s, suggesting that he is still seen as a top future prospect in goal.

As much as this loan has not gone completely to plan for 19-year-old Harrison, it is important to bear in mind that first loans, particularly for young goalkeepers, do not often define a player’s career or limit the ceiling they may reach. This can be seen through the examples of Nick Pope (relegation at York) and Aaron Ramsdale (relegation and concession of over 100 goals at Chesterfield). Both of these two top English keepers had tough initial entrances into the EFL, but that did not block their path to becoming fully-fledged English internationals.

Ennis joined recently relegated Fleetwood Town on loan until the end of the season in August, and he currently remains there. Ennis was part of the Doncaster Rovers team, who were promoted last season, and he returned to League Two, only showing glimpses of quality rather than emphasising that he had conquered League Two. Ennis scored on his debut, playing all 90 minutes of an EFL Trophy draw to Accrington. This performance earned Ennis the start against Notts County, where he was deployed in his favourite no.10 slot, coming off on the hour after a solid if unspectacular performance.

Ennis notched his first league goal in a fantastic display in the 4-2 dispatching of Colchester, earning praise from then manager Pete Wild. Ennis has been a relatively constant presence at Fleetwood, starting 20 times and making 3 appearances off the bench in League Two. Fans have described him as a “cheeky menace”, showing that the fanbase has really taken to him, and he has scored thrice and provided two assists in L2. Ennis has demonstrated his versatility this season, performing off both wings as well as behind the striker. This versatility has allowed Ennis to be a useful part of the squad and also allowed him to transition seamlessly between managers, after Wild was sacked, and Matt Lawlor remains the interim manager at the time of writing.

This manager change may have been frustrating for Ennis as he was just finding his feet (and the goal) in Wild’s system, scoring in both of the final two games under him. However, Lawlor has played him in every available minute so far, hopefully his replacement follows suit in trusting Ennis to be a key part of the Fleetwood side for the remainder of the season.

Early loans rarely offer a definitive judgement on a young attacker’s ceiling. Harvey Barnes’ first senior spell was steady rather than eye-catching, yet subsequent loans in better-suited environments allowed his development to accelerate to Premier League level. Ennis is going through the steady loan as Barnes did at MK Dons before his development accelerates next season, perhaps at a different club.

Habeeb Ogunneye: lessons learned in a tough first loan

Ogunneye, primarily a right-back by trade, was sent on his first foray away from Old Trafford to League Two club Newport County. Ogunneye had impressed in the U21s setup over the last few years, and the feeling from within was that the time had come to flee the nest and gain some valuable senior football. Making his debut as a half-time substitute in an early-season defeat to Crawley, it soon became clear that Newport would be looking down rather than up in their League Two campaign.

The feeling from the fans was that Ogunneye was perhaps being deployed in a role that did not best suit him. Under former United coach David Hughes, County tended to operate in a back five system without wingers, with Ogunneye being tasked with the job of right wing-back as he was very quick. Therefore, there was an expectation that he should contribute in an attacking sense, which he was ultimately unable to fully achieve.

Despite a bright start, fans felt that his performances faded, and a few errors started to seep into his game. Ogunneye started to drop out of selection for matchday squads, and his final appearance came in early December in the FA Cup. With Newport languishing at the foot of the football league, Ogunneye was recalled by United after making 21 appearances for County, and has been reintegrated into the U21s side rather than being sent out on loan again.

Ogunneye’s experience mirrors that of Ben White, whose first senior loan at Newport County came in similarly difficult circumstances. Operating in a back five for a side fighting near the bottom of League Two, White’s early senior exposure was tough. Rather than defining his ceiling, that spell provided an insight into senior football that later underpinned his rise to the Premier League and international level. As with White, Ogunneye’s recall may reflect a reassessment of environment rather than a judgement on potential.

Written and Researched by Ralf Syrett

https://substack.com/@rjsyrett

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