Where are they now ... Relegation Fodder

Back in season 5 something special was taking place at the Playing Fields; the club's under-21 and under-20 teams went 2 seasons undefeated in a highly competitive SFA league. The club had the number 1 ranked youth team in the world and the future looked bright. Eight seasons on the Cloughite is looking back to the players that started season 5 as part of that "golden generation"...

Joe Lynch
Goalkeeper, 751 senior appearances for the club. Season 3 to present day. Recently re-established himself as the club's #1 goalkeeper after displacing Rene Adler midway through season 12.



Cristian
Right back, 321 senior appearances for the club. Season 4 to present day. Cristian had to bide his time for a regular spot in the first team after the signing of fellow Brazilian Rafina. Originally seen as a utility player able to cover both full back positions, Cristian has continued to progress well into his 20s and is now one of the first names on the team sheet.



Guido Boncompagni
Left back, 1484 senior appearances for the club. Season 1 to present day. A first team regular from the age of 16, "Bonco" has become a club legend and has played more games for the club than any other player.




Alexandre Fernandes
Centre back, 1230 apearances for the club. Season 1 to present day. Alex "Assault" Fernandes learned his trade from compratriate Naldo, and went on to take on the captaincy the club following the sale of Naldo to London Town. Still only 26, Fernandes has recieved bans for assault on fourteen seperate occasions, a fact that is partly responsible for his cult status at the club.




Mariano Gamboa
Centre back, 709 appearances for the club. Season 4 to present day. Fernandes partner in the centre of defense initially found himself deployed in an anchor man role for the club when he progressed to the senior side. Following the departure of Gioda, Gamboa found himself partnering the great Brazilian once more in back 5 that has lasted the test of time.




Enrique Galvan
Defensive midfielder. Season 4 to season 8. The only player of that golden generation to find himself surplus to requirements at the Fodder. Galvan was released after only 22 senior appearances in his four seasons at the club. Enrique is currently in his 4th season at Melchester Forest, but only finds himself on the fringes of the fist team.



Sean Buxton
Central midfielder, 323 senior appearances for the club. Season 4 to present day. Currently first choice in the anchor man role. After graduating from the club's academy, Buxton found himself mostly used as a backup player, however following the departure of Luca Cigarini he found himself thrust into the first team, and it proved to be the making of him as a player. He excelled in a role that few at the club expected him to be able to make his own and is now considered as important a part of the starting XI as anyone else at the club.




Mirko Esposito
Central midfielder, 212 senior appearances for the club. Season 4 to season 9. Mirko was transferred to Firenze for £600k in season 10, after 6 years at the club, he never managed to establish himself in the starting XI, despite his starring role for the academy. After 2 seasons at Firenze Esposito was transferred to Polytech Grenoble for £600k and made 55 appearances for the club last season (season 12).




Edimar Teixeira
Central attacking midfielder, 604 appearances for the club. Season 3 to season 9. "Eddy Tex" was sold to Rapid Pitesti for £5.8m in season 9 much to the chagrin of the club's supporters. Seen as the successor to club legend Caio, many fans questioned why the club would sell one of it's best players even though he was only 22. However the £5.8m transfer fee was just too good to turn down and was part of the club's plans to secure it's long term financial future and ensure that never again will they have to sell a player they want to retain. The signing of Frenchamn Jeremy Menez went some way to appeasing the fans following the loss of Teixeira. Teixeira is still at Rapid Pitesti, having made 606 appearances for the club in the 4 seasons since leaving the Playing Fields.




Fabio Bernardi
Striker, 1103 appearances for the club. Season 1 to present day. Transferred to Phantoms in season 10 for £6.8m. "Berni" was and is a club legend, having lead the forward line for a decade, it was a huge shock to everyone at the club when manager David Parker negotiated a £6.8m deal for the player at the end of season 10. Following the sale the club promised the fans: "This is the last sale we will ever sell a player for financial reasons. The club's financal resources are now sufficient that normal market forces will no longer influence the club's transfer strategy".




Sergey Stepanov
Striker, 712 appearances for the club. Season 4 to present day. Released by London Town after 2 seasons at the club Stepanov has come back from that early setback to prove himself one of the world's top forwards.