http://www.lurganmail.co.uk/sport/Sammy-for-Aberdeen.4103523.jp

 

Never heard of him

Interesting that Hamilton Accies beat us to the signature of another young Irish lad...

Sammy’s so special for Jimmy

Calderwood backing Irish ace to make the big time at Pittodrie

 

By Charlie Allan 

 

Published: 03/09/2008

 

SAMMY Stewart’s arrival at Pittodrie did not hog as many headlines as the capture of Sone Aluko.

 

But Dons manager Jimmy Calderwood is sure the young Irishman, who cost just £18,000 from Glenavon, will eventually make as big an impact at Pittodrie as the England youth international winger.

 

Calderwood compared the swoop for Stewart to the one he made for Irish striker Noel Hunt while he was still the manager of Dunfermline Athletic.

 

Hunt later moved to Dundee United, who then sold him for a whopping £600,000 to Reading in the summer.

 

Calderwood said: “I got Noel from Shamrock Rovers for £30,000 and it was a steal back then.

 

“We’ve paid a lot less for Sammy, it will come to about £18,000 eventually, but I’m convinced he could end up being a better player.

 

“I accept they are totally different in styles and approach.

 

“Noel is a niggly little so and so at times.

 

“I also used to accuse him of being a bit of a freak because he was so good in the air for such a small player.

 

“Noel makes life hell for defenders twice his size.

 

“He is hard as nails and daft as a brush, which meant he was great to have in the dressing room.â€

 

“Sammy is different, he doesn’t have Noel’s streak for a start. “

 

Stewart has backed Calderwood’s judgment by forcing his way into the Northern Ireland Under-21 squad already.

 

He gained his first cap during a friendly tournament in Poland last month and is also in the Irish squad for Friday’s crucial European Championship qualifier against Germany in Wuppertal.

 

Calderwood said: “That’s amazing when you consider Sammy was still playing part-time a few months ago.

 

“He struggled badly with the pace of the training at first, which was to be expected.

 

“But I knew he would adapt quickly because he had played a whole season for Glenavon in the Irish League, which is tough as it comes for such a young lad.

 

“I’m convinced Sammy can go on and be a major player, and make whoever employs him a few bob along the way.

 

“I did it with Jaap Stam over in Holland, who I sold three times as we both moved up the ranks in football.

 

“I signed him for £25,000 the first time then took him with me to my next club for £400,000.

 

“Jaap was then away again six months later for £2m, which gave me a lot of satisfaction.

 

“Sammy is still young, so I’m a bit wary of placing too much pressure on him.

 

“That’s even more so when you recall how we took Andrew Bagshaw with us on a pre-season trip, when he was only 15, after seeing him play a starring role in a game against Buckie Thistle.

 

“Unfortunately, he never kicked on, which shows you can never be certain with young lads.

 

“But I’m sure Sammy’s attitude and quality will see him through any problems.â€

 

Calderwood’s admiration for Stewart even inspired him to compare the 17-year-old with former Manchester City hero Colin Bell, one of the finest English midfielders to grace the game.

 

The Aberdeen manager faced up to Bell – who was nicknamed ‘Nijinksy’ after the famous Derby- winning horse – many times in the 1970s, when he played at full-back for Birmingham City.

 

Calderwood said: “Sammy is so athletic that it’s difficult to look at him and not think of Colin Bell.

 

“Younger Aberdeen fans won’t know who Bell was, but I can assure them he was a handful and I’m still trying to catch him!

 

“He was up and down the park and it was almost impossible to match the powerful runs he made.

 

“Sammy’s the same, he just goes on and on.

 

“Nothing phases him either, so he has a great chance of taking his career on to the highest level.â€

Didn't the Man City fans vote for one of the stands in their new stadium to be named after Colin Bell?

 

I believe they wanted it to be called The Colin Bell End.

I'll bite, that is what it's called. They showed you it on Soccer AM once and Chris Kamara declared it the bell end.

On a completely unrelated, but related story, I was listening to Sportsound on the way home last night. They were talking to Darren Barr about his inclusion in the Scotland squad and they had Jack Ross in the studio, a former team mate of Barr at Falkirk. When they asked Darren what he thought of Jack he said 'Jack always liked his gear'. I didn't think they could do that shit with testing and stuff 

I wasn't fishing. I don't really follow english football. Colin Bell End is funny though.

Ah ok. Yeah it is, you'd have thoguht they'd have looked at that first though!!