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George Thorne - joined Oxford permanently


DCFC1388
Message added by Day

Please use the Loan Watch topic to discuss Thorne’s performances at Oxford United

https://dcfcfans.uk/topic/33312-loan-watch-201920

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Feel so sorry for this bloke. He was 21 when he came here on loan and was honestly streets ahead of anyone we had in terms of technical ability.

That pass he made for Johnny Russell's goal at home to Huddersfield was genuinely one of the best passes I've ever seen with my own eyes. Incredible vision and execution to play that ball through. Russell didn't even have to break stride. 3:58 into the video below.

Signing him on a permanent deal the following summer was probably the most excited I've been with us signing a player.

I know we'll never know. But I firmly believe had he not got injured in that pre season we would have gone up and he would have been a premier league footballer at 22/23. 

Plus I think we'd have had him for one or 2 seasons more and he would have moved on to a bigger club. 

In his position he had the lot. Strength, vision, calmness. 

Best of luck with everything George. 

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Technically one of the best players I've seen at Derby.  If he goes and manages to get some proper game time, he'll make an impact wherever he ends up.  Feel for him as he had so much promise and could have gone all the way if not for his injury curse.  

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4 minutes ago, BucksRam said:

Technically one of the best players I've seen at Derby.  If he goes and manages to get some proper game time, he'll make an impact wherever he ends up.  Feel for him as he had so much promise and could have gone all the way if not for his injury curse.  

Agree with you mate. I honestly believe had he not got injured within 3 years of signing for us he'd have been in the England squad.

 

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2 hours ago, Gritty said:

The news on medical is from a bloke on Oxford's forum who says he knows a bloke who knows a bloke in Derby's backroom team (who knows someone in the medical team). Not the best source.

I reckon he may go once Bieslik has signed. 

This shouldn't be a shock should it? I thought the reason he'd not featured after the first couple of games in pre-season was he'd picked up an injury again? 

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9 hours ago, MACKWORTHRAM said:

Feel so sorry for this bloke. He was 21 when he came here on loan and was honestly streets ahead of anyone we had in terms of technical ability.

That pass he made for Johnny Russell's goal at home to Huddersfield was genuinely one of the best passes I've ever seen with my own eyes. Incredible vision and execution to play that ball through. Russell didn't even have to break stride. 3:58 into the video below.

Signing him on a permanent deal the following summer was probably the most excited I've been with us signing a player.

I know we'll never know. But I firmly believe had he not got injured in that pre season we would have gone up and he would have been a premier league footballer at 22/23. 

Plus I think we'd have had him for one or 2 seasons more and he would have moved on to a bigger club. 

In his position he had the lot. Strength, vision, calmness. 

Best of luck with everything George. 

I remember being in the away end at Huddersfield a few years back when he scored our second with that sweetly struck volley.. pie went on the floor, worth it for the celebrations!?

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14 minutes ago, Phoenix said:

His injuries at Derby are well documented, but I seem to recall that he was recovering from a long term injury when he was at WBA, Perhaps someone can correct me if wrong. Should have been a warning signal.

He was. He’d been out for a while with an ACL (his first). And didn’t make his debut for us until he’d been here about 2months.

Still a massive shame tho.....

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Unbelievable how few games we were able to have  Keogh, Thorne, Hughes and Martin playing in.

If we could have had that as a consistent spine of the team I think we would be in the PL and surprising a few up there. 

4 key players that we just couldn't get together. 

Thorne was the most exciting signing for me too. So much potential. He was no slouch. Incredible strength, brilliant passer, recovered from poor positioning well, very aggressive, supported attacks... so good.

But now, now he's so slow at everything. Like he's got 2 wooden legs. Makes Huddlestone look young and fresh. 

It's a long long way back to the player he was. It's even further to the player he could have been. A task made even more unlikely by him never fit to play more than a couple of games here and there 

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6 minutes ago, Alpha said:

Unbelievable how few games we were able to have  Keogh, Thorne, Hughes and Martin playing in.

If we could have had that as a consistent spine of the team I think we would be in the PL and surprising a few up there. 

4 key players that we just couldn't get together. 

Thorne was the most exciting signing for me too. So much potential. He was no slouch. Incredible strength, brilliant passer, recovered from poor positioning well, very aggressive, supported attacks... so good.

But now, now he's so slow at everything. Like he's got 2 wooden legs. Makes Huddlestone look young and fresh. 

It's a long long way back to the player he was. It's even further to the player he could have been. A task made even more unlikely by him never fit to play more than a couple of games here and there 

Word for word, my thoughts too. I'd go as far as saying he's the best player we've had since our relegation in 2002. 

I spent most of his loan move just watching him in awe - most touches, most passes, most tackles... every single game. The whole pitch revolved around him. Good coaching by McClaren, coupled with his fitness levels being through the roof. Special, special player. 

I've given up on him now, but I'd love to see him get back to a respectable level again. 

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3 minutes ago, Ambitious said:

Word for word, my thoughts too. I'd go as far as saying he's the best player we've had since our relegation in 2002. 

I spent most of his loan move just watching him in awe - most touches, most passes, most tackles... every single game. The whole pitch revolved around him. Good coaching by McClaren, coupled with his fitness levels being through the roof. Special, special player. 

I've given up on him now, but I'd love to see him get back to a respectable level again. 

Spot on.

Doing his ACL Vs Zenit was cruel, after a double session on the morning of the game because Mac wanted to see their decision making under extreme tiredness! 

Never mind though, as George mentioned at the time he'd always known the other knee would go due to being born with shorter ligaments than normal.

The broken leg was pure cruelty, a real kick in the teeth from a meaningless game, reading between the lines I don't think George has been too impressed with the care he received subsequently.

The ultimate 'if only' player, and through no fault of his own.

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32 minutes ago, reverendo de duivel said:

 

Doing his ACL Vs Zenit was cruel, after a double session on the morning of the game because Mac wanted to see their decision making under extreme tiredness! 

I remember at the time saying that Zenit friendly was a bad idea.... Admittedly that was because of the racism and homophobia of the Zenit fans, but still 

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1 hour ago, Phoenix said:

His injuries at Derby are well documented, but I seem to recall that he was recovering from a long term injury when he was at WBA, Perhaps someone can correct me if wrong. Should have been a warning signal.

True it was a warning signal no doubt, but the risk was worth taking given the talent that GT had at his disposal.

Due to the various injuries to both players we never really saw Hughes and Thorne play together much.  Had they been given the opportunity to strike up a regular partnership (or as part of a 3) there isn't a midfield in the championship that would have been able to live with us.  Sadly it was never to be, football can be cruel.

 

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