'I played in Arsenal's academy – one former first-teamer didn't have career I expected'

This versatile guardant joined Arsenal astatine the property of eight, and contempt his peers' content that helium would spell connected to beryllium a world-beater, specified expectations were ne'er realised

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas was 1 Arsenal academy postgraduate who ne'er rather met expectations.

Having go a Gunner aged eight, tall, adaptable guardant player Emmanuel-Thomas elevated done the ranks successful northbound London, captaining the club’s under-18 broadside astatine conscionable 16 years old. The teen was initially integrated into the archetypal squad successful 2008 and made his debut successful 2010 in an FA Cup necktie against Stoke City.

Praised for his creaseless skills and method quality for specified a robust striker, it seemed arsenic though a spot successful Arsene Wenger’s starting XI would 1 time beryllium realised. Yet, such committedness would lone look successful glimpses implicit the adjacent fewer years.

He was sold to Ipswich Town successful 2011 and has moved permanently 8 times since. In September, helium was arrested connected suspicion of attempting to smuggle cannabis worthy an estimated £600,000 done London Stansted Airport, a complaint which helium denies. The ex-Gunner volition stay remanded successful custody until January 6, and a proceedings for the lawsuit has provisionally been acceptable for May 2025.

It's a acold outcry from what ex-team-mate Henri Lansbury expected him to execute successful the game. “I deliberation Jay Emmanuel-Thomas was the one, for me, who could person gone connected and had a immense career,” Lansbury said astatine the motorboat of Ladbrokes' Gaffer of each Accas.

“That kid had unbelievable talent. For specified a large man, his feet were ridiculous. You conscionable wanted him to propulsion connected and truly deed the heights that, increasing up, we each thought helium would do.

“But to beryllium fair, increasing up, astir of the boys I came done with each went connected and had decent careers, and are inactive moving successful and astir football.”

Enfield-born Lansbury joined the Gunners’ Hale End academy set-up 1 twelvemonth aft Emmanuel-Thomas and, overmuch similar the forward, ne'er genuinely got a look-in successful northbound London. Leaving the nine successful 2012, the midfielder enjoyed a lengthy spell astatine Nottingham Forest, earlier clip with Aston Villa, Bristol City and Luton Town - retiring having achieved promotion with the Hatters past year.

“I conscionable knew it was the close clip for maine to leave,” Lansbury added, “Because, I'd been retired connected indebtedness and played men's shot for the past 4 years, and that's what I wanted to support doing.

“Don't get maine wrong, though, it's inactive a truly pugnacious prime to marque due to the fact that you're talking astir a spot wherever you've spent beauteous overmuch each of your vocation - a immense portion of your beingness up to that constituent - but I was successful the mindset of wanting to spell and marque my ain path.

“I could person waited. You know, I could person sat astir and waited for a fewer games present and there, similar a fewer of the boys did. But erstwhile you look astatine the boys that did wait, I deliberation it's lone truly Francis Coquelin who kicked connected and ended up astatine Valencia and Villarreal.

“But a batch of them, similar [Emmanuel] Frimpong and Craig Eastmond aren't truly doing that. You know, they played a mates of games and got a spot of exposure, but each of a sudden, they're not doing anything.”

Prior to his departure successful 2012, Lansbury was temporarily sent retired to Scunthorpe United, Watford, Norwich City, and West Ham - and helium would urge that immoderate youngster bash the same.

“I went retired connected indebtedness to get that spot successful managers - and that would beryllium my proposal to young players now; arsenic soon arsenic you're capable to spell retired and play men's football, spell and bash it,” helium concluded. “You'll get taken connected talent, but if you've got that spot arsenic well, past you're guaranteed to spell and play.”

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