Mark Randall recently signed for Chesterfield. I for one would like to wish him well with his future professional career away from Arsenal.
Mark was a player (reportedly) well liked by the senior management at Arsenal, and there were high hopes that he would develop into an excellent midfielder for both club and country. He looked like he might grow into the kind of box-to-box midfielder that is so coveted in the modern game; strong, fast, good movement, and an accurate passer of the ball.
His transfer away from the Emirates marks the last time he will leave North London with any chance of a return in May. The place usually reserved for him in the pre-season dressing room will go to some new 17-year-old prospect from Sweden, Africa or Azerbaijan. He’s not quite made the grade. But he can’t take it personally, not many players do.
Footballers like Mark Randall don’t get the praise they deserve from many Arsenal supporters. Sure he didn’t make it at the club, but his contribution to the cause has been immense, though almost entirely intangible.
Mark Randall came to the club as a very young player (on schoolboy forms – according to Wiki). He was a promising young footballer full of potential; all that sign for Gunners usually are. He could’ve stayed where he was and in the process signed for a much more local team, thus getting much more playing time during his developmental years. Instead, he came to us, and in doing so committed himself to the tutelage of some world class coaches. First-team appearances were now far off in the distance; ahead of him was a long slog through one of the elite club academies in world football.
During this time with us, Randall played and trained with both the reserves and the first-team. He also went out on loan to Burnley, MK Dons and Rotherham. Whilst at home, he provided competition for senior players for their places in the first team. He challenged them everyday in training and at the same time he was always honing his own skills, working hard to impress the coach, trying to get an opportunity to impress. He put on the red and white shirt and played for the Arsenal whenever Wenger asked him to (which wasn’t very often) as well as playing many games in the reserves. All the time he did these things to the best of his abilities. He was a loyal servant.
Mark was released, so we didn’t get a transfer fee from him, but the impact that he and other plays like him have at the club is profound. They provide the competition from within the squad. The compensation and transfer fees we receive when they move on to other teams pays for the running of the academy, the recruitment of further prospects, and undoubtedly, contributes to transfers and wages of the senior team.
Yes they get a shot at the big show, and with the best club in the world, but these players have got to know that when they’re signing their names on the dotted line that chances are they’re not going to make it here.
Arsenal first-team players are elite footballers, and not a lot of players (no matter how early you begin their development) are going to reach that level.
Jack Wilshere is the exception, not the rule. These young players take a huge gamble coming to us, putting their own immediate future on hold to come and have a sniff at the big time.
We should thank Mark Randall for everything he’s contributed to the Arsenal cause throughout his years at the club. He might not have made it, but he gave it his best shot and that’s all we can really ask from our players (unless his best shot involves an air rifle and a student on work experience).
Thank you Mr. Randall, and good luck at Chesterfield.
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Good luck Mark. I hope you have a long successful career. Oh and if you could end up at Barcelona that would be great seeing as you have Arsenal DNA we could tap you up and get you back.
I’m sorry to cast a shadow over a nice article like this, but considering that he was on our books for years on an infamous Wenger youth contract (probably picking up at least £10k a week), should we really be that appreciative of him?
You make it sound as if he weren’t paid while he was at Arsenal and that he made a sacrifice by being taught by world-class coaches rather than moving for regular playing time… I’m sure I speak for all Gooners when I say that I’d be more than happy to do that!
The truth is that four or five seasons ago, I (and many others) said ‘he’s First Division quality at best’ and yet somehow he stayed on our books for season after season. He is the clearest example of Wenger’s flawed philosophy: that we end up keeping hold of mediocre players for far too long.
While I don’t wish Randall any harm and hope that he can have a good career in football, I won’t be petitioning Arsenal to build a statue in his honour or to retire his shirt number. I only wish he would have left Arsenal sooner and hope that the other no-hopers will leave too. I’m sorry if this sounds harsh, but if we want to be Champions, we can’t settle with mediocrity.
WENGER OUT!
WENGER OUT? Why because he is our most successful manager of all time? or because he has not been able to compete financially for the last 6 seasons? Probably the later, i hear you say. Well just bear in mind that in those 6 seasons we have reached the Carling Cup Final twice and the Champions League Final and we have finished in the top 4 in all 6 of those seasons.
As for Mark Randall, he signed a long term deal on the back of a some excellent performances for the first team and consistent performances in the reserves. However, since then he has suffered injuries and some poor loans spells, which has now led to the management deciding he will not get another contract. He is not the first footballer that this happened to and he wont be the last. Bear in mind that the average length of a player’s pro career is just 5 years, exactly what Mark has achieved so far. There is certainly no shame in being an average professional footballer. I would have loved it.
good luck mark 😉
I hope you write an article on why Arsenal fan should thank and wish cesc Fabregas all the best when he leaves, after all he actually done something for us and he has had barca wanting him for years and when a deal like that doesn’t go through most players would sulk and moan until they got there own way for example Torres and now midrib has one good season and says he wants to move ( cant blame him tho why would he want to wear a spuds shirt) but Fabregas has been a true professional and has tried hard for this club more than most of the current squad. Just remember he broke his leg scoring a goal against barca. That’s dedication if you ask me! So Cesc Fabregas I wish you all the best for the future and I thank you for showing support and dedication towards the arsenal fans and arsenal football club. Thank You.
Correction modric* hate predictive text!
good luck to you mr randall have a successful career.God bless you our players must learn from that.
Do you think with ur mouth? If u say wengers youth philosophy is flawed cos of releasing randall,wat about the players like jack,fabregas,etc that ve come thru the same system? Don’t write rubbish just for the sake of it.
Mike,
Great article and Completely agree with you.