Sky Sports siggest he was a "former Gillingham Schoolboy", so he may have been involved with the academy at some point. However I don't think this can be used as a stick to beat the club, so many players fall through the cracks at all the levels, especially early on before they are fully grown. Just one of those things, soon someone will be bring up that we turned Peter Beardsley down for being too small
We didn't even notice Chris Smalling was on our doorstep as well, as BSG said at this level your always going to miss out and there are some people who can be mediocre when there 15 but by the time there 18 they are outstanding, unfortunately it can happen the other way around so it really is a tricky old game spotting youth players at this level. Also, not to forget that a few years ago Ashley Miller was a target for liverpool and other clubs but is now just sat in our reserves isn't he? Can't really trust premier league 'interest' to mean a deal will happen.
Never heard of this Raggott bloke. With regards to Smalling, I know a few Maidstone fans and most of them couldn't ever work out how he got to the premier league. He was a decent Centre Back for them but apparently didn't look any better than the other defenders in the league. The only thing that he had in his favour that he was the quickest defender in the league which at that level probably wasn't very difficult. Hodgson just took a massive punt in signing him at Fulham and it escalated from there. Fluke if you ask me. Edit: Just had a trawl of the internet and it looks like we were actually in for Smalling but so were other clubs. He decided to sign for Middlesbrough but then left a month later due to homesickness which is when Roy signed him up for Fulham. http://www.maidstoneunited.co.uk/news/2008/0802.htm (third paragraph)
