Fitzpatrick loses out to nepotism! - December 14, 2000
Former Ireland u18 international Trevor Fitzpatrick has been put on the transfer list by his club Southend - and manager David Webb has told him he can leave for nothing if he can find a club that is interested.
Fitzpatrick will be somewhat disappointed by Webb's decision since the manager is only at the club a wet day. Trevor, who is still only 20 years of age, joined Southend as a trainee in 1997 and made his first-team debut in January 1998 while the club were still in the Second Division.
The then manager, Alvin Martin, only used Fitzpatrick three times that season but the striker became a regular in the 1998-99 season, playing some part in 27 games. He managed to score five goals that year - his best output so far.
This season hadn't been going too badly for him. From his 13 games he has scored three goals. Alan Little started the season as manager but got the sack as the team struggled in October and Webb was appointed in succession. Since the new manager took over, Trevor has failed to hit the net but then again his chances have been limited to coming off the bench.
Webb said: "Trevor has had plenty of chances to prove himself at Southend United, but has failed to grasp his opportunities. I told him before the cup game that it was time for him to try his luck elsewhere - I realised he had no future with us when he fell behind Rob Newman and my son Daniel in the pecking order here. He had gone stale and hopefully a move to a new club can reignite his career."
Bollocks! To start with, Rob Newman is an old man in soccer terms at 37. He has only figured twice since Webb took over in November and one of those appearances was as a last-minute replacement for Trevor against York - a game that was won 1-0 with a Fitzpatrick goal in the 11th minute!
And as for his David Webb's son Daniel, he only joined the club last week and comes with no credentials after spending only a couple of months as a trainee with Southampton before running home to daddy.
Trevor Fitzpatrick was capped for Ireland at u18 level and after his displays people were wondering why he was with such a club as crap as Southend. But the player always said that he loved playing for the club and hoped to be involved with success there.
The thanks he gets for his loyalty is that he gets replaced by a geriatric and a daddy's boy!