Jake Bidwell makes Brentford move

Michael Kenrick , 17 June, 17comments | Jump to most recent

Everton Academy product Jake Bidwell has joined Brentford on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee, after spending almost all of last season on loan with the League One side.

Bidwell came through Everton's Academy and was also on loan at Griffin Park for the second half of the 2011-12 campaign.

He has penned a three-year deal with the Bees, where he will join fellow Blues youth-team product Adam Forshaw.

As reported by London 24, the 20-year-old defender spent two separate loan periods at Griffin Park in the past previous two seasons, making 75 appearances in total.

Bidwell has represented England at every level from Under-16 to U19 and was in this year's provisional Under-20 World Cup squad.

He also become the youngest player to feature in a European fixture for Everton when he made his first team debut in the Europa League clash against BATE Borisov in 2009.

He went on to captain the Toffees' U18 side to the 2011 FA Premier Academy League title, beating Fulham in the final — a campaign that saw him named Everton Young Player of the Season.

Brentford's Sporting Director, Mark Warburton, said: “We are absolutely delighted to see a young player of Jake's talent and ability commit his long term future to the club.

“Over the last two seasons, Jake has delivered a consistently high level of performance and his desire and determination to give everything to the cause has been clear for all to see.

“He has displayed a maturity beyond his years and his all-round professionalism both on and off the pitch is an outstanding example for all other young players.

“For Brentford Football Club it is vital that we secure the quality of player that will give us very real opportunity to achieve our long term goals.

“With Jake committing in this way, it is another very positive step forwards and we look forward to watching his continued progress in the seasons ahead.”

Quotes or other material sourced from EvertonFC.com

Reader Comments (17)

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Steve Ferns
1 Posted 17/06/2013 at 15:00:07

Good luck to the lad. I hope he makes it back to the top flight.

Andy Mack
2 Posted 17/06/2013 at 15:19:20

Good Luck Jake lad, it's a shame almost none of our promising youngsters made it through the curtain under the tutelage of our staff over the past ten years, here's hoping more of you will get more than a 10min cameo under the new boss/staff.

Dave Lawley
3 Posted 17/06/2013 at 16:10:54

Good luck in the future Jake, I'm hoping you decided to move on because you know young Garbutt is better than you??

Paul Holden
4 Posted 17/06/2013 at 17:22:13

I've said it before and I'll say it again - there's something seriously wrong with our youth set up as so few lads make it! Surely the whole idea is for the academy to feed good players into the rezzies and first team!

Lenny Kingman
5 Posted 17/06/2013 at 18:22:11

The bright lights of the big city. Cant blame him. Hope he makes it through to prosper.

Peter Thistle
6 Posted 17/06/2013 at 18:43:37

Hardly surprising to see another "prospect" let go by the club. I wonder why we bother with the academy at all, the success rate is piss poor. Needs an overhaul badly.

Liam Reilly
7 Posted 17/06/2013 at 19:16:20

Wonder who made this decision; surely not Martinez, as what would he base it on?

David Chait
8 Posted 17/06/2013 at 19:16:18

Had high hopes for the lad, but he seemed to be 2nd fiddle in some ways to Garbutt who seems higher rated.. My perception anyway... I do think Bidwell might be prem player one day... Just not with us. Good luck guy.

Phil Sammon
9 Posted 17/06/2013 at 19:07:22

Peter

It depends what you mean by 'success rate'.

The Everton youth teams are forever winning leagues and cups. We have dozens of players representing England across various levels of the game. The problem, as I see it, is once they hit 18-19. At this age the club has to make a call – either they sell and raise some funds (which is an important role of any academy) or the player is retained because he has a shot at first team football.

As far as I'm concerned the academy has done its bit. It has produced a glut of promising 18 - 19 year olds for the best part of a decade. The problem has been Moyes' and the first team staff's inability to provide playing time and further progression.

Looking towards Martinez's time at Everton we have Garbutt, Duffy, Stones, Junior, Lundstram, Barkley, McAleny, Kennedy and even young George Green. If we can't bring at least 4 of them into the first team over the next 3 years then something is seriously wrong.

Dave White
10 Posted 18/06/2013 at 09:14:16

Disappointing. I wonder if he will be another 'one that got away' who we see back in the Prem in a couple years?

Alan Humphreys
11 Posted 18/06/2013 at 09:42:47

Phil @399, couldn't agree more with your last paragraph and to some extent your whole post. These lads need to know if they're good enough then they will get the opportunity. The Leeds cup game last year was a disgrace, Moyes hung the young lads out to dry especially the likes of Junior. McAleny and Duffy to name but 2, deserve some first team playing time not just bench warming.

If you don't give them an opportunity at the top level, how can you say they're not up to it.

Chris Hutcheon
12 Posted 18/06/2013 at 11:27:42

Dave White - another 'one that got away' who we see back in the Prem?

Who are the others?

Andrew Laird
13 Posted 18/06/2013 at 11:45:23

Chris #535 off the top of my head: Daniel Fox, Hope Akpan and Callum Mcmanaman there maybe some others, I suppose you could include John Ruddy as well although he was more of a reserve team player.

Andrew Laird
14 Posted 18/06/2013 at 11:48:54

In saying that, I'm not sure that these players were going to light up Goodison but then not many players in Blue do nowadays.

Phil Sammon
15 Posted 18/06/2013 at 11:53:10

And how many of those would now get into our team?

None, with McManaman maybe knocking on the door.

There's a great deal to criticise about our youth program, but letting good prospects go hasn't really been one of them.

Even the Gosling debacle hasn't left me feeling like we lost a future gem. Just a few quid sadly.

Mark Stone
16 Posted 18/06/2013 at 11:25:55

The role of the academy isn't just to be a production line for the first team. Top Premier League clubs have development responsibilities that reach way beyond their own four walls. Quite rightly so, too. A(nother) graduate of Everton's academy signing a three- year contract at a professional club is a success, not a failure.

Chris Hutcheon
17 Posted 18/06/2013 at 15:04:36

Hope Akpan played seven games for a Reading team that were relegated — I wouldn't chalk him up in the 'one that got away' category. Similarly, I don't really feel we've missed out by not having Daniel Fox in the squad. Callum McManaman is a player with potential, granted... but he was released at a pretty young age (16), he might've developed later.

Ultimately I suppose my argument is that I see lots of moans about young players leaving the club on here and yet can barely think of an example of one Everton might regret having let go. Not many have eventually gone on to what we would call better things, have they?

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