Grant gets new loan assignment

, 4 August, 20comments | Jump to most recent

Everton U23 midfielder Conor Grant has joined Ipswich Town on a season-long loan as he continues his development.

The 21-year-old spent most of last season in League One at Doncaster Rovers where he impressed and weighed in with some spectacular goals from outside the box.

He has featured as a substitute for the Blues in pre-season and was included in the club's recent first-team squad list but his temporary switch to Portman Road will give him the chance of more regular action this season, this time in the Championship.

Reader Comments (20)

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Colin Williams
1 Posted 04/08/2016 at 16:32:07

Good luck Connor, Create your own top standards in the Championship and get back ready to earn a jersey and show the gaffer your quality.

Kevin Rowlands
2 Posted 04/08/2016 at 17:04:37

Hope the lad has a good season, I liked the look of him pre season, also didn't realize he is Tony Grant's nephew till they said it on the broadcast. I loved Tony, thought he'd be an Everton legend but just had too many serious injuries... Anyway, good luck, Connor.

Frank Wade
3 Posted 04/08/2016 at 17:34:05

Like Keith, I thought Conor looked good in pre season games. Hope he can develop and come back in when Barry retires. Didn't realise he was related to Tony. I heard commentator say last night that Tom Davies is Alan Whittle's nephew as well.

Michael Lynch
4 Posted 04/08/2016 at 17:58:08

Disappointed to see him go for the whole season, I thought he looked good enough pre-season to get him a squad place and maybe the odd game in the league cup etc. On the other hand, this way he gets loads of match time to develop. Unless he gets crocked by the cloggers in the Championship of course.

Kieran Kinsella
5 Posted 04/08/2016 at 18:14:08

Could be like Osmans spell at Derby

Kevin Day
6 Posted 04/08/2016 at 19:02:14

Michael/ Lyndon,

Not sure if it's my device, but when I click on the "Stones" thread it brings me here?

Bill Griffiths
7 Posted 04/08/2016 at 19:05:32

So does mine, Michael & Lyndon.

Sam Hoare
8 Posted 04/08/2016 at 19:06:18

Good luck to him. Good team to get a loan to and if he can cement a place in their starting XI at 21 then he'll be well on his way to making an impression in the Premiership next season for us.

Alan Humphreys
9 Posted 04/08/2016 at 19:51:27

Same here. Still, doubly good news for Conor.

Daniel Lawrence
10 Posted 04/08/2016 at 20:01:37

Good to see us starting to loan to the decent standard teams as well.

Dave Abrahams
11 Posted 04/08/2016 at 20:14:58

The move to Doncaster seemed to give a lift, raised his game, now he's moved up a league I hope the improvement carries on, he's always had the ability but seemed to looking in instead of getting a grip on the game, now he is playing with more confidence.

Keeping working hard, Conor, you can reach the Premier League, hopefully with us, good luck and best wishes for your future.

John Graham
12 Posted 04/08/2016 at 20:46:34

Good luck Conor. Keep up the great performances, confidence high and show off your skills. It will be a great stage to show off your talent.
You've got the world at your feet lad. Show them who's boss.

Anthony Dwyer
13 Posted 04/08/2016 at 23:32:00

Great move for any up and coming kid, at 21 he needs to get himself a starting place within the Ipswich set up if he's to become a first team player for us in 2017-18.

Good luck.

Derek Thomas
14 Posted 05/08/2016 at 01:12:32

You learn by doing. As others have said, it's up to him now.

Hugh Jenkins
15 Posted 05/08/2016 at 06:37:51

Provided he gets adequate game time, Mick McCarthy is exactly the right type of pragmatic manager, to bring him on.

Based on past form, I expect Ipswich to be challenging for at least a "play off" place this season and that intensity and pressure will be a good experience for an aspiring Premiership player.

Hopefully, season 2017-2018 will see us have another well rounded and more experienced midfielder in our squad.

Alan J Thompson
17 Posted 05/08/2016 at 10:52:32

How good is our Academy if we have to continually send players out to lower division clubs to improve them. Beginning to wonder what sort of organization we have.

Tony Abrahams
18 Posted 05/08/2016 at 11:00:25

Serious Alan J? Not ready for the multi million pound premier Lge, but nothing much left to learn, by staying and playing in a very uncompetitive under 21 league.

It seems like the obvious progression for most young players, and I'm sure most clubs use this very same system, to see how their kids stand up to playing proper football.

Thomas Surgenor
19 Posted 05/08/2016 at 17:54:32

Good luck to Connor. If he can force a regular spot in a championship team at that age then we have a good one.

Think of the likes of Gray, Will Hughes or Patrick Roberts. They forced there way in and got recognised at that level.

If he stayed in our under 21/23 set up then it requires a lot of good fortune and luck to get his break. I'm positive that neither manager wanted Kane/Rashford in their team but due to injuries they got there chance and had a bit of good fortune in their debuts and forced themselves into managers thinking. It's a funny old world for kids at a premiership team. One unfortunate bounce or miss in your debut and you might never been seen again.

Alan J Thompson
20 Posted 06/08/2016 at 16:04:49

Tony(#18); Get your point but it does seem to be a practice adopted in the last 5-10 years. Trying to think of anyone in that time who became a first team regular who actually started in and came through the Academy, that is, not including players signed from other clubs.

Alan J Thompson
21 Posted 07/08/2016 at 04:49:46

To answer my own question; Barkley and Osman, both of who were loaned out, and Hibbert.

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