Fans gathering at the Your Co-op Community Stadium for Tuesday's live televised fixture between Leamington and Chester were puzzled by the absence of star striker Cally Stewart who has scored 14 goals in 23 appearance this season. But then it was revealed that he was signing for Shrewsbury Town for an undisclosed fee (reported to be £150k).
Manager Paul Holleran has been in charge at Harbury Lane for 15 years and was recently featured on Football Focus. He has made it his mission to spot talent lower down the non-league system (Stewart was signed from Coventry Sphinx) or players discarded by academies at Midlands clubs (such as keeper The Hawk' who came from Burton Albion). He then develops them and sells them on to EFL clubs. Fans have been trying to count the number, but it is certainly in double figures.
One of the outstanding successes from the Leamington production line has been Colby Bishop who initially went on to Accrington, but is now a success with Portsmouth.
Charlton have made it clear that they will not go 'all Acworth' and take a risk on the potential of non-league talent.
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