Star Names Grateful For Their National League Loan Deals

If, however, you thought that the loan system was a fairly modern phenomenon, think again!

Indeed, the loaning of players was common during football’s early amateur days, although it was often abused in those days when some clubs used to borrow `ringers` for big matches!

More often than not, though, loans were made out of necessity. If an away team turned up a man or two short, perhaps due to injuries or travel problems, they would borrow some players from the home team in order to make up the numbers.

The loaning of players didn’t really become an issue until football turned professional, and players became bound by contract to their parent clubs.

Loans were also common during the Second World War, when Football League competition was suspended and replaced by a regional Wartime League.

Many footballers were members of the Armed Forces and it was difficult for clubs to raise teams from their significantly reduced pools of players, so a ‘guest player’ system was introduced, which allowed clubs to loan players on a match-by-match basis.

Then, in 1966, the Football League allowed the “temporary transfer of players” – with certain restrictions. Each club could make only two loan transfers per season, and transfer fees could not be paid. Loans had to last for at least three months, and they could only be made between clubs in different divisions.

The rules surrounding loan transfers would be changed over subsequent years, notably in 1995 after the Bosman ruling and then in 2003 with the lifting of the restriction on loans having to be made between clubs in different divisions.

The Vanarama National League, in its various guises over the years, has been seen as a fantastic grounding for young players from Premier League and Football League clubs to learn their trade.

There are several current Premier League players who will admit to being grateful for time spent in the league before going on to make a name for themselves at the top level of the English game.

AFC Bournemouth`s striker Callum Wilson (above) is a case in point.

The 25-year-old has been dogged by injury since the Cherries gained promotion to the Premier League, but was instrumental in getting them there by netting 20 goals in their promotion-winning season.

Eddie Howe bought Wilson from Coventry City for £3 million after he had played 55 games for the Sky Blues and netted 23 goals.

But it was only after having loan spells with Kettering Town and Tamworth in the National League that he came to the fore with his parent club.

He had made a handful of senior appearances for Coventry before joining the Poppies in January 2011, and although he only managed one goal, he gained lots of experience in a struggling side, totalling 17 games before returning to Coventry.

Almost a year later, he joined the Lambs on loan, although he managed just three appearances before breaking his foot.

Alfie Mawson has made a big impact at Swansea City since joining from Barnsley in August 2016 for £5.5 million.

His form last season earned him six England under-21 caps as well as a regular place in the Swans` side.

But he learned an awful lot about his trade whilst being on loan with National League South side Maidenhead United from Brentford.

Mawson spent three separate spells at York Road and in his last one played a major role in helping the Magpies avoid relegation.

In November 2013, he stepped up a level to join Luton Town, then in the National League, on a month`s loan before joining Welling United in January 2014 in a loan deal that was agreed originally until the end of the season, although he suffered a knee injury which meant he returned to Brentford after making only 9 appearances for the Wings.

Of course, goalkeepers have always figured prominently in loan deals.

And there are a number of top class keepers who have been grateful for time spent at the top levels of non-League football.

It may have been forgotten that West Bromwich Albion`s experienced Ben Foster spent time in the National League (Conference as it was then).

It was whilst he was with his first club, Stoke City, who had signed the then 18-year-old from Racing Club Warwick.

He was sent out to gain further experience and amongst the five clubs Foster spent time with was Stafford Rangers, then members of the Conference, in 2004.

Foster went on to join Manchester United, Birmingham and West Brom and has been rated as one of the top keepers in the Premier League for several seasons.

Jordan Pickford (above) is rated as one of the most promising keepers at the top level of the game and added a full England cap recently to his honours gained with the under-16s, 17s, 18s, 19s, 20s and under-21s.

He was bought by Everton for a fee of around £30 million in the summer from Sunderland, where he started his career.

But back in 2012, Pickford suffered his first relegation when he spent from January 2012 to the end of the 2011/12 season with Darlington but in his 17 appearances for the Quakers, couldn`t help them avoid being relegated from the Conference Premier.

The in February 2013, Pickford returned to the Conference Premier with Alfreton Town, initially for a month, before eventually staying until the end of the campaign, making a dozen appearances.

It was after another couple of loan spells higher up the leagues that Pickford came back to become a first-team regular for Sunderland and, despite their relegation from the Premier League last season, it was generally recognised that had it not been for the young keeper, things would have been even worse for the Black Cats.

Other keepers to have benefitted from loan spells at the top end of the non-League game include Newcastle United`s Karl Darlow, who played eight times for Newport County in the Conference National whilst on Nottingham Forest`s books.

Nick Pope, who has done such a terrific job deputising for Tom Heaton in goal for Burnley this season, enjoyed several spells on loan in the league with Welling United, where he had two separate spells in 2011 and 2012, Cambridge United and Aldershot Town, whilst with Charlton Athletic.

And in the Championship, Millwall`s Jordan Archer has produced form that has seen him become not only a regular for the Lions, but also be on the verge of Scottish international honours.

Before joining Millwall in the summer of 2015 from Tottenham Hotspur, he had several loan spells out of White Hart Lane, including an extended one with Bishop`s Stortford, then in the Conference North, in the 2011/12 season which saw him make 31 appearances for the Blues.

Dan Bentley is being touted as a future Premier League keeper with his form for Brentford.

He gained experience with Braintree Town in the Conference South in 2010/11 before he came back to make his Southend United debut.

The man Bentley replaced at Griffin Park, David Button, is another highly-rated Championship keeper, currently with Fulham.

He made his name with the Bees before leaving for the Cottagers last year, but it was whilst on the books at Tottenham that he spent time out on loan on no less than thirteen different occasions.

Included in that were two separate spells with Grays Athletic in 2008 when the Essex outfit were members of the Conference Premier.

Another Championship keeper grateful for time spent in the National League is Preston North End`s Chris Maxwell.

He started his career with Wrexham and returned to the Racecourse Ground on loan from then League newcomers Fleetwood Town in January 2013 until the end of the season, making 17 appearances, including an FA Trophy winners medal at Wembley.

At the start of the 2013/14 season, Maxwell returned on loan to the National League, this time with Cambridge United, where he played 24 games and helped the U`s to a 16-game unbeaten run.

So the message is clear – if Premier League or Championship clubs want their youngsters to get off to a good start in their professional careers, let them gain experience at the top level of non-League football!