Pulled from The Athletic. I didn’t know that Adrian had a son pulling up trees in the lower leagues. He looks just like him too.

Joel Randall
Current club: Exeter City
Position: Left winger
Possible cost: £1.5 million

Exeter City’s academy is rightly lauded as a conveyor belt of talent, with old boys Ethan Ampadu and Ollie Watkins both playing regularly in the Premier League this season. Now, as Matt Taylor’s youthful side seek to recover from last season’s play-off final disappointment, another gifted homegrown youngster destined for life at a higher level is making an impression in League Two. Randall has been at the club since he was 11, had been sent out on five loan spells in non-League by the age of 20 and played a part in Exeter’s run to the Football League Trophy semi-finals last February. He has come into his own this term.

Operating off the left, the winger has seized the opportunity presented to him by the COVID-19 pandemic, with Exeter ever more reliant upon their academy graduates to step up into the first-team reckoning. Exeter are the division’s leading scorers at present, with seven more than next-most-prolific Crawley, and included five players who had emerged through their youth-team in the starting XI of a 6-1 rout of Colchester United in late November. Randall scored one that evening and now has eight for the season. His first senior league goal, a header, was scored on the opening afternoon of the campaign at Salford in September.

Randall, son of 1990s Burnley and York City winger Adrian, is composed, deceptively quick, energetic, skilful and strong with either foot. He has presence and awareness, and that canny knack of anticipation. “He’s exceeded our expectations,” said Exeter manager Taylor. “He’s had talent and potential in him since a young age. His running stats are phenomenal but he’s added an extra dimension to his game in terms of the end product. He’s been a constant threat down that left side, worked tirelessly for the team and contributed at all times this season. He’s been a standout player.”

The youngster signed professional terms in 2018 and, while his current deal apparently extends to the summer of 2022, interest has been stoked by his form to date this term. Celtic and Swansea are understood to have expressed interest in the 21-year-old, with others monitoring the situation from the wings. The player may well benefit more from seeing out at least the current season at St James Park, where he can help propel another push for promotion to League One, but his future lies higher up the ladder. When he does leave, the reputation of Exeter’s academy will be further enhanced.

I don’t want him unless he runs out the tunnel doing kick ups and has that step over that sent everyone in the stand the wrong way never mind the opposition.

Ade “spaceman” Randall BFC legend, if his son is half as talented, he’ll be great.

I remember going to westbroms ground in a packed away terrace. For some reason the police helicopter was hovering overhead with the Burnley singing ady ady randall at it

Remember Randall although I was only young. But remember him being very highly rated. Was he too good for the level we were at but not commited enough? Heard he liked a pint. Who didn’t?

cricketfieldclarets wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 03, 2021 12:47 pm

Remember Randall although I was only young. But remember him being very highly rated. Was he too good for the level we were at but not commited enough? Heard he liked a pint. Who didn’t?

Drifted into non league and retired early ..... did a degree in Nuclear Fission at Oxford where he got a 1st, completed his MA at Harvard, and is now based at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, where he heads up NASA's next generation Space Exploration Research team, " Project Artemis " ..

He is also an Emeritus Professor of English Social History at Birmingham Uni

Been a busy lad since retiring from Football

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/staff/prof ... drian.aspx

cricketfieldclarets wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 03, 2021 12:47 pm

Remember Randall although I was only young. But remember him being very highly rated. Was he too good for the level we were at but not commited enough? Heard he liked a pint. Who didn’t?

Ady’s lack of commitment & lack of interest were highlighted in Lenny Johnrose’s book. He had no real ambition.

I laughed at the reference to his son being deceptively quick. Dad wasn’t but he did have enough talent to have consistently played at a higher level than he did.

used to head away from Turf Moor with a six pack of lager if not selected.

I remember his run and goal at Cambridge Utd away Fa Cup. Jan 1994?
My dad turned to me and said "I never realised he was that good?" Man stood next to us says "Trouble is pal, neither does he!"

I remember Ade having car problems before a home game that resulted in crashing .
"Injured" according to the programme
One of the most skilled dribbling midfield players I have seen
He could have played at a higher level if other issues didn't get in the way of football

Papabendi wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 03, 2021 1:34 pm

used to head away from Turf Moor with a six pack of lager if not selected.

Hope he’d some left by the time he got home, he lived about three mins walk away from the ground.

I remember Ade having car problems before a home game that resulted in crashing .
"Injured" according to the programme
One of the most skilled dribbling midfield players I have seen
He could have played at a higher level if other issues didn't get in the way of football

Did I imagine it, or did I once see a video posted on here of his Mum doing keepy uppies on the beach? It may have been a p1ss take because she would have been busy, what with being the pre-eminent neurosurgeon at Queen Sq, Holborn. Fair to say his talent was in the genes.

He played for England U18s in the same team as Matt Le Tissier. He said there were two exit doors from the dressing room and one was marked ‘AMBITION’. He joked that he and Le Tissier left through different doors.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 03, 2021 1:38 pm

Hope he’d some left by the time he got home, he lived about three mins walk away from the ground.

Next door to Ming wo wasn’t it?

When he was at Bury, Stan took the players on the end of season golfing trip to Portugal. After a couple of days he went missing, whoever he was rooming with said he’d packed and cleared off. Nothing was heard from him until he reported back for pre season.

Conversation went something like:

ST: What happened to you on the golf trip?
AR: Had to get home gaffer, holiday booked with the wife.
ST: Where did you go on holiday?
AR: Blackpool gaffer.

cricketfieldclarets wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 03, 2021 1:43 pm

Next door to Ming wo wasn’t it?

Not next door but on that row

An old relative of ours knew him quite well when he was playing for us. He got on with Ady and described him as a likable lad who would probably be happier driving a combine harvester than playing football.

Billy Balfour wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 03, 2021 1:51 pm

An old relative of ours knew him quite well when he was playing for us. He got on with Ady and described him as a likable lad who would probably be happier driving a combine harvester than playing football.

My brother knew him well and he’d probably say something similar.

Just seen this from Harry Redknapp about Ady. Redknapp was his first manager at Bournemouth.

“He was a genius. Six foot tall, he used to glide over the pitch, juggling the ball on his foot... He could do it all.

“We used to play him against Tony Pulis in training and he’d tie him in knots, but he never really made it. He was so laid-back in his attitude. You just wanted to shake him, because this was a talent like I’d never seen.”

Used to love his pre-match warm up routine, jogging round the pitch juggling the ball from one foot to the other. He had great talent and was great to watch. Remember him standing out against us when he played for Aldershot, gave us the run around that day, and we signed him not that long afterwards.

Papabendi wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 03, 2021 1:34 pm

used to head away from Turf Moor with a six pack of lager if not selected.

Is this not a reference to the Rotherham (i think) away game on Tuesday night where he missed the team bus and got a lift there. He didnt fancy going in the dressing room and getting a bollocking so just went in the away end with the fans.

Was one of my favourite players at the time and when in the mood he just used to glide past players

He was a nice lad - used to go in The Queen in Cliviger on Saturday night. Took several pints but never saw him rat arsed.

Not sure about walking home with a 6-pack, but I did once see him walking away from Turf Moor shortly before kick-off with a pair of football boots.

I'll never forget it, the game in question was the play-off semi-final at home to Plymouth (1993/4)? - I couldn't believe Jimmy Mullen hadn't picked him to start that day - Plymouth had finished 20 points ahead of us in the league - and was frustrated by the time we got to the game. We drew 0-0 with next to no creativity due to Ady's absence - but sometimes you just have to leave it to the manager. He didn't pick him for the second leg either but the manager pulled off something of a tactical masterstroke that night when Jonny Francis murdered the Pilgrims with his pace and Warren Joyce had a blinder in midfield.

Fairly sure he was married to a local girl or at least he had a kid with her. She was the sister of a lad that played cricket.

One Sunday he turned up at Lowerhouse Cricket Club and a group of kids were playing football. He joined in and it ended with all the kids chasing him round trying to get the ball off him whilst he did kick ups and the like. We never got the ball.

Is now a postman here in North Devon

My son went to the same Exeter City development centre as his youngest son so I saw him most weeks. He loved his time at Burnley. Says the fans were the beat he ever played with.

He still follows our results along with Southampton

arise_sir_charge wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 03, 2021 2:29 pm

Fairly sure he was married to a local girl or at least he had a kid with her. She was the sister of a lad that played cricket.

James Capstick.

Fantastic ability but had the habit of spinning himself around in circles. If he had had a little more drive in the forward gears their is no chance he’d have come here from Aldershot or worse still returned to them when he left. If the young star is a winger hopefully he will have Adie’s ability and will be able to drive forward.... which is all Adrian too often lacked.

Growing up Ady was my hero, not living round Blackpool I never knew of his off field problems. Such a shame but in a way he did something he wasnt as interested in. Its not everyones dream to play in the top leagues. Regardless he brought a smile to my face every week. Up there with Little and Blake as a hero of mine

If I remember he had a good game at turf for aldershot ..think it was a 0-0 draw ...a bit later aldershot went into financial difficulties and we got him for around £40.000...what a steal ..sure west ham were linked with him at the time

I remember Ady playing a blinder at Bradford on 18 October 93. Babb and Richards were the City Centre halves that day. I remember him wandering through them and smashing the ball home. We were sat in the Bradford End and the whole stand stood up and celebrated.

As said previously not sure he realised how good he could be. His son looks the spitting image of him. A bit like Harvey looks a bit like Paul.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 03, 2021 1:22 pm

Ady’s lack of commitment & lack of interest were highlighted in Lenny Johnrose’s book. He had no real ambition.

I laughed at the reference to his son being deceptively quick. Dad wasn’t but he did have enough talent to have consistently played at a higher level than he did.

Ady while at Aldershot had a trial with Villa ,turned up late so Atkinson sent him home , sort of sums up his lack of interest

I was lucky enough to have been a good friend of Ady, but lost touch, when he moved away.
We went out together at least once a week and as the Queen was then my local, we went in there, among other places, as people just didn't bother him for football talk and autographs. He was never drunk in my company and he liked a pint of Guinness. If the Moore brothers were in, they never called him anything other than Randall and he loved it. If as said any kids had a ball, he was like one of them, when he joined in, with about a dozen of them trying to get the ball off him.
Ady used to go up Lower Towneley with a ball nearly every day after training, for extra ball practise, kicking it against the brick building near the school changing rooms. Then running along keeping close control of the ball. He felt that training sessions didn't allow enough time for ball skills.
His love of the game was being sapped from him, because he was expected to be more of a defensive player, than the one who would leave players for dead, on dribbling run. Sadly he couldn't/wouldn't adjust to the changing roles of players, around that time.
After an away game at Stockport I attended with my 8 year old daughter, I'd arranged to give Ady a lift home. The area was quiet as we walked to the car, until we approached a pub,where about 50 of their fans were stood outside drinking and they saw Ady and recognised his Club blazer. They were seething and giving us hell, as my lass stood very close to me terrified.

Posts on here as adrianthepostman (or similar) doesn’t he?

Rileybobs wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 03, 2021 5:19 pm

Posts on here as adrianthepostman (or similar) doesn’t he?

Let’s just say somebody does

arise_sir_charge wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 03, 2021 2:29 pm

Fairly sure he was married to a local girl or at least he had a kid with her. She was the sister of a lad that played cricket.

One Sunday he turned up at Lowerhouse Cricket Club and a group of kids were playing football. He joined in and it ended with all the kids chasing him round trying to get the ball off him whilst he did kick ups and the like. We never got the ball.

He was once going to come down and train us as kids on towneley Astro turf. I can’t for the life of me remember if he did come down.

My dad knew one of the lads who used to coach down at gawthorpe and work in the ticket office - they used to do both in them days as well as the community stuff. But maybe was because one of the guys who helped run the team with my dad lived just off Lyndhurst road. And Tony’s nephew also trained / played with us. So may be down to that also?!

Vaguely remember it but can’t remember how it planned out.

Bfc wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 03, 2021 4:16 pm

I was lucky enough to have been a good friend of Ady, but lost touch, when he moved away.
We went out together at least once a week and as the Queen was then my local, we went in there, among other places, as people just didn't bother him for football talk and autographs. He was never drunk in my company and he liked a pint of Guinness. If the Moore brothers were in, they never called him anything other than Randall and he loved it. If as said any kids had a ball, he was like one of them, when he joined in, with about a dozen of them trying to get the ball off him.
Ady used to go up Lower Towneley with a ball nearly every day after training, for extra ball practise, kicking it against the brick building near the school changing rooms. Then running along keeping close control of the ball. He felt that training sessions didn't allow enough time for ball skills.
His love of the game was being sapped from him, because he was expected to be more of a defensive player, than the one who would leave players for dead, on dribbling run. Sadly he couldn't/wouldn't adjust to the changing roles of players, around that time.
After an away game at Stockport I attended with my 8 year old daughter, I'd arranged to give Ady a lift home. The area was quiet as we walked to the car, until we approached a pub,where about 50 of their fans were stood outside drinking and they saw Ady and recognised his Club blazer. They were seething and giving us hell, as my lass stood very close to me terrified.

My post regarding towneley may have something to do with that actually.

50 Stockport fans? That was all their support back then

If Joel is as talented as his dad he will be a force ...it was a real pleasure for me when Joel's dad turned up at newport on the isle of wight as boss!

Bfc wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 03, 2021 4:16 pm

I was lucky enough to have been a good friend of Ady, but lost touch, when he moved away.
We went out together at least once a week and as the Queen was then my local, we went in there, among other places, as people just didn't bother him for football talk and autographs. He was never drunk in my company and he liked a pint of Guinness. If the Moore brothers were in, they never called him anything other than Randall and he loved it. If as said any kids had a ball, he was like one of them, when he joined in, with about a dozen of them trying to get the ball off him.
Ady used to go up Lower Towneley with a ball nearly every day after training, for extra ball practise, kicking it against the brick building near the school changing rooms. Then running along keeping close control of the ball. He felt that training sessions didn't allow enough time for ball skills.
His love of the game was being sapped from him, because he was expected to be more of a defensive player, than the one who would leave players for dead, on dribbling run. Sadly he couldn't/wouldn't adjust to the changing roles of players, around that time.
After an away game at Stockport I attended with my 8 year old daughter, I'd arranged to give Ady a lift home. The area was quiet as we walked to the car, until we approached a pub,where about 50 of their fans were stood outside drinking and they saw Ady and recognised his Club blazer. They were seething and giving us hell, as my lass stood very close to me terrified.

I can remember him kicking a ball against said brick building but was a bit too young to remember much of games for us sadly.

Tomorrows Daily Record reporting he has been linked with Celtic.