Nick Powell

Once again Nick Powell shows the rest of the football world what we already knew – that he is a prodigious but unfulfilled talent. An 11-minute hat-trick last night as a 2nd half sub (and the 3rd sub no less so it really was last chance saloon) for Wigan, following his late winner, again as a sub, on Saturday. Fortunately at 23, he’s young enough to come again and I really hope he does because when he did it for us, I was (perhaps mistakenly) putting him in the same bracket as Ashton. Different type of player but equal abilities in the final third. Ok, so his best came at League 2 level while Deano was performing consistently in the Championship. It does make you think that the Man U move came far too early. We really needed to see a season in League 1 from him to see if he could make that step up first but I don’t blame anyone for not blocking his move to Old Trafford. It was great publicity, another feather in our cap and the biggest coup of all for our “famed academy”. And some much needed dosh!!

To be honest I reckon he would have made it had it not been for Fergie’s untimely retirement – untimely for Nick that is – and for Man U’s insistence of playing Januzaj ahead of him. I remain convinced they got that the wrong way round.

On the flipside of course, I look at Wigan, and they have arguably not one but two of the most gifted players we have ever produced – and look at where they are in the table!!!! So were those two really as good as we thought ....?? I think they are. It’s all about right time, right place, and a bit of luck thrown in. I still think both players could play in the Prem – and in Nick’s case, again.

Fully agree with SomersetCrewe. Very pleasing to see Nick Powell come back so strongly after his hamstring problems. I really hope he can build on this and demonstrate to the footballing world that he is good enough for a second chance in the Premiership. He is still young enough to come back and I hope that he has learnt a few lessons on the way. He always looked as if he was playing in a league well below his undoubted talent. I agree that Fergie's departure deprived him of the guidance that could have seen him develop as a Man Utd first team player.

Both you guys have summed up Nick Powell excellently and I do hope that he gets another chance in a top league to show off his talents

Nice header against Brighton Hopefully, one of the Championship teams can sign him if Wigan go down.

That makes 5 goals in 3 sub appearances. I don't think he has actually played a total of 90 minutes yet. Problem for him is that he's on a 3 year contract with Wigan (I think) so they won't let him go for peanuts, whoever may come in for him. If he does move, he needs to be choosy about who he goes to (Norwich? Brighton?)

Unfulfilled talent who needs a long run in a winning team. He is only 23 and I don't see that a season in League 1 playing week in, week out at Wigan would do him any harm. He has to prove that he isn't just a boy wonder and can best do that by playing regularly.