Aldershot Town FC

McCarthy itching to make League leap

By Charlie Oliver
February 09, 2009

The freezing conditions in and around Vale Park on Saturday deprived Aldershot Town of no little thing: a League Two match.

Indeed, after all that’s gone before in the history of Aldershot football, all Football League games must be cherished.

But Saturday’s match was due to be an even more important one for a young goalkeeper, on loan at Aldershot from Reading: Alex McCarthy.

The 19-year-old was set to make his debut in the Football League against Vale, having been given the nod ahead Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz by Aldershot manager Gary Waddock, in the absence of No. 1 ‘keeper Nikki Bull, who is out injured with heel and groin problems.

But that cherished moment for all young professional footballers remains frozen at arm’s length for McCarthy after the late postponement in The Potteries.

So, McCarthy must hope that his League career finally gets going this weekend at Exeter — provided The Shots’ game beats the weather and that Waddock again goes with his young recruit, who has joined on a month’s loan.

Should Nikki Bull regain fitness this week, then McCarthy’s Football League bow will surely be put on hold once again.

“I was told by Gary Waddock in advance that I was in line to start at Vale,” said McCarthy, speaking on Sunday. “So, I was obviously very excited at the prospect but then on Saturday morning came the call to the hotel that the game was off. It was very frustrating.”

McCarthy is by no means a football novice, however. He has played on loan from Reading at both Woking and Cambridge United in the Conference and has also been in the frame for several England U19 call-ups.

But it is the next step up, into the Football League, that McCarthy so hopes will come during his time with Aldershot.

“The next level is League Two and, hopefully, that will happen at Aldershot,” said McCarthy.

“I’ve been waiting for my chance in League football for a while and have been really pushing for Reading to send me out on loan. But I’ve had a couple of injuries this season and they stopped any move.

“Now that a move has finally come around I’d like to stay at Aldershot as long as possible.

“We’ll have to see how it goes and how I do but if it means I get plenty of experience playing in the League, then I’d happily stay here longer than the deal is now.”

McCarthy certainly has presence as a ‘keeper; at nearly 6ft 5in tall, he says he likes ‘to dominate’ his area. “I like to try and dominate and to come and take crosses,” he said.

For all his shot-stopping prowess, Jaimez-Ruiz is not a dominant ‘keeper and Waddock, should he pick McCarthy against Exeter, will be hoping for an authoritative performance from such a young man.

Not that Jamiez-Ruiz, aged 24, is especially more experienced that McCarthy, having made just four League Two appearances to date.

McCarthy trained briefly with Aldershot last Thursday but most of the work was running in the snow on Aldershot’s Army land, so there was not too much opportunity to show Waddock and Martin Kuhl his ability.

Waddock clearly has plenty of faith in his new recruit already, however, and McCarthy did do a little work with Paul Priddy, Aldershot’s goalkeeping coach on Thursday — and is looking forward to more of the same this week.

“That was good,” he said. “Paul, the manager and coaches all seem nice guys and it was good to spend time with the lads in the squad too on the Port Vale trip.”

There is plenty of youth in the Aldershot squad (Danny Hylton, also 19, is about nine months older than McCarthy), so the teenager should fit in well.

Besides, one young Shot McCarthy already knows well: leading-scorer Scott Davies, who is also on loan from Reading.
Davies is 18 months older than McCarthy but the two know each other well from their days in the youth set-up at the Madejski Stadium.

“It helped a lot having Scott there to introduce me to all the guys on Thursday,” said McCarthy. “He has plenty of banter, so that helps you settle in.”

While McCarthy is hoping to advance his career at Aldershot, he is, of course, still a Reading player and has high hopes of how far he can go with the Berkshire club.

“Reading are doing well this season and I think they can make it to the Premiership,” he said. “I’d like to stay there and ultimately to play in the Premiership there and go on and play for England.”

To date, McCarthy has been named on stand-by for England U19s, but is yet to play for them.

“Hopefully a move like this one will give me more of a chance,” he said. “Sal Bibbo, the ‘keeping coach at Reading and Brian McDermott, the reserves’ coach, were both really keen for me to come to Aldershot. They believe in me and I have a lot to thank Sal for in particular.”

After waiting so long to get a loan move, McCarthy jumped at the Aldershot chance and, living in Guildford, work is even closer than it was before.

While his chance of success at The Shots depends hugely on whether or not Bull’s injury requires a long rest — and Jaimez-Ruiz could yet convince Waddock that he deserves another chance, despite unconvincing performances in January — McCarthy is simply looking forward to life at Aldershot.

“I’ve spoken to a couple of the lads and I know the last few games have been disappointing,” he said. “But we are a couple of games behind and it sounds like we can soon get back to winning ways. We can kick on from where we are.

“As for me, I’m just looking forward to a chance to gain as much experience being involved in a first-team Football League squad as possible.”

So, Aldershot Town said hello to the Football League down at Exeter — and McCarthy may well do the same, some ten months later.

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