‘I do wish’: 24-year-old attacker shares what he really regrets about his time at Everton

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Shayne Lavery has revealed his disappointment at the way he handled his spell at Everton.

Speaking to the Blackpool Gazette, the forward admitted he wishes he had ‘done more’ to succeed at Goodison Park.

Lavery joined Everton’s academy in 2015 and impressed in the youth ranks, netting eight goals and providing seven assists in only 16 games for the U18 side. He was awarded by Sam Allardyce with a place in the matchday squad for a Europa League match against Apollon Limassol two years later, but was an unused substitute.

The attacker had made a huge move from Northern Ireland to Merseyside as he looked to get his big break, however after a brief loan spell with Falkirk, Lavery departed Everton and returned to his home country with Linfield.

Lavery eventually earned himself a move back to England in 2021, though it was with Blackpool in the Championship.

The 24-year-old has netted 14 goals in 80 appearances for the Seasiders as they currently ply their trade in League One, while, four years on, Lavery still looks back at his time with Everton with regret.

On moving to Merseyside, he said: “When I look back at it now, it was all happening so fast, I didn’t really think about it.

“”I took the move in my stride, but it did become harder being away from home when I had a few injury problems.

“There were some great lads at Everton, so I loved my time there.

“It was a big change going there- the facilities at Finch Farm were unbelievable, I couldn’t have asked for a better place to learn my trade.

“I wish I had done more away from the pitch, whether that was what I was eating or doing extra gym work.

“The facilities were there, but when you’re growing up it’s hard to see that.

“I do wish I would’ve done more to help myself to try and make it there.

“It’s tough in the U23s because you feel so close to the first team but you’re still so far away.

“Everyone’s mates, but it’s a tough environment- you’ve got to look after yourself a bit.

“I wish I had tried to go out on loan when I was a bit younger instead of staying in the U23s for so long.”

Lavery isn’t alone

Shayne Lavery is one of so many players that never quite made the cut at Everton, while there are also plenty of stars that didn’t get the loan spells they needed to develop.

The likes of Antonee Robinson, Adam Forshaw and Isaac Price all spent years at Finch Farm but never got the opportunity to go out on loan and experience senior football, and were instead forced to remain with the youth sides until they were sold.

While this is the same at pretty much every club, perhaps more care should be taken during the period in which a young player makes the jump from youth football to senior football.

Who knows how these players could have performed if they were given a chance before being offloaded. Perhaps we could have even seen the Tom Davies we had all expected if he was able to go out on loan when he faced time on the bench.