How Jake Hollman can learn from Walsall teammate's early struggles last season
September 9, 2024: Evan Weir disappeared down the tunnel at Stadium MK after a gruelling first 45 minutes of League Two football and did not reemerge after the break.
It would later prove to be a learning experience for the young Irishman who was still finding his feet in England, but the most flippant supporter could've been led to believe that he would not make the grade.
He looked overawed by the occasion, maybe even out of his depth. It would be nearly four months until he started again in League Two, but by which stage he was eager to prove a point.
A man of the match display in a 2-1 win at Notts County on New Year's Day kick-started his ascent, as Mat Sadler spent the remainder of the campaign easing him into the first team fold.
By the time star man Taylor Allen departed for Wycombe Wanderers in the summer; Weir, albeit with big shoes to fill, was finally ready to step out from the shadows.
Jake Hollman, who made the intriguing switch from A-League side Macarthur FC this summer, finds himself in a similar position to the one Weir faced during his first few months in the West Midlands.
Yes, there is a distinct difference between hopping over the Irish Sea and the other side of the world, but there are many elements that are comparable.
