West Ham don’t often get their academy calls wrong, but there was one decision this summer which always always felt like the one that might come back to sting.
Young midfielder George Earthy was quietly moved on during the procession of exits, and now thanks to a Reading clip doing the rounds on X, supporters are starting to wonder whether the club underestimated what they had.
Calm under pressure, progressive with the ball, and constantly knitting play together, Earthy looks like someone who’s been playing senior football for years. Instead, as Hammers fans know, he’s only 22, yet already showing the maturity and composure of a midfielder far beyond his age.
George Earthy was in dreamland following his goal against Luton – sad that his Hammers career never blossomed.
Some supporters may feel he’s actually found his level, yet it should not be forgotten that during his first loan spell at Bristol City in the Championship he established himself as a fan favourite, voted young player of the year, notching over 40 games in all competitions. Since then he’s had his fair share of injuries which curtailed his progress, and returned to Ashton Gate last season, a shadow of his former self, making just 10 appearances and playing just under 300 minutes.
Indeed, it’s sad to see that he only ever made a total of four Premier League appearances in a claret and blue shirt, with one goal, despite his record at U-21 level being impressive, 22 goals and 16 assists in 65 matches, while with the U-18’s, his 25 goals and 18 assists in 60 matches only further underlined his potential.
West Ham had been crying out for a press‑resistant No. 8 someone who can receive in tight spaces, carry the ball forward, and link transitions. Earthy was that profile. He was already in the building. Yet he slipped through the cracks and quietly left to join Reading for £600k in August. Under Nuno, he was the second West Ham‑supporting academy player to depart on a permanent basis this season, following Freddie Potts out of the building.
Earthy acknowledged he was determined to play senior football on a regular basis. Reading have given him what West Ham didn’t, minutes, responsibility, and a defined role. And he’s already thriving. Fans there already see him as a key midfielder, someone who elevates their tempo and gives them control. That’s not a “nice prospect”. That’s a player with a ceiling.
In just three league games and a total of 163 minutes he’s scored 2 goals, created three chances, 83% pass completion, an XG of 1.16 and an average rating of 7.25.
These goals came in back‑to‑back games vs Mansfield and Blackpool, where he looked levels above League One, progressive, confident, and technically sharp.
The risk for West Ham was obvious and the Hammers could end up watching a homegrown midfielder they developed, but didn’t back, rise elsewhere. With his deal running until June 2029, plenty of eyes will be fixed on how his career unfolds from here. However, C&H believes the club do have a clause whereby they retain a percentage of any profit from a future sale. Perhaps, as with all their academy graduates, a buy-back clause would be a prudent standard contract addition.
Earthy’s parting words show what a class act he was “I’m leaving, but I’ll be a West Ham fan for forever. It’s my club, it’s been my home, and I was just lucky enough to have fulfilled my dream.”
Sometimes a club loses a player because he wasn’t good enough. Sometimes they lose him because they weren’t ready for him.
Earthy for me, sadly, feels like he’s in that second category.
I think it was obvious he had what it takes to make it into our first team. Unfortunately injuries and blocked pathways meant he’s had to leave for his own good. We literally had the best young players in this country in our academy, winning the FA youth cup and we probably won’t see more than one or two come through. We have to get better at managing these young players’ careers. We’ve been crying out for pace and passion for a while, the youngsters provide that. They also play with a bit more freedom and determination to prove themselves, what’s not to like. Give them chances and they’ll repay the club they’ve dreamt of playing for. At 21 years of age they should be physically strong enough and the maturity will come from playing. Don’t make the same mistakes with Ajala, Fearon, Orford, Landers, Golambekis (all are ready imo) and others.
I wonder whether David Moyes at Everton knew he was available. Moyes thought he was good enough to play for West Ham in the premier league after all.
Or some leave for regular first team football to further themselves independently, by taking a backwards step, initially.
Either way, we wish him well. He joins a very long list of the ” we’ll never know ” brigade!
Where would he have been had he stayed at whu.
Earthy, Marshal, Potts, Mukasa just a few that look like they’ve gone under the radar.
Nuno consistently wanting small squad with insufficient spaces for players remaining.
Soucek returning is going to be interesting where he fits into a crowded midfield.
Could be reason Nuno is being hard nosed about Magassa and Alvarez don’t think he needs them_WRONG.
Striker problem could occur injuries to Pablo, Taty with fatigue to Bowen/Piroe.
Team needs nursing carefully with this testing season.