Steve Evans and Neil Redfearn rated him highly, so why didn’t it work for Eoghan Stokes?

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The Irish talent has been released after five-and-a-half years with Leeds United.

Ex-Leeds United manager Neil Redfearn

It looks as though Leeds United have given up on the talent of forward Eoghan Stokes. The Irish attacker has been released by the club after six years at the club. He is now free to look for a new club, with a return to the League of Ireland a definite possibility for the player.

But this was a player who was highly rated at Leeds in the past, with the likes of Steve Evans and Neil Redfearn believing in his potential.

Former academy boss and head coach Redfearn had this to say about the then 17-year-old when he signed his pro deal in 2013:

“I’m pleased for him. He did well for the Under-18s last year, particularly towards the back end.

“He was very patient because he had Lewis Walters and Luke Parkin in front, but he bided his time and got himself in the picture.

“The club has strong links with Ireland, he’s just been called up again and he’s got to be looking to break into the Under-21s this season.”

Steve Evans when manager of Leeds United

He was a patient admirer of the Irish youngster and got the best out of him with good goal returns for the development teams at Thorp Arch.

Back in March of 2016 the club’s then manager Evans admitted that he wanted to start including Stokes in first-team action:

But it is that word, injury, that appears to have hindered his development into the Leeds United first-team. He struggled with a number of niggling injuries that derailed his chance of breaking into the Leeds first-team picture.

On top of that, the tumultuous nature of the management structure at Leeds was always going to make it tough to breakthrough – even if Ronaldo Vieira and Kalvin Phillips have managed to do so – they had clear runs with injury.

Stokes has had a bad run of fortune but he is extremely talented. At 21-years-old his career is now at an important crossroads. His Leeds career has ended with one senior appearance, in a 5-1 win against Newport County in the EFL Cup, and it is a shame – but hopefully he can find his way a different route.