Bees' new signing has the Greaves touch!

10:48am Monday 25th February 2008

Striker Nathan Elder certainly made an impact on his Brentford debut at Mansfield Town last Saturday.

The 22-year-old, signed from Brighton two days earlier, took just 15 minutes to find the net. His own net, unfortunately.

The groans turned to cheers when Elder stormed clear to score the winner five minutes from time, instantly earning cult status among Bees fans.

Important things, debuts. A chance to start afresh, to show your old club they were wrong to let you go, to show your new boss - and fans - that you are the missing link who will lead their team to glory.

It doesn't always work out like that. For every late winner (stand up, Mr Elder), there's the fluffed chance (sit down, Chelsea's Chris Sutton).

For every penalty save (West Brom's Joe Murphy - from Michael Owen, no less), there is Mike Salmon, who let in seven on his Oxford United debut in 1998.

Wayne Rooney had the right idea. Manchester United's £20million signing was only 18 when he made his debut in the Champions League against Fenerbahce in 2004. Three goals later, the Old Trafford faithful had their new hero.

Alan Shearer marked his first Football League match in 1992 by thumping home three in Southampton's 4-2 win over Arsenal. Saints signed 17-year-old Shearer on professional terms five days later.

Shearer also scored twice on his Blackburn debut and once for England, but fired a blank for Newcastle in a 4-0 Charity Shield defeat to Man United.

Not only strikers can win the fans over. Spurs fans were pretty pleased with defender Dean Richards when his debut header helped them into a 3-0 lead over United in 2002. Unfortunately for them - and Richards - United stormed back to win 5-3 at White Hart Lane.

The worst high-profile debut in recent years was Jonathan Woodgate's for Real Madrid, who, because of injury had to wait more than a year to make his bow in front of 65,000 fans at the Bernabeu.

Like Elder, Woodgate soon headed into his own net.

Unlike Elder, there was no happy ending and he was sent off after an hour. Woodgate's Real career never really got going after that.

For the ultimate in good impressions, look no further than Jimmy Greaves, who scored on all six of his senior debuts - for Chelsea, England U23s, England, AC Milan, Spurs and West Ham.

It is premature to start comparing Elder with Greavsie but, as striking role models go, he could do far worse.

* This was published in the Richmond & Twickenham Times on Friday, February 8, 2008.

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