Star released by Leeds at 16 is now starring in the Premier League
Leeds United star Archie Gray is the latest player to emerge as a key first-team performer after graduating from the club's academy set-up.
The 17-year-old whiz has started 31 of the club's Championship matches under German head coach Daniel Farke, who arrived in Yorkshire last summer.
A central midfielder naturally, the teenage gem has been the first-choice option at right-back for the former Norwich City tactician after an injury to Djed Spence, who was on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, opened the door for him to come in.
He was given an opportunity to impress by the boss at the start of the season and grasped it with both hands, but not every young talent had that chance during their time at Elland Road.
Tom Cairney started his youth career with the Whites but was released before he could make his senior debut for Leeds, and the talented gem's value went on to skyrocket.
Why Leeds ditched Tom Cairney
The attacking midfielder joined the club's academy as a seven-year-old and played through the age groups until they decided to let him leave in 2017.
He was 16 at the time and stood at just 5 foot 1. His height reportedly played a role in Leeds' decision to release him on a free transfer after nine years at Elland Road.
They seemingly decided that Cairney would not develop, physically and possibly technically, to a level that would see him emerge as a first-team operator in Yorkshire, as he left with zero senior appearances for them.
The Scotland international revealed – later in his career – that he was "crushed" by that exit from the club, given how much time the young whiz spent developing there.
Hull City picked the English-born maestro up for nothing after his release and his market valuation on Transfermarkt came in at €750k (£643k) by August 2010.
Why Tom Cairney's market value soared
The Fulham star currently stands at 6 foot and his growth spurt after moving on from Leeds may have played a part in the impressive career he has forged for himself.
After five goals and 11 assists in 80 appearances during his time with Hull at first-team level, Cairney made the switch to Blackburn Rovers, initially on loan in the summer of 2013 before the deal was made permanent in January 2014.
Fulham, who were in the Championship at the time, then swooped to sign him on a permanent basis in the summer of 2015 after the midfielder had produced nine goals and 16 assists in 85 matches for Rovers.
The impressive magician helped the Cottagers to secure promotion to the Premier League within three seasons, as he plundered 26 goals and 22 assists in 120 games in the second tier.
His 26th league goal during that period was the promotion-winning strike in the 2018 play-off final against Aston Villa, as you can see in the video above.
Fulham's captain stepped up when it mattered most to calmly slot the ball into the bottom corner to send the Cottagers up to the Premier League.
The magical midfielder's best season for goals and assists in his senior career, however, came earlier during the 2016/17 campaign for the London-based outfit.
Appearances
45
Goals
12
Assists
Ten
Big chances created
Nine
Key passes per game
2.6
Cairney's fantastic form for Fulham, and play-off final strike, helped his market value on Transfermarkt to skyrocket to a whopping €18m (£15.4m) by August 2018.
This means that his value soared by a staggering 2,300% from the €750k he was once valued at during his breakthrough at first-team level with Hull, after leaving Leeds for nothing.
Therefore, the Whites had a howler when they released Cairney as they did not give him enough time to grow into his body and find his feet, which Hull were prepared to do, and missed out on an excellent performer whose value soared over the subsequent years with no compensation.
Where Cairney is now
He has gone on to play over 300 matches for Fulham, who are currently in the Premier League, and has played more than 100 games in the top-flight.
The 33-year-old has registered four assists in 25 outings in the division this season – at least two more than any Leeds midfielder has managed in the Championship.
Appearances
25
Starts
13
Goals
One
Big chances created
Five
Pass accuracy
90%
Duel success rate
61%
As you can see in the table above, the now-experienced star has been a solid operator for Fulham in the Premier League during the 2023/24 campaign.
The Scottish whiz has been strong in his duels – winning the majority of his physical contests – and offered quality at the top end of the pitch – with goals, assists, and big chances created – whilst being a reliable passer of the ball.
These statistics are particularly impressive for a 33-year-old – possibly heading into the last few years of his playing career – who has not started matches on a consistent basis for Marco Silva's side.
He has been a reliable and excellent performer when called upon by his club, which speaks to both his quality and professionalism to do that at his age in the Premier League.
This and his soaring market value earlier in his career highlights why Leeds had a howler when they decided to release him from their academy at the age of 16.
The left-footed maestro has been pulling the strings in midfield for Fulham for years and starred for Blackburn and Hull previously, in the Premier League and the Championship.
He has gone on to forge a successful career for himself in the top two tiers, which is where Leeds have been operating for the most part over the last 15 years – outside of a spell in League One.
It may be an important lesson for the Whites to learn with young players who are coming through now and possibly being deemed as too small or not physical enough to make it, as they could naturally develop in that sense and then shine as a footballer – as Cairney did.