Young striker James Daly was one of our summer 2021 additions; manager Alex Revell looking to take his squad to the next level after a positive end to the 2020-1 campaign. The player himself – if you can call a 21-year-old young these days – came to us from Bristol Rovers. And he may have tasted relegation from League One before leaving the Gas. But his contributions were noted on the pitch all the same; scoring five and creating four in a difficult season in the south west. And it was perhaps difficult in more ways than one for the lad.
“Frustrated” is one word used to describe his time at the Memorial Stadium when signing here. His goals, assists, and work ethic had won many fans at the Gas. But he didn’t seem to get the game time he wanted. “[Boro’]… is a great place for me to be at this stage in my career,” he revealed to the offy site. “I want to play games, score goals and make the fans happy.”
A fine aspiration, we don’t disagree. But, if he found life at Bristol Rovers frustrating, we can only imagine that his time at the Lamex had a similar feeling. Boro’ tried many different attacking solutions during a difficult 2021-2 campaign. Daly’s name, however, was not one that made it often into the matchday squad – let alone the starting XI. Four starts and 15 off the bench is all he managed. There were a good few more games as an unused sub too. There were hopes he might have a role to play under Steve Evans; something nipped in the bud when we let him go in May 2022.
James Daly: Before Boro’
A native of Brighton, it was actually at the Seagulls’ rivals that Daly would start out his career. In 2014, he signed for Crystal Palace (no, we don’t get the rivalry either) and forged a way through the youth system. It was the Seagulls’ fault, to be honest; rejecting the forward after a trial. Four years in, he turned pro at Selhurst Park. And a move to Kingstonian would provide him with that first taste of senior football to set him on his way.
The move to Bristol Rovers came about at the end of the January 2020 transfer window. He put pen to paper on a two-and-a-half-year deal; seeing out half of it before coming to the Lamex.
James Daly: After Boro’
It must’ve been a heinous crime the lad committed in a past life; his first port of call after leaving the Lamex confirmed as Woking in June 2022. The poor lad.
