Another game, another win, and yet another clean sheet for a West Ham United youngster who ended the night with the captain’s armband around his bicep and his name up in the lights.
Last season, it was Freddie Potts, Callum Marshall and George Earthy.
Three West Ham United youngsters who walked blinking into the floodlit skies of the Football League before returning, a year later, with their reputations enhanced and their first-team prospects considerably boosted.
From boys to men.
Portsmouth boss John Mousinho predicted Potts would challenge for a first-team berth at his beloved Hammers after more than holding his own in the Championship. He was right, it seems.
Marshall and Earthy, meanwhile, both returned to east London with a Young Player of the Year award in their possession following spells at Huddersfield Town and Bristol City.
Though Nuno Espirito Santo will have to wait for Earthy to make a mark under his watchful eye – a hamstring injury ruled the midfielder out for another month or so – both Potts and Marshall already appear to be a key part of the new boss’ plans.
It is early days, of course, but Michael Forbes has done little at Northampton Town to suggest that he cannot do in 2025 what Potts is doing in 2024.
And a first goal for Northern Ireland at Under-21 level, on only his second appearance as skipper, typified a man in the form of his young career.
West Ham United’s Michael Forbes scores and skippers Northern Ireland Under-21s
As a 33rd minute corner came crashing in, Forbes was the quickest to react. Hitting a sweet half volley into the roof of the net, doubling Northern Ireland’s lead in a 2-0 victory over Malta’s Under-21s in thee process.
This was Forbes’ first goal at this level, and on his second appearance as captain too.
And while Northampton Town are on a run of seven clean sheets in eight games domestically – Forbes has featured in five of those matches, too – another would come his way in Belfast.
In fact, the last time Forbes started a game and did not end it with a clean sheet, Northern Ireland’s youngsters were being held to a 1-1 draw with Georgia exactly a month ago.
Kevin Nolan knew Northampton spell would help Forbes
Capped twice by his country at senior level, Northampton coach Kevin Nolan backed Forbes to force his way back into Michael O’Neill’s plans.
After recovering from the injury issues which had stalled his progress at West Ham, the Cobblers boss and one-time London Stadium assistant knew that a season of regular football in League One would jump-start Forbes’ career.
And while a senior return is yet to arrive, a goal, a clean sheet and another impressive captain’s display for the Under-21s is a step in the right direction for the former Dungannon Swifts prospect.
By his own admission, Michael Forbes is learning a lot under Nolan at Sixfields. A la Potts, Marshall and Earthy before him, leaving the sanitised world of academy football for the mud and nettles of the lower leagues – Forbes helped the Cobblers to a grim 0-0 draw on a miserable weekend in Staffordshire last time out – is teaching him far more than Premier League 2 action ever could.
“West Ham know when a player is ready and needs first-team minutes,” Forbes told the Northampton Chronicle this week. “Thankfully, I’ve settled in well and hopefully I can just keep getting better. That’s the main thing for me.
“It’s an unbelievable experience for me and I just want to keep playing more and more games for Northampton. I’m loving my time here and hopefully I can continue my form and we can keep winning games and keep racking up clean sheets.
“The atmosphere is a big difference. When you go away with the academy team, there’s no fans and there’s no real pressure and it’s not a hostile environment.“The other thing is that teams play the same way every week at youth level and you know everyone is going to play out from the back.
“But in League One, you could play a direct team one week and then a possession team the next week. Those are things you have to deal with and you have to make adjustments as a young player. It’s about winning your individual battles.”
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
