I first noticed him on a freezing cold Tuesday night in November 2013. The QPR Under-21’s, then managed by Marc Bircham, were playing AFC Wimbledon in the Under-21 Premier League Cup. As agreed with the owner of West London Sport – David Mcintyre – if I was going to cover them, I would have to cover them properly and for every game. This meant getting two trains and buses to Woking FC’s Kingfield Stadium after a long day of pointless lectures.
Tom Hitchcock stealed the show that night, as he so often did at that level. A stunning hat-trick, one of the goals being an absolute peach. Popping the ball up in the air first-time with his chest before spinning 180 degrees and bicycle kicking the ball past the beleaguered AFC Wimbledon keeper – who had already conceded three that night. Hitchcock was hauled off with about 10 minutes remaining and replaced by a diminutive figure, who judging by his body language was a little nervous and his face was rather young.
Within minutes of coming on the big, bullish centre-half had taken a bit of the substitute when going for the ball. That was to be expected though, the defender had been embarrassed by the class and guile of Tom Hitchcock all night, he certainly wasn’t going to be made a fool by his young replacement.
A few moments later the ball was punted away from the Rangers goal and was being collected by the brute of a defender. Out of nowhere, at 100mph, the pint-size forward smashed him sending him sprawling across the floor with a fair but whole-hearted shoulder barge. I remember sitting up thinking “I like that, I like that a lot!”.
The name Reece Grego-Cox has stuck with me since then and I’ve been following his career closely. Another substitute that night was a little known right-back by the name of Darnell Furlong who replaced Samba Diakite for one of his first run-outs.
The Under-21 leagues can have a lot of big egos in it, these are players that probably won’t make it, but are still paid vast amounts of money. To see a 17-year-old come in and not be phased by any of it shows you a lot about the type of man Reece is. Those that were there on Saturday would have seen Jan Vertonghen hurl abuse towards the youngster after he was nearly caught by one of his challenges. From what I know, that wouldn’t have bothered him at all. That’s his game.
For those that haven’t seen Reece Grego-Cox play, he’s a small but stocky forward and I mean really stocky. Despite being one of the youngest in league, he doesn’t look out of place at all and the physical aspect is a massive part of his game. He also happens to be lightning quick.
Last year I compared him to Wayne Rooney on Twitter in the way he played, he’s got so much energy and strength he is a nightmare for defenders. He won’t give them a moments rest and those 21 or 22-year-olds who want to just turn up and put on an impressive display for the plethora of scouts certainly don’t want to be up against Grego-Cox – he’s clincal and deadly when given the opportunity. The energy and competitiveness he plays with is very unique.
He was given far more chances to progress once Peter Skapetis left the club, remember the uproar? Well Reece, who replaced him in the Under-21’s has gone from strength to strength whilst Skapetis has done nothing of note. The club took a lot of criticism for that, but the difference between the two players is now astronomical.
I’ve watched Grego-Cox play on the wing a number of times too and he looks more than comfortable there. He isn’t just a “full effort, limited ability” player that tears around after the ball, he’s got fantastic technical ability for his age. His touch is very good and he’s got more than enough skill to give a full-back a torrid time – which he did fairly often.
It says a lot about him that he never hides on the pitch either, it can be easy for a young player to let the game pass him by but even when things aren’t going his way, he demands the ball. He always wants to make things happen and is very positive.
The only thing negative I would have would be his aggression. Or would have been his aggression. By his own admission it was something he needed to curb and over the last couple of years he certainly has done that. But you don’t want to take too much of that side out of his game, that’s what sets him apart.
Having been picked up at the age of 13 from Bedfont Sports after scoring 70 goals in one season and collecting the club’s first ever Golden Boot award, he’s impressed every coach he has played under at the club. Reece has also represented Ireland from Under-17 level and is on course to be picked for an Under-21 squad in the not too distant future. His current contract with QPR runs until 2017.
Current Under-21 boss Steve Gallen thinks there are comparisons to be made between Reece and prolific first-team forward Charlie Austin. So much so, Gallen and Grego-Cox have sat down together to study the runs Austin makes in a game so Reece can try emulate them.
“Reece is a lot like Charlie,” he said.
“They are tenacious, they cause problems for defenders and they can score goals. They won’t give you a moments rest.
“Like Charlie has done at times for the first team, Reece creates a goal out of nothing.
“Both of them play off instinct, look at Charlie’s goal at Southampton. That was instinct; he just did it without thinking.
“Reece does the same, he can win you games that you don’t deserve to win just by playing off his instinct.
He’s been looked after very well by the club and is held in extremely high-regard by the coaching staff, he’s from a brilliantly supportive family and I have often seen his parents at the games at the EDS game, which take place on the middle of a weekday.
Reece continued to be a credit to himself, family and the club when he spent the night before he was due to fly to Dubai with Jac Rush, a 17-year-old supporter who suffered a stroke recently. He gave Jac a signed ball on behalf of the club and spoke football with him at length.
He’s young and he’s raw but he’s also supremely gifted. The best thing Rangers’ fans can do is to give him time, he might need to go out on-loan next year and get some more first-team experience, he might need two years.
But say it quietly, QPR fans might have a gem in the ranks. Someone they can be properly excited about.
jordanjamesfoster 