Steven Dale writes about Jon Guthrie’s rise from the seventh tier to one of Crewe’s best centre-backs.
Jon Guthrie`s rise into professional football has been one of the few positives over the last few seasons.
The former seventh-tier centre-half has slowly but surely become, and deservedly, the best defender we currently have at the club.
I felt last season he was unlucky not to be named our player of the season. The award went to Ben Garratt- and had it not been for the young keeper’s performances in the first half of the season, I am fairly confident that Guthrie would have indeed won the award. He certainly got my vote.
He certainly surprised me last season. I felt he did a good job when he first broke into the team – towards the end of the 13/14 season, but I didn`t think he was anything better than an average footballer who could hold a position. At the time this opinion probably seemed appropriate, considering he was brought into the side as make-shift left back because, at the time, we didn`t have anyone else who was really worthy of the position.
However, he proved to me and a few others who shared the same opinion wrong last season, as he finished the season as the most consistent defender and, arguably the best defender we currently have at the club. Some could argue that he`d be the best of a bad bunch, but to come from where he has and to have put himself in the position to even be labelled in that manner is a real achievement.
This was a big positive in what was otherwise a dreadful season for the club. A season that saw the club’s other two longest-serving central defenders both has a lengthy spell on the sidelines and former Cardiff defender Ben Nugent struggle for form towards the second half of the campaign. Guthrie grabbed the opportunity presented to him by the unfortunate circumstances presented and put in some really impressive displays, whilst slowly becoming a fan favourite in the process.
For him to maintain the standards we have come to expect in recent times, it is vital that the management team recognise his own personal need, to continue to be used in the central positions and resist the temptation to stick him back out at left-back as the season progresses.
A lot of that of course will depend on the fitness of Zoumana Bakayogo. As we have discovered ourselves already, ‘Zooms` has developed a reputation as a sicknote. Should he suffer an injury as we do expect at some point during the season, then Guthrie would be the obvious replacement.
Apart from possibly switching Ollie Turton across to left back, there isn`t really an alternative otherwise which would be a shame, as Guthrie now has the opportunity to make that Centre Back position his own, something I feel he has earned the right to do. Otherwise, should he have to deputise at left-back, the door will be open to others to impress.