Everton face two ex-blues on Saturday. Everton will be greeted by some familiar faces this Saturday as they travel to Salford for their second pre-season fixture. Two former Blues with somewhat identical career paths now play in League 2 for Salford City.
Luke Garbutt and Conor McAleny both progressed through the ranks at Everton and had brief experiences in the main team. Injuries, setbacks, and several loan deals caused both of them to permanently leave the club disillusioned. With the two 31-year-olds potentially having something to prove to their former club on Saturday, let’s look at how they’ve both gotten to where they are now.
Luke Garbutt joined from Leeds in 2009, aged 16, with lots of promise, having already made 29 appearances for England at U16 and U17 levels. At the time of the left-back’s £600,000 signing, Everton academy manager Ray Hull stated, “This is very much a transfer for the future of Everton”. Unfortunately for Garbutt, his tenure at Everton is best remembered for Carlo Ancelotti’s perplexed answer of “Who?” when questioned about the player’s departure during a news conference.
In retrospect, that may have been an unfair assessment. It’s difficult to recall now, but after a few promising starts, including both legs of the Europa League Round of 16 encounter against BSC Young Boys, some considered the Yorkshireman to be Leighton Baines’ long-term successor at left-back. Roberto Martinez was certainly one of them, offering Garbutt a 5-year contract that would continue until his departure from the club in 2020.
After 11 years at the club and six loan spells, Garbutt joined Blackpool, where he spent a profitable three years on the north-west coast. Garbutt helped Tangerines win the League One playoffs in the 21/22 season. Garbutt signed for Salford City in June 2023 when his contract at Bloomfield Road expired, after two years of Championship experience. Garbutt played 33 league games for The Ammies last season, scoring two goals and receiving 13 yellow cards. Despite failing to live up to the hoopla that surrounded him when he joined Everton 15 years ago, Garbutt will be eager to impress the visiting Toffees this Saturday at The Peninsula.
Conor McAleny, who was born in Knowsley, has been with Everton since the age of 11, joining the academy in the summer of 2008. Roberto Martinez assured the attacker that he had a great future with the club, but unlucky injuries and a lack of opportunities stopped this from happening. In pre-season for the 15/16 season, the Catalan observed of McAleny: “He has really good low balance, he can turn, and he is technically very strong.” He has a great finish. So let’s hope he can persevere and avoid damage.”
McAleny’s Everton career was cut short due to injuries. In August 2013, while making only his fourth loan appearance for Brentford, the Scouser suffered a “very, very nasty” broken leg in a match against Walsall. McAleny made only three appearances for Everton’s first team before leaving the club in June 2017 when his contract expired.
McAleny joined Fleetwood Town after leaving Everton. In his debut season, he scored a 93rd-minute winner to clinch Fleetwood’s League One survival, but after a few of loan spells, McAleny departed the club to join Oldham Athletic, where he played his greatest game. With 17 league goals in his single season with the Latics, the striker led the team in scoring. McAleny departed the club in July 2021 to join Salford City.
Last season, the 31-year-old scored just six goals in League 2 for Salford. In Sean Dyche’s second pre-season game on Saturday, McAlany will attempt to demonstrate the “quality finishing” that Roberto Martinez once characterized him as possessing as he looks to put one past Joao Virginia or Billy Crellin.
