WILDER GOT BEE BUZZING
PREMIER LEAGUE hotshots like Mo Salah and Bruno Fernandes were outgunned in the scoring charts last year by a striker who once kept boss Chris Wilder in the Football League.
Ivan Toney’s haul of 26 league goals in 2020 made him the leading scorer in the top four divisions – and that has put him on the radar of Premier League clubs.
He has set the Championship alight after joining Brentford from Peterborough in a £5million deal in September.
And against Tottenham in the midweek Carabao Cup semi-finals, it took a narrow VAR decision going against him to prevent Toney, 24, getting his name on the scoresheet.
He started his career at hometown club Northampton where Sheffield United boss Wilder (below) was then manager and Ian Morris a team-mate.
Morris remembers Toney as being “really quiet” – but he quickly became a big noise at Northampton.
At 16, he became the youngest to play for the Cobblers under Aidy Boothroyd, before making his breakthrough towards the end of the 2013/14 season when Wilder chucked him in at the deep end as Northampton fought to stay in League Two.
Toney came to the Cobblers’ rescue, netting three times in the last two games to ensure they stayed up.
“Chris Wilder gave Ivan so much confidence by playing him at that time,” said Morris, now manager of Irish club Shelbourne.
“Managers can say they have faith in you, but when they put your name on the team sheet, you see it.
“Chris has shown that he knows how to get the best out of players – and he got the best out of Ivan.
“I played wide and I think I set up most of his goals that season. I used to serve up what the coaches called ‘buffet balls’ and Ivan helped himself.”
Morris says that, from the start, he was impressed by Toney’s attitude.
“He was always really, really quiet and when he did talk he had the deepest voice in the world,” he said.
“He took some stick for that – and took it well. He was a tall, gangly lad and you could see his quality. He had the knack of being in the right place at the right time and was brave.”
Toney went on to join Newcastle, but failed to make a breakthrough before building his reputation at Posh.
Morris said: “The next few months are crucial for him. He could get into the Prem with Brentford, but if that doesn’t happen, a newly promoted team could make a move for him.”