Derby County loaned Joe Haigh from Chelsea in 2022 and unfortunately, the promising youngster hasn’t lived up to his potential since.
The pressure and expectation of becoming a professional footballer can sometimes weigh too heavy on a player’s shoulders. Several players who have joined Derby have fallen victim to a similar outcome.
Derby have a strong history of loaning players from Premier League clubs. In the past they’ve built up a great relationship with Chelsea, loaning the likes of Fikayo Tomori and Mason Mount in the 2018/19 campaign.
Frank Lampard’s affiliation with the Blues inspired those deals to happen but they aren’t the only two players who have arrived from Stamford Bridge, with midfielder Joe Haigh joining on loan in 2022.
Who is Joe Haigh?
A product of the Cobham Academy, Haigh joined Chelsea at under-10’s, making a steady rise up the age group.
The attacking midfielder made an instant impression in the Blues under-18 side, displaying technique and an eye for goal in equal measure, scoring 15 goals and supplying six assists in 31 appearances.
Such form earned him a spot in Chelsea’s under-21 side and the youngster regularly featured during the 2021/22 campaign. He netted five strikes in 20 appearances, including a goal in the 2-2 draw against Liverpool.
Chelsea then felt a period out on loan would have been the best for his development, with Derby snapping him up on a sixth-month deal in the summer of 2022 following their relegation from the Championship.
Unfortunately, the “outstanding” Haigh would only feature twice for the Rams under-21s and despite scoring in a 2-1 defeat to West Brom, was never seen again.
Where is Joe Haigh now?
Breaking into the first team at Chelsea is an impossible task for most youngsters and sometimes the Blues make a huge mistake by selling some of their talent.
In the case of Haigh – who departed West London last summer – it isn’t looking like an error to release the 21-year-old.
The 2003-born midfielder was initially captured by National League side Aldershot Town in October 2023. Sadly, he only featured for 88 minutes in the first team before being snapped up by National League South side Farnborough in February 2024.
Farnborough currently play in the sixth tier of English football and Haigh has seemingly found his level with six goals in 12 appearances, including a brace against Worthing.
To go from the Premier League to the National League South in the space of a year is an alarming drop-off, but it just goes to show, that nothing in football is ever guaranteed.
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