AFC Wimbledon’s recent dip into the free agent market to try and help alleviate some injury issues is a story that most fans of most clubs may not really bat an eyelid at.
However, for Dons fans, this is not a common event. There have been players like Shayon Harrison and Derick Osei Yaw who had forgettable moments in yellow and blue, but Lloyd Sam, a former Charlton Athletic and Leeds United attacker, established the standard.
The forward arrived to help Neal Ardley’s 2017/18 squad deal with forward line injuries and conditioning concerns, but he failed to live up to his EFL and MLS credentials.
Lloyd Sam: The precedent for AFC Wimbledon’s free agent mistakes
Free agent signings are frequently hit-and-miss, with teams limited in their options for filling squad gaps or adding depth outside of transfer windows.
However, Wimbledon, particularly in 2017/18, were a team competing above their means with a roster of League Two caliber.
So, when a winger who had just returned from being the lead assist supplier for DC United in the MLS walked through the doors at Kingsmeadow, the Dons’ former home, many would have mistaken him for the solution to the problems up top, with all of the main men, with the exception of Lyle Taylor, out with injuries.
| Lloyd Sam career stats, according to Transfermarkt | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Charlton Athletic | 134 | 7 | 25 |
| Leyton Orient* | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Sheffield Wednesday* | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Southend United* | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Leeds United | 39 | 3 | 8 |
| Notts County* | 10 | 5 | 3 |
| New York Red Bulls | 126 | 24 | 22 |
| D.C United | 45 | 6 | 10 |
| AFC Wimbledon | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Miami FC | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| *loan spells away from parent club | |||
However, despite having significant EFL experience, including time at fellow London club Charlton and Sam’s hometown club Leeds, he did not live up to his full potential.
Neal Ardley may have contributed to the excitement around the Leeds-born, once-capped Ghana international, as he told South London Press about the offer of a short-term contract to Sam: “Lloyd is a wide player who can make things happen.
“He came here in decent shape, he doesn’t look too far away, even if you always need a game or two to get that edge back.”
However, a measly two appearances from the bench, neither of which showed much promise and provided zero goals or assists, quickly put a nail in the coffin of Sam’s brief spell in yellow and blue, demonstrating to Wimbledon fans that past experience does not guarantee success in free agency.
How can Johnnie Jackson’s new free-agent additions buck the disappointing trend
Wimbledon said in a statement that they are looking into every available option to keep the rising list of injured players, notably in midfield, at a minimum. However, with the numbers significantly bigger than in recent seasons, the pressure to select the highest quality free agents Wimbledon can afford has increased.
So, what should Romaine Sawyers, who Jackson signed on a short-term contract last week, do with the minutes he is given to demonstrate that he can succeed where Sam failed?
First, he will require realistic expectations from his new followers.
Cardiff City did make the decision to release the St Kitts and Nevis international at the end of last season, which the Dons have now taken advantage of, but his last EFL kick came in January, and despite making international appearances in that time, he is likely to need work to return to his previous levels, if he can.
Sawyers will have the opportunity with the Dons to demonstrate that, at 33, there is still gas in the tank and, perhaps, to prove to Wimbledon fans that mid-season free-agent signings can be successful.
With Jake Reeves, Callum Maycock, James Ball, and Myles Hippolyte all wounded, the newcomer has a chance to make an impact, but he’ll have to act soon. If he can demonstrate his ability and make the transfer to a new midfield as smooth as possible, his tenure at Plough Lane will undoubtedly stretch beyond a month.
He has the ability to do so. This is a man who has played a lot of Championship games, and his expertise and experience could be critical in guiding Jackson’s side through this difficult phase.
The same will be said of Wimbledon’s second free agent signing, Sam Hutchinson, who signed only this week.
The 35-year-old was released from his ill-fated tenure with Reading FC in the summer, a decision the Dons hope to benefit from, but he demonstrated at Sheffield Wednesday that he can be a valuable player and team figure.
Hutchinson, like Sawyers, has been signed on a short-term contract to help the squad deal with its injury crisis. The pair have expertise and have demonstrated their abilities in the past, but as Dons fans are well aware from Sam’s disastrous stint, this does not ensure success. Plough Lane hopes that these two deals will be different.
Wimbledon cannot afford to repeat their previous free-agent mistakes with Sawyers and Hutchinson, especially given the current play-off picture and a demanding festive schedule.
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