Southampton have been a side renowned globally for their academy over the years, but it has arguably been a decade since the club produced a real talent of their own.
Luke Shaw and James Ward-Prowse made their first forays into the Southampton first team in 2012 and are now very much established Premier League players at Manchester United and West Ham United respectively.
Since then, a number of players have had a lot of promise but failed to become real stars.
One player who will be hoping to break that chain is 18-year-old forward Dom Ballard, as he is another one impressing away from St Mary’s Stadium this season.
Dom Ballard reunited with Ruben Sellés at Reading
Initially, the plan was for Ballard to stay at Southampton this season and try and become a regular inclusion in the first-team squad.
Russell Martin is said to have been impressed by what he has seen of the youngster and was keen to have him learn from being around the senior side this season, but when Reading offered to take the striker on loan for the season it was too good a development opportunity to turn down.
The Berkshire club were relegated to League One last season and the location of the club – only around 48 miles from Southampton – was likely a factor in the decision to allow Ballard to make the move. The main reason the loan was so attractive, though, is that Ruben Sellés is manager of the club and knows all about Ballard from his time as coach and then manager at Southampton.
It did not work out for Sellés in his first spell as a manager at Southampton last season, but his relationship with the club was undoubtedly a massive factor in allowing Ballard to make the temporary switch.
How is Dom Ballard performing at Reading this season?
Despite the existing relationship with Sellés, Southampton would not have allowed the man who scored against Cambridge United in his senior debut in the Carabao Cup last season to make the move unless they felt he would get sufficient game time.
This faith has been repaid, as Ballard has started five and come off the bench in another four league games already this season.
The England under-19 international has found himself in a difficult environment, with the Royals having been deducted four points this season due to ongoing financial troubles, yet he has been determined to seize the opportunity to play regular senior football and will undoubtedly be learning a lot in England’s third tier.
Ballard has earned his opportunities. In the nine league games he has featured in he has scored three goals, although unfortunately for Ballard these have all come in defeats. Reading sit bottom of the table after 16 games and even without their points deductions would be in the relegation zone.
It hasn’t all been doom and gloom, with a remarkable 9-0 win over Exeter City in the EFL Trophy a real highlight; Ballard scoring two and assisting a further two.
Southampton will have the opportunity to recall Ballard in January, as they insist on inserting a clause that allows them to do so in all loan agreements.
That being said, Ballard will be relishing regular football and it will be far more valuable for the marksman than being on the periphery of Martin’s Saints so perhaps, for now, Reading is the best place for the man Southampton hope will be their next academy star.