Scout Report: George Boyd

Should Charlie Adam leave the Seasiders this summer he would obviously need to be replaced.

Several names have already been mentioned as possible replacements, and I'd like to throw George Boyd's name into the hat.

Boyd has starred in an attacking Peterborough side, and the speculation is that he will be allowed to leave the Posh this summer should a club match Barry Fry's valuation of him (a potential sticking point for the Seasiders).

Now 25, he began his career in Charlton's youth academy, but was released at just 16 years old, whereupon he joined non-league Stevenage.

He made his Stevenage debut aged just 17, but it wasn't until the 2004/5 season that he became a regular at Broadhall Way.

His performances in the league and FA Cup attracted the interest of Peterborough United, and in January 2007 he joined the Posh for £260,000.

In his first full season at London Road he scored 15 times in 53 games and was named in the League Two Team of the Year as the Posh gained promotion.

The following season the Posh were promoted again, with Boyd scoring 10 times in 53 games and again being named in the Team of the Year.

In 2009/10, he scored 12 times in 37 appearances despite Posh's relegation from the Championship. He was also appointed Peterborough captain during the course of the season (sound familiar?).

However, after much speculation about his future, he joined Nottingham Forest on loan in March 2010 with a view to a permanent transfer, with Posh owner Darragh MacAnthony labelling the move as 'one of the worst moments in his time at London Road'.

Boyd failed to establish himself at Forest however, featuring just six times and scoring once. As a result, Forest elected not to make the move permanent.

Upon his return to London Road, Boyd signed a new three deal with the club that expires in the summer of 2013. However, the Posh have intimated that he will be allowed to leave the club this summer should an acceptable bid be made for him, with director of football Barry Fry stating that 'He (Craig Mackail-Smith) will be sold in the summer, along with George Boyd and Joe Lewis though, because the chairman promised them that if they stayed and helped to try and get us back into the Championship this season that he wouldn't stand in their way.'

Although I'm suggesting that he could replace Adam, Boyd has been used more as a left winger throughout his career. However, like ex 'Pool midfielder Wes Hoolahan, he has stated that he prefers playing 'in the hole' because it gives him more time on the ball - hence why I believe he could replace Charlie.

Like Charlie and Wes, he also likes to float around the park, and his versatility means that he can play anywhere across the midfield or attack, meaning that he would perfectly into our fluid system.

Again, like Charlie and Wes, he is a very creative player and has a wide range of skills and tricks to call upon. Importantly though, his creativity actually means something - he has racked up over 50 assists during his time at London Road.

It's important that whoever replaces Charlie has the ability to score goals, and as I hope this piece illustrates, Boyd has just that, averaging around a goal every four games throughout his career. Like Charlie he also likes his shots from long range, and has a reputation for scoring spectacular goals.

He almost sounds too good to be true doesn't he? Well he does have his flaws as well.

Unlike Charlie, he doesn't really put a shift in defensively, preferring to concentrate on being a creative influence down the other end of the field.

Also, despite being deployed on the wing for the majority of his career, Boyd lacks pace, although Posh manager Darren Ferguson has said that his footballing brain makes up for this: 'There might be those who say he lacks a little bit of pace but what he does not have in his legs he has in his head.'

Despite this though, there is little doubt in my mind that he would make a great replacement for Charlie, and if the Scot does indeed leave this summer as widely suspected, a move for Boyd would be a real statement of intent from the Seasiders.

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