The ‘Not Good Enough’ Kid Strikes Again!

It’s the Hill Dickinson Stadium, it’s 23 minutes into the first half against Everton and the Big Guy from Paraguay, Omar Alderete, is struggling to continue. There are options for Régis Le Bris to consider – Trai Hume is playing an advanced role and could drop into defence. That would allow either him or Lutsharel Geertruida to partner Nordi Mukiele at the centre of the defence, and the other to fill the right back berth.

Instead Le Bris turns to his bench, summons his knight in shining armour, Sir Smilesalot, and club captain Luke O’Nien enters the fray. Since his inauspicious debut in League One against Charlton Athletic almost 8 years ago, where he was hooked at half time, Luke O’Nien has divided opinion. To some, he wasn’t good enough for League One, and versatility and a nice smile were his only saving graces, as he metamorphosed into a right back (who could also fill in on the left).

To many of us, his spirit, attitude and professionalism embodied everything that had been missing with so many of the players who had contributed to the club’s spiralling fortunes. Restored to his central midfield position, nothing epitomised him better than the crunching challenge he made in the late stages of the Playoff final against Wycombe, as he rose from the turf clenching his fist in celebration. It was that indomitable spirit which carried him through numerous dislocated shoulders, which would eventually require surgery.

And there was his comedic side, halting an opponent he couldn’t quite tackle by piggybacking him, and landing a kiss on another who was itching to confront him. If O’Nien wasn’t good enough for League One, according to his detractors, he certainly wouldn’t cut it in the Championship (if you believe the social media ‘experts’). Fast forward to this time last year, as one of the mainstays of Le Bris’ team goes down clutching his shoulder in the opening minutes against Sheffield United at Wembley, in his 44th appearance of the season, and we all wonder if the early loss of our smiley talisman is a bad omen.