Leaving MK Dons pathed the way to comeback a record signing and a better player
The striker has made his comeback to Stadium MK
Sticking around on the fringes of MK Dons’ first-team would not have turned Sam Nombe into the player they broke their transfer record to bring back home.
Returning to Stadium MK five years after his departure, Nombe is back with more than 200 senior EFL appearances under his belt, playing in all three divisions and bagging goals in each.
Splashing the cash on a centre-forward though who was once of this parish already, a product of the academy and had flirted with becoming a first-team regular, has some fans questioning why he was permitted to leave in the first place.
Departing though, initially for Exeter City and then to Rotherham United, could actually have bene the best thing for Nombe’s career, according to Richie Barker.
“When young players come through, they need talent but crucially an opportunity,” said Dons’ assistant head coach. “Was he ready to step up with us when we dropped out of the Championship? Probably not, and then I don’t know his pathway after we left. Would he have been what he is now if he had carried on and hung around here for another few years? We’ll never know.
“But we know he was brave enough to go away and play first-team football, to put his head above the pit and say he wanted to go out and score goals. Now it has brought him back full circle.
“Someone has to be at the right place at the right time, and maybe that wasn’t the right place for him at that time, but that’s nobody’s fault.
“Hopefully now he’s back it’s a successful spell here again, and he will be another part of that successful youth department that was working so well a decade ago.”
Barker was familiar with Nombe from his first time at the club, when he was number two to Karl Robinson, until 2016. Though a teenage Nombe did not make his debut for the club until the following year, Barker said he always kept an eye out for the striker’s progress since their respective departures from MK1, and he was excited to work with him again.
“I think he was an apprentice when I was here last,” Barker added. “That youth team went on to do some really good things, loads of them have done well. With Karl’s work with the younger lads, we’d often have some of them in training with the first team.
“I do remember him, and there were definitely times he came to train with us, and I’ve since watched his career thrive.
“I’m hoping he will be the next piece in the jigsaw back with his home-town club.”