Scott Canham: What happened to youngster Harry Redknapp mentioned in defence of Frank Lampard? | OneFootball

Back in 1996, a West Ham confronted Harry Redknapp about the decision to keep a youthful Frank Lampard instead of Scott Canham.

The supporter made his feelings known at a West Ham Fans Forum.

“I want to ask Harry if he thinks the publicity he’s given to young Frank warrants it because, personally, I don’t think he’s quite good enough yet,” the supporter said to Redknapp, with Lampard also in attendance.

“I also think in the last couple of years you’ve let some good midfielders go for peanuts like Matt Holland and Scott Canham.”

Redknapp then went on a rant where he talked up Lampard’s ability.

He replied: “Well, no, they definitely wasn’t good enough. He is good enough and he definitely will be good enough.

“I let Scott Canham go, he was a good kid, he worked very hard. He’s gone to Brentford, he can’t get in Brentford’s team. He’s 21 years of age.

“I let him go because young Frank’s 17/18 and he’s miles in front of him.

“He didn’t want to stay here. I’ll tell you now, without any shadow of a doubt, there will be no comparison between what Frank Lampard will achieve in football and what Scotty Canham will achieve in football.”

So what happened to Canham?

Canham never quite made the grade at Brentford. He played 35 league games before departing in 1998.

He joined Leyton Orient in 1998. But he struggled for game time and was released after a year, where he joined Chesham.

His form convinced Leyton Orient to bring him back to the club a year later. He played 40 league games for the club over the next three years before departing for Woking.

He went on to spend time at Farnborough Town, Grays United and Thurrock before hanging up his boots in 2007 at the age of 32.

He said: “When it started doing the rounds again, you know what I thought? I wish I had some of the bleeding royalties! At least then I could get my loft extension done.

“I just treat it with humour now. Listen, Frank was brilliant and Harry was right – he’s one of our best-ever England players.”

Canham has now regrets and is happy with how his life has turned out.

“He continued: I don’t look back and think, ‘What if? Why not me?’. Never, not once.

“I’m grateful for what I’ve had and what I’ve got – two beautiful girls and a beautiful wife.

“Life is not about the Holy Grail, it’s about the journey – and I had a journey.

“I may not have been in the Premier League earning £60,000 per week, but who cares?

“You die with your memories, you can’t take that away, and I had some fun. But I knew it was time to stop. I got out with my knees and hips intact and I can run through the park with my kids now.”

As of 2017, Canham had been running a car repair business, called Dent Devils.

“I’ve done the job 10 years now. I don’t miss football and I never tell anyone I was a player.”

There’s no shame in not having the same career as Lampard. After all, he is one of the greatest footballers England have ever produced.