When his season-long loan spell with Stevenage ends, goalie Jamie Cumming is set to return to Chelsea; his parent club since the tender age of eight. And he’ll find the landscape has completely changed again. Nothing new there, then. The Stamford Bridge academy produced John Terry. After that, precious little until Blues record goalscorer Frank Lampard returned to West London as manager. His spell in charge of Chelsea is over, however; owner Roman Abramovich losing patience with the club legend and replacing him with Thomas Tuchel.
Congratulations to @JamieCumming_, the @gcisuk Player of the Month for November. 🏆
— Stevenage FC 🔴⚪ (@StevenageFC) December 21, 2020
Cumming had the honour of being the Blues’ third keeper and among the substitutes for their 2019 Europa League final win over Arsenal; a game where they dismantled their London rivals 4-1. Home games at Broadhall Way and a battle to stay in the Football League with Boro may be a bit of a culture shock by comparison to that brief glimpse of the big time. But at least he has first-team football.
Jamie Cumming: Loan is a part of the process
It’s part of the process with Chelsea’s academy for youngsters to go out on loan. Cumming is literally one of dozens of reserve and youth team players spending the season somewhere else. That’s because there is no obvious path to the senior starting XI with Lampard losing his job.
He gave the likes of midfielder Mason Mount and defensive duo Reece James and Fikayo Tomori chances during 18 months in charge at the Bridge. Goalkeeper has been a problem position for the Blues, though. That’s why part of the £220m summer spending saw Senegal stopper Edouard Mendy come in from Rennes.
In the meantime, Cumming played every game of the League Two campaign for Stevenage until picking up an ankle problem. Struggling sides fighting for their EFL status aren’t teams you usually associate with keeping clean sheets. But he enjoyed eight shutouts in 24 games, before ending up on the treatment table.
That shows what a key part of Alex Revell’s Boro side Cumming is. Former Fulham stopper David Stockdale deputises with the gloves, courtesy of an emergency loan from Wycombe Wanderers, while he recovers.
Back to the Blues: What next?
After such substantial spending in the current climate, Abramovich expects a return on his investment in the Chelsea squad; something that has always been consistently high. That also led to many Premier League predictions in pre-season; many seeing them as title challengers following Lampard taking the team to a top four finish last term.
The beneficiary of all that recruitment may well in time be his successor Tuchel. Getting more out of compatriots Kai Hevertz and Timo Werner will be high on the German manager’s agenda for the rest of the campaign.
Can’t beat this feeling, into the 3rd round 💪🏼 big performance from everyone @StevenageFC pic.twitter.com/jdT8s02liZ
— Jamie Cumming (@JamieCumming_) November 29, 2020
For Cumming, who conceded 26 league goals prior to his untimely injury, it is about getting back to fitness; helping Stevenage stave off relegation out of the EFL. They have a good platform to do that following last season’s reprieve from the drop when they won just three league games.
Revell, who has just passed a year in charge of Boro, will want to try and stay up on merit this term. With Jamie Cumming to return in between the posts, there is every chance of that happening. His spectacular saves and penalty heroics in the FA Cup have already earned him a number of admirers. Cumming could be a name you see playing at a higher level next season.
