youth team
 

Went to the game against Bury on tuesday and really enjoyed it.
Although most of the team are way off first team level,a few players caught my eye.
Stockdale( no3),carver(no9) and mc pollin(no11),looked like they are ready for reserve team football,and there isnt one!!
Normal route for player development is for them to be playing reserve team football at 17 (second year yts),mixing/playing with fringe players and possibly training with first team at least a couple of times a week.
I would imagine few of our yts have been at other academys,but released at 15
If Acci are taking a long term view of the "community club" avenue,then i think this should be looked at.
Mc Pollin scored a wonder goal,and although physically still growing/filling out is well worth a berth training with the first team,and his develoment monitored

Re: youth team
 

I guess the lack of responses shows the interest in the youth team.

Shame really, as a Burnley fan it's amazing how much interest our youth team get, maybe it's an historical thing with us because thats how we got most of our players.

I guess even at that level it's down to finances and Stanley are always going to be the poor relations when it comes to attracting kids to the club.

Re: youth team
 

Football 19, sort of understand what ur saying, but FL reserve football is very expensive. Last year we paid a vast amount of money to hire venues
(padiham, rossendale, clitheroe) floodlights, medical cover, doctors, paramedics, referees, linemen, 4th officials, hospitality!! Thats before we travelled to carlisle, shrewsbury, Stalybridge and 7 more!!

Most clubs now have opted out of Central oficial games and play private games as and when necessary. I think thats the "future"

Re: youth team
 

I personally think that all full time football league clubs should have a reserve team,playing in a competitive league.
Its the only real way of bridging the youth/first team gap.
The ground and pitches have to be of a certain standard,so why not the infrastructure of club,ie from say under 8s to first team.
The reserve leagues now are usually a under 21 format with a few first teamers thrown in.
With a good coaching set up and scouting system,you will drop on a gem now and again,plus the lads have more chance of playing first team,than say burnley,which could be used as a selling point.
At present(and i know its all down to money),but I feel our first team is beening used by other clubs to play there lads in a standard between there reserves and first team.
For example,say the lad from Bournmouth,did we have a report done on him prior to him signing?,And did we decide hes better than what we have?,or are we just being helpful to Bournmouth
In fact i would go a stage further,(similar to spain),and make it a rule that all schools of excellence/academies,have to develop and play at least three of there graduates in the first team and ban overseas cherry picking.
There is loads of talent out there,we just have to find it,and develop it.