U18/U21 Development Thread (6 Viewers)

Winny the Bish

Well-Known Member
Feels like we've been consistently terrible in the Youth Cup for a few years now.
 

SBchimp

Well-Known Member
Yep we lost to Walsall in round 1 last night (as did the 1st team last season) we could and probably should have won, all very close, missed pen etc.

Last year we got knocked out in round 2 by Cogenhoe (who lost to Palace in 3rd round 2-1)
We beat Burton away in round 1

The year before we won away at Lincoln Rd1,
Away at Accrington Stanley Rd2
and lost to Villa away in round 3

Year before 2nd round exit

Year before 1/4 final exit against Arsenal

I would suggest its in line with our 1st team if not slightly better, not great but certainly not terrible
 

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
As an addition to Richard Stevens leaving for West Brom, Mick Halsall is joining there too - as Head of Coaching. Scott Curry who was head of academy recruitment joined there as well about a year back. I suppose it is testament to the system we have/had in place that a Cat 1 academy and club with far more resources looks to us but also we have to make sure we replace these well.

18s beat Cardiff 1-0 away at the weekend. Harrison Nee scored a penalty. The 15s came from 2 goals down to get a draw at West Brom in PL Floodlit Cup last night
 

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
What happened to the academy twitter page? Doesn't seem to exist anymore.

Change of academy manager and might not want certain stuff published? Not sure

Since my above post, Karl Hooper has gone to Aston Villa. I wonder if Richard Stevens’ reputation in the game and environment he created was keeping some staff here when they could have left for bigger and better clubs
 

Sky Blue Pete

Well-Known Member
Change of academy manager and might not want certain stuff published? Not sure

Since my above post, Karl Hooper has gone to Aston Villa. I wonder if Richard Stevens’ reputation in the game and environment he created was keeping some staff here when they could have left for bigger and better clubs
Uh oh
 

wingy

Well-Known Member
Reading all the breakdown of salaries recently due to the focus of furloughing in the game signifies the financial benefits of making the leap .
 

Sky_Blue_Dreamer

Well-Known Member
What's going on with the academy right now? Have decisions been made on player futures as it's been cancelled for some time. Does seem cruel that they wouldn't have got the opportunity to impress for the same amount of games but there has been 18 months of games and training for the second years to show their worth and it'd take some going in that time to change someone's mind to give a contract.

Next year could be interesting if it's also disrupted as that intake will have had a very limited opportunity to impress. Hoefully it shouldn't be, but I wonder if games might be moved from AHC because it's open to the public and thus harder to control crowds etc. Wouldn't normally be a problem but if the 1st team/U23 are behind closed doors it could well increase interest in the academy to watch some football. Might it be moved to Ryton?
 

Walsgrave

Well-Known Member
What's going on with the academy right now? Have decisions been made on player futures as it's been cancelled for some time. Does seem cruel that they wouldn't have got the opportunity to impress for the same amount of games but there has been 18 months of games and training for the second years to show their worth and it'd take some going in that time to change someone's mind to give a contract.

Next year could be interesting if it's also disrupted as that intake will have had a very limited opportunity to impress. Hoefully it shouldn't be, but I wonder if games might be moved from AHC because it's open to the public and thus harder to control crowds etc. Wouldn't normally be a problem but if the 1st team/U23 are behind closed doors it could well increase interest in the academy to watch some football. Might it be moved to Ryton?
On the footballing side I agree. March is usually the time when professional contracts are offered or when it is communicated to scholars that they will not be staying on at the club.
Possibly even worse is the education side of things. Boys who are released usually stick around to complete their qualifications - be it English and Maths or the BTEC Diploma in Sport. I feel sorry for those who will have been released and will have been faced by the uncertainty around their qualifications.

I doubt the academy will be moved from the Higgs but if required, Ryton would be a viable location. Back in 2013 when the club were kicked out of the Higgs, Ryton hosted the U18 games on a Saturday morning. Warwick University would not be viable as that too is public.
 

Sky_Blue_Dreamer

Well-Known Member
See Tyler and Rowe were offered contracts and Callum Martin released. Have George Ward and Dan Lafferty already gone? I was sure they were 2nd years?
 

larry_david

Well-Known Member
Think Rowe is quite highly rated but pretty sure he got a terrible injury about 3 weeks into the season hence why Wakefield /burrroughhs been playing rb/wb for 23s
 

Walsgrave

Well-Known Member
Lafferty was injured for most of his scholarship so I presume he’ll get a third year scholar
Is that still a thing? I know that up until about 2012 a youth team could field up to three under-19 players but I thought they had dropped that rule when the new Professional Development system came in. How does it differ from being a first year pro?
 

larry_david

Well-Known Member
Biggest concern with Bilson is his kicking, which has improved. As a shot stopper he is outstanding.
His footwork would need to improve to play the Robins way..
Yeah think I remember reading they don't want him out on loan as he needs to train his footwork, composure, kicking and needs to do that at cov where as the other lad, Tyler is it? Is good in that sense but needs loan time to build up the rest of his game.
 

larry_david

Well-Known Member
Biggest concern with Bilson is his kicking, which has improved. As a shot stopper he is outstanding.
His footwork would need to improve to play the Robins way..
New one year deal. Hope he keeps developing, be interesting to see their plan for him this season.

Tyler also agreed. No news on Rowe yet
 

Winny the Bish

Well-Known Member
Under 18s easily won against Kettering yesterday in their first pre season game.
Aaron Evans-Harriott who we signed from from Cheltenham Town at the end of last season was the standout performer in a 6-1 win at the Alan Higgs.
Any players to watch out for this year, SB?
 

Sky_Blue_Dreamer

Well-Known Member
In the latest pre-season game our 18s lose 5-3 (HT4-2) away at WBA this morning.

An excellent performance from the young Sky Blues who were the better team for long periods of the game.

How did they get on against Shrewsbury at the weekend?
 

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
Blues going for Cat 1, which would leave us the only ‘big’ West Midlands club as Cat 2.

Wolves, West Brom, Villa, Blues


We are the 4th best category 2 club over last 9 years - Leeds and Palace also gone Cat 1 for the forthcoming season so think might be 2nd now (Charlton?)

 

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