10 youth players sign pro

[Charlies Shinpad]

FDM is on the way out,FACT!!

DK thinks the sun shines out of FDMs arse,thats the only reason he hasnt gone yet.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Finchley, I never said it was a negative step. Why does everything have to be black or white? Yes, I certainly agree with 5 or 6 pro contracts for the kids, but 10 at this stage of the season seems a lot.

I'm working here on the basis that when does a whole youth team ever form the basis for a 1st XI a couple of years later?

 

[Publius Ovidius]

That you were talking bollocks

so you knew that Currie was going to Ipswich for what ever he went for and that Virgo was to be sold to Celtic then did you?

As I said, noone on here has the faintest idea what is going on at our club, MM and DK know...as they dont post on here then everything is speculation. Even Guy would not know the inner workings of the club

So nah nah na na nah

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Finchley, I never said it was a negative step. Why does everything have to be black or white? Yes, I certainly agree with 5 or 6 pro contracts for the kids, but 10 at this stage of the season seems a lot.

I'm working here on the basis that when does a whole youth team ever form the basis for a 1st XI a couple of years later?

I agree that they will not all make it. The club may not be sure who will at this stage of their careers. As you said earlier Virgs and Hammond would not have been seen as regulars a couple of years ago. They may just be ensuring that they do not miss out on a windfall for the sake of limited wages now.

An example of one they could have not given a contract to is John Sullivan. With Richard Martin already under contract he could have been released. The problem is Martin has interested Everton and Liverpool while Sullivan has played for England under 18s. So who do you keep? I think keeping both and 10 overall is a good step and will benefit the club in the long term.

 

[Brovion]

...I'm working here on the basis that when does a whole youth team ever form the basis for a 1st XI a couple of years later?

Quite. So how can you tell now which ones will make it and which ones won't? Closed question of course - you can't. We don't usually sign 10 but as this by common consent is the best intake ever surely it makes sense to keep our options open on as many as possible? They won't be on massive wages and most will probably spend next year out on loan learning their trade, what's wrong with that? Next year's intake is not nearly as strong and perhaps we won't sign any.

As you say you can't judge everything in black and white but this is 100% unalloyed good news, I can't believe people are finding fault with it.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I'd say it's both a reflection on the standard of the youth team and at the same time a bit of a PR stunt by the club.

Can't blame them for that in our situation.

I think they're sending out a signal to the rest of the league that we've got a great youth scheme here, thus adding value to any of the players other clubs might be interested in, and ensuring they're all on contract if that's the case. It also makes the Albion a more attractive prospect to any other teenage prodigies out there who haven't been picked up yet. I'm sure even the Albion don't expect all ten to become regulars.

But equally, they have done outstandingly well this season, especially for a club of our resources, so I think we should all congratulate them for that, and keep our fingers crossed that, for just about the first time I can remember in watching the Albion, we have a youth team full of genuine prospects.

Now if one of them could just manage to be a 20 goal a season striker (no pressure lads).....

 

[Don Tmatter]

McGhee's Babes runaway champions of League One next season?

If McGhee gets his hands on them, we'll be mid table at best
If these boys are making the step up so should Wendy, he should be assistant manager at the very least!!

 

[Pavilionaire]

If these kids turn out to be any good and they attract interest from clubs with money the fact that they're under contract is not going to necessarily keep them at the club.

Let's assume Gatting scores 12 goals next season in League 1. Coventry come in and offer £125K. Knight knocks it back, saying he's under contract. What then?

These young players have seen Harding and Virgo make big moves. They will want the same, and if they don't get the move they'll be pissed off.

The thing is if we go down we won't necessarily get the same big bucks because of being in a shit division.

This is why it's such a fucker with the latest Falmer developments - move in in 2 years and this youth team will probably stay here because the end is in sight and be the core of the team on Day 1, move in in 4 years and most who are any good will have f***ed off for greener pastures because of the shit state of the club in the short-term.

 

[Yorkie]

I am really pleased that Wes Fogden, Scott Chamberlain and Tom Fraser have been given contracts.
There were plenty of scouts watching at Blackburn and Newcastle keeping a very keen eye on them. At least this way if they are wanted by any other club we would get more money for them.
Nobody expects them to break into the first team straight away but a good mixture of youth and experience will help the club.

Btw Carole also said he would like to play at Falmer when it is built.

 

[Brovion]

If these kids turn out to be any good and they attract interest from clubs with money the fact that they're under contract is not going to necessarily keep them at the club.

Let's assume Gatting scores 12 goals next season in League 1. Coventry come in and offer £125K. Knight knocks it back, saying he's under contract. What then?

These young players have seen Harding and Virgo make big moves. They will want the same, and if they don't get the move they'll be pissed off.

The thing is if we go down we won't necessarily get the same big bucks because of being in a shit division.

This is why it's such a fucker with the latest Falmer developments - move in in 2 years and this youth team will probably stay here because the end is in sight and be the core of the team on Day 1, move in in 4 years and most who are any good will have f***ed off for greener pastures because of the shit state of the club in the short-term.

Pure conjecture, but that's what NSC's for so fair enough. However even if we 'only' get £125,000 from say, Scunthorpe for Wes Fogden that's £125,000 more than we would have got if we'd taken your path of saying "Sorry, ten is too many, we're going to have to take a flier and guess which of you is going to be an Adam Virgo and which are the Scott Ramseys".

 

[Yorkie]

FDM is on the way out,FACT!!

DK thinks the sun shines out of FDMs arse,thats the only reason he hasnt gone yet.

It's true but it is FDM's choice not McGhee's.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

If these kids turn out to be any good and they attract interest from clubs with money the fact that they're under contract is not going to necessarily keep them at the club.

No but its going to mean we are in a better position when sorting out a fee with another club.

 

[Ernest]

Another nail in the coffin of our ambitions as the money wasted on these kids should be spent on TRIED and TESTED ENGLISH lads and not some spotty youths who can't even take a penalty properly.
As Alan Hanson once said you win NOTHING with kids in your team and after our relegation this season I CONFIDENTALLY predict another relegation next season as well

 

[Yorkie]

Another nail in the coffin of our ambitions as the money wasted on these kids should be spent on TRIED and TESTED ENGLISH lads and not some spotty youths who can't even take a penalty properly.
As Alan Hanson once said you win NOTHING with kids in your team and after our relegation this season I CONFIDENTALLY predict another relegation next season as well

What happened to you on Monday night then bottler?
A perfect chance to protest to McGhee, Knight and meet the Coca Cola kid.

 

[enigma]

One joke wonder.

 

[Ernest]

What happened to you on Monday night then bottler?
A perfect chance to protest to McGhee, Knight and meet the Coca Cola kid.

If I wanted to see a bunch of clowns I'd have gone to Billy Smarts circus and seen the real thing

 

[Yorkie]

If I wanted to see a bunch of clowns I'd have gone to Billy Smarts circus and seen the real thing

As I suspected. All talk and no action.
ARS my foot.

 

[Ernest]

As I suspected. All talk and no action.
ARS my foot.

Why would I want to give up a nights pay to see a load of sycophants kissing that potless pillocks backside

 

[Yorkie]

Why would I want to give up a nights pay to see a load of sycophants kissing that potless pillocks backside

There was only ever one person who was going to kiss Dick Knight's backside and that is the one who boasted he would do it if a certain player scored another goal.
Put up or shut up.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Mass clear-out of the senior players in preparation for division One in the Summer then. And a big mistake.

We won't bounce back quick enough. The under-18s are, well, under 18, and there's a lot of Big Boys out there who will delight in kicking them off the park. Plus we're already selling the youth team off to anybody with a shiny penny in their pocket - G.Elphick to St.Albans this very day for an undisclosed, yet sure-to-be-pitiful, sum.

This sucks. The youth team won't be strong enough for next season. The season after, for sure, if there's any of them not been sold off to pay the leckie bill. But we'll be in serious free-fall in Division One next season. IMHO, like.