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The seperation of the First team squad, the development squad AND the reserve team







CheeseRolls

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 27, 2009
6,163
Shoreham Beach
As I understand it to play with the big boys in the premier reserve league you must first have an Academy.

This leaves us in a regional reserves league with a grand total of 10 fixtures for the season. So reserve fixtures are fulfilled by the development squad supplemented by members of the first team squad requiring match practice. the Development squad then play informal matches against other clubs, including the big guns, who are not happy about the rigid requirements of the premier reserve league.
 










severnside gull

Well-known member
May 16, 2007
24,762
By the seaside in West Somerset
Do you have a source for this delineation or have you guessed it?

I would guess it is more realistically..................

FIRST TEAM SQUAD

Ankergren
Brezovan
Poke

Calderon
Vincelot

Dunk
Greer
El-abd
Elphick

Painter
Tarrico

Bridcutt
Navaro
Dicker
Sparrow
Harley

Vicente
Lua-lua
Noone
Buckley

Barnes
CMS
Hoskins


Smith (Jamie)
Bergkamp

DEVELOPMENT SQUAD

Walker
East

Hall
Branco
Cook
Sampayo

Kasim
Simmonds
Forster-Caskey
Rodgers

Barker
Agdestein

RESERVES
Essentially the development squad but very occassionally supplemented by first team squad players in need of game time



*scholars/apprentices sitting/playing between Youth and Development Squads and also studying.
Strong*
Sherriff*
Vickers*
Woodley*
Redwood*
Smith (James)*



Jamie Smith, Bergkamp and Poke are in the unenviable position of sitting between the development squad and first team for one reason or another. Smith seems likely to leave at the end of his contract in January. Poke is reportedly an excellent trainer and will probably stay because it helps keep the others on their toes. Who knows where things lie with Bergkamp but he will only improve with game time so if he doesn't play my guess is he will go home sooner rather than later.
 
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Aug 4, 2011
707
Reserves tonight -

From Seagulls site..


Albion boss Gus Poyet has urged fans to abandon the sofa, forget the Champions League and enjoy the free flowing football that clinched a league and cup double for the club's reserve side last season.

Largely made up from Albion's Development Squad, the reserves are Sussex Senior Cup holders and reigning Combination champions.

They kick off the defence of their crown at 7pm this evening against Forest Green Rovers at Culver Road and Poyet says fans will see the club's up and coming stars playing the same attractive passing style as Albion's first team.

He said, "Once Tano and I signed long-term contracts last summer, we wanted to give the club an identity right through to the youngest team at the club, based on what we were doing with the first team.

"Charlie Oatway and Luke Williams have overseen this with the reserve team and Development Squad and have done a terrific job.

"The reserves have played some exceptional football in the last 12 months on their way to winning the league and cup and it is great to see our young players developing together in this way."

Poyet's set up is similar to those adopted by most top Spanish clubs, and the Albion boss feels it is more beneficial for the club's fledgling stars to remain as a group rather than go out on loan.

"If we know they are going to play regular football at a team whose style is similar to us, then it is something we would consider; otherwise it is better they stay with us, as a group and keep learning and enjoying their football."

Albion's reserves clinched the overall Combination Championship with an impressive 3-1 win at Torquay last week in a display largely regarded as their best during Oatway and Williams' tenure.

Admission is £4 for adults; £2 for concessions and free for Season Ticket holders.

Directions to Culver Road can be found on the official Sussex County FA website.

Albion: (4-4-2) Brezovan; Sampayo, Cook, Hall, Redwood; Kasim, Smith, Forster-Caskey, Simmonds; Agdestein, Barker. Subs: Walker (GK), Strong, Rodgers, Woodley
 




Uncle C

Well-known member
Jul 6, 2004
11,707
Bishops Stortford
There is a 1st Team

There is a Reserve Team of players close to, or in and out, of the 1st Team. These players train with the 1st Team

There is a Development Squad of up and coming youngsters. They have their own fixtures and train away from the 1st Team much of the time.

Often there are not enough Reserves to put out a team in a Reserve fixture so they are joined by appropriate Development Squad players.

Any player in the Reserves or DS could jump into the 1st team if Gus is suitably impressed
 


BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
Could either the reserves or delopement squad play in a league that is not within the pyramid system but of equvalent standard. I think the old Southern League fell in to that category but not sure about now or even if there is a reasonable standard league outside of the pyramid system.
 


CheeseRolls

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 27, 2009
6,163
Shoreham Beach
Could either the reserves or delopement squad play in a league that is not within the pyramid system but of equvalent standard. I think the old Southern League fell in to that category but not sure about now or even if there is a reasonable standard league outside of the pyramid system.

Not sure of the details, but I think a large number of clubs believe the current arrangements are unworkable (including many of the big boys), which explains why the development squad exists and is able to play games not open to the "Reserves"
 




BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
I think that it was better from the spectators point of view when they had the Combination League but apparently it was too expensive. I have mentioned this before but why can't the Football League run a reserve section so that they play the opposite to the first team ie Leicester v BHA at The Walkers , BHA res v Leicester Res at The Amex. With Promotion and relegation based on the performance of the first team. So in theory we could win The Championship and the res win The Championship reserve section or even come bottom but it would add interest and generate income every week for all clubs. They dont have to open all of the ground for a rseerve match unless it was against Man U or Chelsea or somebody with known reserves.
 




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