Albion Centres of Excellence for Kids

[BigGully]

Thanks, I'm not sure that happens at his school but I will investigate.

You really wont need to contact the Club or School come to that matter.

It is probably helpful just to let the lad play to the best of his ability, if he is good enough he WILL be scouted.

How old is he..?

 

[Goodfella]

Thanks, I'm not sure that happens at his school but I will investigate.

Jamie was picked up when playing first as an 11 yearold, then as a 14 year old, whilst he was playing for 'Ashmore', nothing much happened while he was playing at school, need to get him in local youth team.

 

[Tiptop24]

Not correct, I am afraid.

At any stage of signing for a club's Centre of Excellence you are allowed to play for both your School teams and Schools/County representative sides.

Its actually in the rules of Academy and Centre of Excellence's.

You are not permitted to play for your Sunday Club Side.

Your version of Virgo seems unlikely, Harding was recommended by an associate of the club when he was about 14 I seem to remember.

But the 2 week trial when Virgo was 18 and then a 3 year contract, sounds wide of the mark.

It was the U19 Sussex squad. Virgs wasnt with the albion, was playing for the county, was offered a 2 week trial, signed his first contract within that period (if i recall correctly) for 3 years. He was 17, so was I. The albion Boys used to not be allowed to play for the county by the club, Wilkins didnt want it, and the schedule also clashed with the Albion matches.

Harding i mentioned cause i was looking back through an old program and D Harding was listed as leftback, Virgs was a sweeper.

 

[BigGully]

It was the U19 Sussex squad. Virgs wasnt with the albion, was playing for the county, was offered a 2 week trial, signed his first contract within that period (if i recall correctly) for 3 years. He was 17, so was I. The albion Boys used to not be allowed to play for the county by the club, Wilkins didnt want it, and the schedule also clashed with the Albion matches.

Harding i mentioned cause i was looking back through an old program and D Harding was listed as leftback, Virgs was a sweeper.

Interesting post and something I look forward to doing a wee bit of research

I am talking about kids that are of course below Scholar age, as Scholars are basically the sole players of Brighton & Hove Albion and would only play for other clubs either on loan or at international level.

Players below Scholarship age have always been allowed to play for Schools or County Rep. Squads.

I am talking exclusively about Sussex or Brighton Boys for example, for players below Scholar age ( 15 and below ).

Without any precise knowledge, I will still put my neck on the line and say Virgo was not offered a 3 year deal after a 2 week trial at the age of 18.

How old were they in you programme and what was the precise team representing ??

Fire away....

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I am pretty sure Virgo went to Ardingly - certainly his brothers did. I am almost 100% sure that he finished school, so that would tally with what TipTop is saying. I knew a friend of Virgo's piece of fluff.

I also remember seeing him play against my school.

 

[Tiptop24]

It was the Sussex Schools U19 Squad. We didnt have ANY Albion players in the squad (in theory they would then become the squad being the best players in the area).
You will not see any Scholarship players playing for the county after they have signed for a club.
The Virgo story is practically true, i went along with him to the albion for 2 weeks and stayed the year. Maybe they offered him a 2 yr contract with a 1 yr option.
Harding was in the Sussex U19 Squad too.

 

[Tiptop24]

I am pretty sure Virgo went to Ardingly - certainly his brothers did. I am almost 100% sure that he finished school, so that would tally with what TipTop is saying.

YES!!!
i couldnt remember the name of the school. Almost all of the Squad was from BHASVIC (Alan Sanders, the Education Officer for the albion was the PE teacher at BHASVIC, so he "cherry picked" players) and Virgs and Harding were from elsewhere.
David Jupp took the team practice as well......
In BHASVIC team we had
Pat Harding
Ollie Rowland
Lee Newman
etc

 

[BigGully]

Guys

I never said that Scholarship players can play for any County Sides or Rep squads, that I know.

But players at the Centre of Excellence definately can.

Playing for an under 19 Team clarifies that he was NOT signed with Brighton, showing that he must of got his opportunity very late.

I will find out soon the second stage of his rise within the game.

 

[Tiptop24]

BigGully
Wasnt having a go....
Virgo and I wwere training with them, he got his contract offer VERY quickly

 

[BigGully]

BigGully
Wasnt having a go....
Virgo and I wwere training with them, he got his contract offer VERY quickly

Hey TipTop

Sorry mate if I sounded sharp...didnt mean to ..;-)

Actually this is quite interesting, I gotta find out the contract thingy with Virgo

I would of thought that even if Brighton were impressed with Virgo and assuming they had been monitoring him for some time, the club would only offer an initial year, unless of course another club was intrested.

I will find out.........

 

[magoo]

You really wont need to contact the Club or School come to that matter.

It is probably helpful just to let the lad play to the best of his ability, if he is good enough he WILL be scouted.

How old is he..?

Just coming up for 11. He plays for his school and local youth side and is more or less a permanent fixture up front. I just want to give him every opportunity in front of the right people but hopefully as you say if he's good enough he'll be spotted.

He's convinced he'll be a pro so i just hope his ability can match his ambition lol.

 

[BigGully]

Just coming up for 11. He plays for his school and local youth side and is more or less a permanent fixture up front. I just want to give him every opportunity in front of the right people but hopefully as you say if he's good enough he'll be spotted.

He's convinced he'll be a pro so i just hope his ability can match his ambition lol.

My advice would be just to let him play.

You would be surprised who may have already watched him.

His next step would be to play well for his club and school and try to get into any Rep squads, too many youngsters and parents seem to play to be scouted !! invariabley ending up in disappointment.

Between now and his 14th birthday he would have been watched many times from people within the pro game and if he is deemed talented then you will hear.

Good luck

 

[Brovion]

My advice would be just to let him play.

You would be surprised who may have already watched him.

His next step would be to play well for his club and school and try to get into any Rep squads, too many youngsters and parents seem to play to be scouted !! invariabley ending up in disappointment.

Between now and his 14th birthday he would have been watched many times from people within the pro game and if he is deemed talented then you will hear.

Good luck

Agreed. At my son's club whilst it wouldn't be fair to say there was a 'constant stream' of boys going to the Albion from ages 8-14 almost every season the Albion would ask one or two down to have a look at them. Also it was always the best players, never ones that just had the odd good game so you know they'd been watching over a period of time.

Be prepared to 'let go of the dream' though. Out of all the boys that I know who the Albion have had at the Centre of Excellence only one is still there - or two if you include Tom Fraser!

 

[Mrs Coach]

One of our local youth teams (volunteers - not paid clubs - just like us) actually has a policy of asking the best players from other teams to transfer into their club (and I know this to be true, because Lil' Coach was asked to go and this 'word of mouth' policy was explained to me - I politely turned them down with a smile!). Not suprisingly, this club IS one of the best around, but I was so suprised when the mother of one of the kids who 'moved' to this club was complaining to me the other week that their three best players have been scooped up by the Albion (not including her son, probably hence the anger!). Seriously! Do they expect to take the best players from other teams and then they'll stay with a voluntary club when offered to go to the Albion? She was nearly purple with rage that their 'dream team' had been decimated by the removal of the 'winning' players! C'est la vie honey - what goes around, comes around! We prefer to try and make all our players the best they can be - I'm never more pleased than when one of ours makes it through hard work and determination!

 

[BigGully]

One of our local youth teams (volunteers - not paid clubs - just like us) actually has a policy of asking the best players from other teams to transfer into their club (and I know this to be true, because Lil' Coach was asked to go and this 'word of mouth' policy was explained to me - I politely turned them down with a smile!). Not suprisingly, this club IS one of the best around, but I was so suprised when the mother of one of the kids who 'moved' to this club was complaining to me the other week that their three best players have been scooped up by the Albion (not including her son, probably hence the anger!). Seriously! Do they expect to take the best players from other teams and then they'll stay with a voluntary club when offered to go to the Albion? She was nearly purple with rage that their 'dream team' had been decimated by the removal of the 'winning' players! C'est la vie honey - what goes around, comes around! We prefer to try and make all our players the best they can be - I'm never more pleased than when one of ours makes it through hard work and determination!

Some very good points.

The few clubs in Sussex that do 'cherry pick' the best players around, do seem to attract parents that are at the height of their own frustrations at their child not already being scouted.

Its the next best thing and a greater chance to be scouted they think (notwithstanding that they have been watched many times already) .

But at some stage of their development these children will have to improve, work hard, improve their overall technique and show great attitude to the game and sometimes their own shortfalls can remain hidden as they slaughter yet another local Sunday League Club.

They may win a few Medals, but this will only frustrate the parents even more as their own children are overlooked time and again by people that know the game.

No short cuts I am afraid in becoming a good footballer...

 

[Mrs Coach]

No short cuts I am afraid in becoming a good footballer...

Very true - but in some cases I've seen and heard about, it doesn't hurt to have contacts or 'family' in the game! For example - what club WOULDN'T take the chance on one of Beckhams son's, even if he was falling over his shoelaces at ten years old?

Happens in every sport or profession though.... not just footie.

 

[BigGully]

Very true - but in some cases I've seen and heard about, it doesn't hurt to have contacts or 'family' in the game! For example - what club WOULDN'T take the chance on one of Beckhams son's, even if he was falling over his shoelaces at ten years old?

Happens in every sport or profession though.... not just footie.

Undoubtedly true in as much as family's within the same professions.

In such cases there are times when opportunities do arise where maybe without that link that opportnity might not be forthcoming, however, nearly always that will also end in heartache if it was not warranted.

The success stories of footballing families may be down to having critical advice and support ( even athletic genes ) at every stage of the child's development.

If we accept that brilliant coaching is critical to our own children, what kind of advantage do these kids have....!!!

 

[Tiptop24]

Very true - but in some cases I've seen and heard about, it doesn't hurt to have contacts or 'family' in the game! For example - what club WOULDN'T take the chance on one of Beckhams son's, even if he was falling over his shoelaces at ten years old?

Happens in every sport or profession though.... not just footie.

Yes, it happens EVERYWHERE. Its not what you do but who you know.

 

[BobbySmith]

On a positive note I spoke to a Pompey School of Excellance coach who I met on holiday last year in Greece, who when finding out I was a sad seagull, said we had the best youth set up in the south and that included most of the London clubs, he also said that they teached them to be good kids as well as footballers, which is said was sadly lacking at Pompey. This is true as I know a kid at my sons school who is a magic player with a bad attitute, but Brighton kicked him out and guess where he is now, yes Pompey.

 

[Mrs Coach]

That's good. The albion coaches I've observed have been super strict - no mucking about at their training sessions.