[Albion] The 2023-24 Pre-Season Friendly Thread (First team, U-21s and U-18s)

[chaileyjem]

Weather don't look too bad, as was previously predicted, its blowing a hooley up here.

Tough conditions to play football in. Very gusty but no rain/pleasant enough for the spectators.

 

[AZ Gull]

Here’s the team View attachment 163543

There is one name on that teamsheet that was completely new to me - "Miam Oriola". That, of course, sent my spidey senses into overdrive. I messaged Jem and he kindly took a pic for me:-

After a certain amount of searching, I reckon it is Nehemiah Oriola who has been at Manchester United since joining them at U-13 level from West Ham United:-



Oriola made a couple of substitute appearances for the Red Devils' U-18s last season during his U-16 schoolboy season. I am guessing that he wasn't offered a scholarship and he is now at Albion, either on trial or having secured a scholarship with us already.

 

[Rookie]

Tough conditions to play football in. Very gusty but no rain/pleasant enough for the spectators.

Wasn’t a great game, conditions didn’t help. Calde’s pleas to keep it on the floor were not listened to

 

[Lever]

Saw this and liked it so I share it......

 

[AZ Gull]

Updated with the result of the Burgess Hill fixture on Saturday (and the fact that the ground is no longer called the "More Than Tyres Stadium"). The Eastleigh game took place but no idea of the score:-

(Kick-off times are local)

1st Team:

Training camp in the US?

Saturday July 22 Kick-off: 7:00pm v Chelsea (Venue: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia)
Wednesday July 26 Kick-off: 5:30pm v Brentford (Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta)
Friday July 28 Kick-off: 7:30pm v Newcastle United (Venue: Red Bull Arena, New Jersey)
Sunday August 6 Kick-off: 3:00pm v Rayo Vallecano (Venue: Amex Stadium)


U-21s:

Friday July 7 Lost 0-4 v Worthing (Venue: Amex Elite Football Performance Centre)
Friday July 14 ? ?-? v Eastleigh (Venue: Amex Elite Football Performance Centre)
Tuesday August 1 Kick-off: 7:45pm v Hemel Hempstead Town (Venue: Vauxhall Road)


U-18s:

Saturday July 8 Lost 0-3 v Cambridge Utd U-18s (Venue: ?, Cambridge)
Saturday July 15 Drew 1-1 v Burgess Hill Town (Venue: Leylands Park)


As for the U-16s/U-15s group - the last few years they have participated at the Rey Cup in Iceland in July, but this year they are visiting Northern Ireland to participate in the long-standing Super Cup (used to be called the Milk Cup) for the first time - SuperCupNI

Anyone have details of any other friendlies?
Aside from that - just 5 days until I get to see the Albion! Seeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaggggggguuuuulllllllsssssssssss!!!! (Plus I get out of this f***ing heat tomorrow for 12 days).

 

[shibainu]

Will the livestreaming for the Rayo game be available on the official site? Couldn't find info.

 

[AZ Gull]

An Albion U-21 side travel to Hemel Hempstead today (Tuesday). Is anyone going?

If so, maybe you could post details of the Albion line-up (pic of a teamsheet maybe) as I doubt the Albion will be covering the game in real time (I'm hoping there will at least be a match report after the game, but who knows these days).

 

[jackalbion]

An Albion U-21 side travel to Hemel Hempstead today (Tuesday). Is anyone going?

If so, maybe you could post details of the Albion line-up (pic of a teamsheet maybe) as I doubt the Albion will be covering the game in real time (I'm hoping there will at least be a match report after the game, but who knows these days).

I sadly was meant to attend but I can’t find a lift back so won’t be there.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

I sadly was meant to attend but I can’t find a lift back so won’t be there.

I am shocked Lisa has not steeped up, we need eyes on the ground, slacking

 

[AZ Gull]

Apparently the U-21s beat an AFC Bournemouth side 3-1 today in what is presumably their last pre-season friendly, with the season getting underway on Friday with a home fixture against the Champions of Europe.

 

[GT49er]

Apparently the U-21s beat an AFC Bournemouth side 3-1 today in what is presumably their last pre-season friendly, with the season getting underway on Friday with a home fixture against the Champions of Europe.

With 'senior' U21s out on loan - and even some in the 1st. team squad, I wonder just how young our U21s are going to be this season. I know PL2 league position isn't the prime objective, but I'd hope we can be competitive.

 

[AZ Gull]

With 'senior' U21s out on loan - and even some in the 1st. team squad, I wonder just how young our U21s are going to be this season. I know PL2 league position isn't the prime objective, but I'd hope we can be competitive.

It won't be any younger or older than every other season; that's sort of how time works.

 

[GT49er]

It won't be any younger or older than every other season; that's sort of how time works.

Yes, I know - but at times last year there seemed to be a lot of very young players in the matchday squads - I wondered then (and you probablly know!) how many of the U21s were also eligible for the U18s.
Mind you,I admit that anybody under abut 40 seems very young to me these days!

 

[Bakero]

Nine of last season's U-16s were offered scholarships. So, the ten 1st-year scholars I am aware of:-

Joe Belmont
Layth Gulzar
Ronnie Gorman
Matthew Hayden
Josh Lewis
Callum Mackley
Alfie Mansell (GK)
Corbin Mthunzi
Shane Nti
Aidan West

 

[AZ Gull]

There is one name on that teamsheet that was completely new to me - "Miam Oriola". That, of course, sent my spidey senses into overdrive. I messaged Jem and he kindly took a pic for me:-

View attachment 163547

After a certain amount of searching, I reckon it is Nehemiah Oriola who has been at Manchester United since joining them at U-13 level from West Ham United:-



Oriola made a couple of substitute appearances for the Red Devils' U-18s last season during his U-16 schoolboy season. I am guessing that he wasn't offered a scholarship and he is now at Albion, either on trial or having secured a scholarship with us already.

This lad started for the U-18s against WBA today, scored in the first half and was substituted at half-time. On the PL app he's shown as "Trialist" so I'm assuming he hasn't officially signed for Albion (yet, at least). One to keep an eye on.

Crazy game today - Albion ended up winning 4-3 with a late goal despite only having nine men. Joe Knight was sent-off in the 11th minute for his second booking (quite some doing, that) and half-time substitute Remiero Moulton decided he'd match the feat by also picking up two cautions in the space of two minutes. So Albion, with ten men, overcame a 1-0 deficit to lead 3-1; went down to nine men, lost the lead and then scored a late winner.

 

[AZ Gull]

This lad started for the U-18s against WBA today, scored in the first half and was substituted at half-time. On the PL app he's shown as "Trialist" so I'm assuming he hasn't officially signed for Albion (yet, at least). One to keep an eye on.

Crazy game today - Albion ended up winning 4-3 with a late goal despite only having nine men. Joe Knight was sent-off in the 11th minute for his second booking (quite some doing, that) and half-time substitute Remiero Moulton decided he'd match the feat by also picking up two cautions in the space of two minutes. So Albion, with ten men, overcame a 1-0 deficit to lead 3-1; went down to nine men, lost the lead and then scored a late winner.

I realise I keep quoting myself on this topic but given that nobody else on NSC has any interest in the U-18s, these threads tend to degenerate into the ultimate echo chamber. Oh well.

Nehemiah Oriola made his third appearance for the U-18s today (Saturday). I THINK I'm right in saying that a trialist can only make a couple of appearances for a side he is trialing with. At any rate, for his first two appearances he was shown on the official PL app as simply "Trialist", whereas today he was listed with his own name. All of which would strongly indicate that he has now officially signed with Albion as a scholar, which brings this year's intake up to 11.

 

[Ooh it’s a corner]

I for one am very grateful for the info you provide about the youngsters @AZGull. Info about the youngsters is less easy to find and consequently it is usually the dedicated like yourself who do all the hard work. It really is appreciated by a small band of us I suspect. Thank you

 

[GT49er]

I realise I keep quoting myself on this topic but given that nobody else on NSC has any interest in the U-18s, these threads tend to degenerate into the ultimate echo chamber. Oh well.

Nehemiah Oriola made his third appearance for the U-18s today (Saturday). I THINK I'm right in saying that a trialist can only make a couple of appearances for a side he is trialing with. At any rate, for his first two appearances he was shown on the official PL app as simply "Trialist", whereas today he was listed with his own name. All of which would strongly indicate that he has now officially signed with Albion as a scholar, which brings this year's intake up to 11.

Never mind it seeming like an echo chamber, please keep this thread going - it's just about our only source of information about the U18s! At least with the U21s we get to watch them (when they manage to play on a day when there is no PL game on) and there are highlights to watch too - there is none of that (probably with good reason) for the U18s.

 

[SeagullsoverLondon]

I for one am very grateful for the info you provide about the youngsters @AZGull. Info about the youngsters is less easy to find and consequently it is usually the dedicated like yourself who do all the hard work. It really is appreciated by a small band of us I suspect. Thank you

Seconded

 

[Smithy]

Nehemiah Oriola has now signed.