The Babes of Wilkins

[Barrel of Fun]

Not many left here.

Gone:

Cox to ??
Virgo to ??
Robinson to Shrewsbury
Fraser to Port Vale
Rents to Crawley
Lynch to Notts Forest
Sullivan to Millwall
Gatting to Sussex CCC
Hammond to Southampton
Harding to Southampton


Only El-Abd and Elphick remain.

 

[Ding Dong !]

Won't really miss any to be honest. Onwards and upwards on the Gus bus !!!

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Were Virgo and Hammond products of the Wilkins youth system?

Still, with that record I think it fair to say that anyone who thinks we'd have gone up had Wilkins stayed is dillusional. 7th place (but miles from 6th) was because Wilkins could get the best out of his young players, just not all the others unfortunately.

 

[Spider]

Were Virgo and Hammond products of the Wilkins youth system?

Still, with that record I think it fair to say that anyone who thinks we'd have gone up had Wilkins stayed is dillusional. 7th place (but miles from 6th) was because Wilkins could get the best out of his young players, just not all the others unfortunately.

Shame so many have moved on. Makes you realise ho long it is since we've had a couple break through from the youth team though.

 

[Jim D]

And Chamberlain - called the best of the lot by Beardsley - sunk without trace without even playing a first team game.

 

[R. Slicker]

Are we reporting this as a GOOD thing then? I for one would have been extremely pleased if we had a good amount of home grown talent. I know it's fashionable to knock the kids & support players we pay money for but do you think the gap between league 1 & league 2 is that big. I suspect any of them could have done no worse than the rubbish we saw at the start of the season & Given the chance, Who's to say Wilkins couldn't have taken them to the next level?

 

[BigGully]

Are we reporting this as a GOOD thing then? I for one would have been extremely pleased if we had a good amount of home grown talent. I know it's fashionable to knock the kids & support players we pay money for but do you think the gap between league 1 & league 2 is that big. I suspect any of them could have done no worse than the rubbish we saw at the start of the season & Given the chance, Who's to say Wilkins couldn't have taken them to the next level?

Very good point.

Why would any supporter have a swipe at these local youngsters that went on and represented BHAFC with some success as well.

And looking at the list many seem to have made a pretty good fist of carving out a good career in the game compared to other well resourced Academies, the record remains quite excepional.

 

[saltash seagull]

virgo was not a wilkins babe...he was signed by micky as a pro and didnt come through the youth system

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Shame so many have moved on. Makes you realise ho long it is since we've had a couple break through from the youth team though.

You can't really argue with that list mate - only Lynch is playing at a level above the one we're currently at, and he's not getting a game!

 

[Les Biehn]

I personally think there was a problem with how a lot of these players were brought into the first team set up. McGhee didn't seem to want to know and neither did Adams. With a bit of nurturing I think a few of them would have developed further.

 

[Spider]

You can't really argue with that list mate - only Lynch is playing at a level above the one we're currently at, and he's not getting a game!

Not talking about any list of players - I'm talking about the nonsense you keep repeating about Wilkins.

Also, Les Biehn, I think you need to check your facts! McGhee was one of the best managers at bringing players through (didn't he bring in Cox, Robinson, Lynch, 2 Elphicks etc?). It's managers since Wilkins that haven't been interested, though whether this is because they don#t like playing youth or simply that we don't have any good enough we don't know.

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

Crack the 40 open homie and GUZZLE IT

 

[BigGully]

virgo was not a wilkins babe...he was signed by micky as a pro and didnt come through the youth system

I think you will find he was.

I think he came in a little later, but was still a youth team player for a while and even after that was coached by Wilkins as a young player.

I am not sure but maybe it was at a time when YTS had 3 years rather than the present 2 year scholarships, so that extra year would of given direct daily coaching by Wilkins on him.

Ultimately only Virgo can vouch for his impact on his career, however it is likely Virgo would accept that Wilkins had a positive influence on him.

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Not talking about any list of players - I'm talking about the nonsense you keep repeating about Wilkins.

Also, Les Biehn, I think you need to check your facts! McGhee was one of the best managers at bringing players through (didn't he bring in Cox and Robinson?). It's managers since Wilkins that haven't been interested, though whether this is because they don#t like playing youth or simply that we don't have any good enough we don't know.

What nonsense have I said about Wilkins?

Not sure how I keep repeating myself when I don't think I've mentioned him in MONTHS?

 

[BigGully]

What nonsense have I said about Wilkins?

Not sure how I keep repeating myself when I don't think I've mentioned him in MONTHS?

But it is your bizarre interpretation of that Wilkins season, even after our near relegation seasons and ponderous current finish.

The 'bad' 7th finished was played out by the usual suspects prior to Adams appointment and has since been proved wrong, the credibility of that argument is dead in the water.

We are still not back to where we were that season, we have a beautiful stadium, a willing Chairman and celebrity Manager and a highly paid playing squad yet to deliver a mid table finish in Div 3.

Of course we are all optimistic for the future, but until we surpass the success Wilkins offered it lacks credibility to try and offer a distorted view of period that offered so many positives.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

And Chamberlain - called the best of the lot by Beardsley - sunk without trace without even playing a first team game.

He did play a first team game. I was there.

Away to Bristol City in the JPT....

We were utterly shit, that day.

 

[severnside gull]

But it is your bizarre interpretation of that Wilkins season, even after our near relegation seasons and ponderous current finish.

The 'bad' 7th finished was played out by the usual suspects prior to Adams appointment and has since been proved wrong, the credibility of that argument is dead in the water.

We are still not back to where we were that season, we have a beautiful stadium, a willing Chairman and celebrity Manager and a highly paid playing squad yet to deliver a mid table finish in Div 3.

Of course we are all optimistic for the future, but until we surpass the success Wilkins offered it lacks credibility to try and offer a distorted view of period that offered so many positives.

a perfectly reasonable view

It could be considered "rounded" if it also included references to poor man management and undermining the club hierarchy...........but hey, let's move on

 

[Spider]

But it is your bizarre interpretation of that Wilkins season, even after our near relegation seasons and ponderous current finish.

The 'bad' 7th finished was played out by the usual suspects prior to Adams appointment and has since been proved wrong, the credibility of that argument is dead in the water.

We are still not back to where we were that season, we have a beautiful stadium, a willing Chairman and celebrity Manager and a highly paid playing squad yet to deliver a mid table finish in Div 3.

Of course we are all optimistic for the future, but until we surpass the success Wilkins offered it lacks credibility to try and offer a distorted view of period that offered so many positives.

Thank you. You said it far more eloquently than I could/would have done!

 

[RM-Taylor]

Wes Fogden?

 

[saltash seagull]

I think you will find he was.

I think he came in a little later, but was still a youth team player for a while and even after that was coached by Wilkins as a young player.

I am not sure but maybe it was at a time when YTS had 3 years rather than the present 2 year scholarships, so that extra year would of given direct daily coaching by Wilkins on him.

Ultimately only Virgo can vouch for his impact on his career, however it is likely Virgo would accept that Wilkins had a positive influence on him.

he was never a yts or scholar unless he was released and re signed
adams signed him from ardingley college and gave him a pro contract as an 17 or 18 year old