Is there any point in Notts having a youth academy

[Woodypie]

Apologies to MiG in advance. Is Michael Johnson the last player to come through our youth ranks and have a good career in football? I know Haydn Hollis played in the first team, which sort of proves the point, and Curtis Thompson has found a lower league place after being underwhelming at Notts. In our worst ever league season not one of the youth team could worry the first team and it has largely been as influential as Notts Ladies where to the club's future. So, does the academy actually bring some kind of grant/income into the club or is it a complete waste of time?

[caj85]

We've sold 3 players in the last 3 years so as long as the costs are at least covered by that then I'd say it is worth while.

We might not get to use those players to our footballing benefit but it allows players like Hollis, Curtis and Bird to come through and give our squad a low cost backup.

[slack_pie]

Apologies to MiG in advance. Is Michael Johnson the last player to come through our youth ranks and have a good career in football? I know Haydn Hollis played in the first team, which sort of proves the point, and Curtis Thompson has found a lower league place after being underwhelming at Notts. In our worst ever league season not one of the youth team could worry the first team and it has largely been as influential as Notts Ladies where to the club's future. So, does the academy actually bring some kind of grant/income into the club or is it a complete waste of time?

We also produced Jermaine Pennant, Leon Best, David McGoldrick, and Kelvin Wilson, all who went on to have pretty decent careers.

I don't know if it's worth it. As someone else said, if the sales cover the costs, then maybe it is. But really, the sales have to far exceed the costs to really make it worthwhile. I doubt they do. And considering our youngsters rarely impact the first team, I'd say the case against it is strong. The fact that Forest have one of the best academies in the country doesn't really help either.

[Woodypie]

So, maybe we should work with Forest to give their academy first crack at first team football. Oh, forgot, Hardy fu...ked up that possibility, too.

[HAPPYMAGPIEHAPPY]

What about the kid released by Notts and now playing for Norwich city in the Premiership ?

[Bushwacka]

What about the kid released by Notts and now playing for Norwich city in the Premiership ?

Happens all the time, Platini, Ronaldo (the original one), Baresi, Gullit, Griezmann, Harry Kane just a few who were rejected by clubs as kids/****agers.

[nw6pie]

What about the kid released by Notts and now playing for Norwich city in the Premiership ?

What’s his name, this one passed me by.

It’s safe to say that Kelvin Wilson is the last homegrown player we produced who we got a decent number of games from and then profited from.

But is it worth it? There’s an emotional side to it that you can’t put a price on. There’s nothing better than having “one of your own” in the team - I went to the same school as Brian Kilcline, for example, and felt extra pride whenever he kicked someone into Row G (I do hope you’re feeling better now, Brian McDermott).

So basically, heart says yes, head says no. Imagine the odds on us hanging onto the likes of Tommy Johnson or Mark Draper if they emerged today - they’d be gone before they had played a handful of games.

[MagpieMike]

What’s his name, this one passed me by.

It’s safe to say that Kelvin Wilson is the last homegrown player we produced who we got a decent number of games from and then profited from.

But is it worth it? There’s an emotional side to it that you can’t put a price on. There’s nothing better than having “one of your own” in the team - I went to the same school as Brian Kilcline, for example, and felt extra pride whenever he kicked someone into Row G (I do hope you’re feeling better now, Brian McDermott).

So basically, heart says yes, head says no. Imagine the odds on us hanging onto the likes of Tommy Johnson or Mark Draper if they emerged today - they’d be gone before they had played a handful of games.

Drapes, Tommy, Dean Yates. Only way to ever get back into the top flight is to develop our own players of this standard. Part of the problem we have had is successive managers not playing the youngsters. If they aren’t good enough we need to improve youth recruitment.

[sidders]

When you've fallen to the level Notts are at, investing in youth is a no-brainer. It constitutes your best chance of rising above your lowly status.

[ncfcog]

Clubs at our level (non league) rely heavily on youth set ups. Squads have to be kept to a minimum so youth players provide the back up needed to fulfil matches. I've mentioned previously that last season Aldershot had to name 11 youth team players for a first team cup match due to injuries.

The costs don't have to be extortionate either. My friend at Aldershot is Academy Director and I don't think he gets paid other than expenses and his ongoing professional development and training badges etc. The academy set up shares the same facilities as the first team so no extra training facilities required either (assuming you already have these facilities in place!).

Another interesting thing about Aldershot is that Chelsea (I think) use their ground for Academy fixtures and cover the cost of ground maintenance for Aldershot in way of payment. Aldershot's pitch is relaid to PL standard regularly at some considerable cost to Chelsea. It's a shame we don't have a team locally playing at a higher level that we could offer these options to in order to ensure some financial stability for the future.