Another one into the Black Hole.

[sinkov]

I feel confident that several of our lads will make it this time - including Aiden. He is obviously still learning and developing.

Don't forget Marc Pugh, now at Bournemouth and Wes Fletcher at Motherwell in the Scottish Prem.

Pugh left a long while before Jay came through. I believe Wes is now playing non league in Wales. There's only really Alex McDonald who's had a proper career in English league football out of our youth system in ten years. Whatever the reasons, for a club that has been playing in the Championship and PL during that time, just one league player in ten years is a lamentable record.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Sinkov, just give me one name from the likes of Blackburn, Bolton, Oldham, PNE, Blackpool, Bury, Rochdale, Carlisle etc who are all p i s s i n g in the same pot as us who have got a kid who has made it into the EPL?

We are trying really hard to be better on youth development than the others but for some folks trying hard is simply just not good enough.

If you use a little imagination and intellect it might suggest Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City pretty much have a head start on little old Burnley, but goddam, at least we are trying!

[sinkov]

Sinkov, just give me one name from the likes of Blackburn, Bolton, Oldham, PNE, Blackpool, Bury, Rochdale, Carlisle etc who are all p i s s i n g in the same pot as us who have got a kid who has made it into the EPL?

Who said anything about the EPL ? I'm talking about the entire four divisions FFS. Ten years of work, ten years of coaching, and if we'd shut the entire show down after Jay, all that football in this country would have missed would be Alex McDonald. I'm not having a go at Alex, he's a good lad, but that huge set up for ten long years just for Alex. All that time, money and expense, how many man hours went into that, all to produce just one lower league player ?

I said it was a lamentable record but that's being far too kind, it's an effing disgrace.

[BackFromABanning]

We have one from Oldham replacing Keane in our first team.

[CaspertheClaret]

I do agree Sinkov but if you think that in the last 8 years we have become a yo yo club (which is fantastic to say!!!) - the likelihood is that you are going to develop less players. When you are financially cash strapped Lg 1 or 2 club that is when there is a necessity (i.e no other option) than to bring through your yoof.

It is great when a player comes through the ranks but it is not a prerequisite at the top money laden levels.

[sinkov]

We have one from Oldham replacing Keane in our first team.

Welcome back mon ami, and of course you're right. And besides Tarko, thank you to Oldham, we also currently have products of the youth systems of, Charlton, Sheffield United, Leeds, Derby County, Crewe, Falkirk, Shrewsbury, Bournemouth and Plymouth. Where do they find them, we can't.

And the jewel in our current youth crown, Dan Agyei, isn't one of ours either, we nicked him from Wimbledon.

[sinkov]

It is great when a player comes through the ranks but it is not a prerequisite at the top money laden levels.

That's true enough Casper, but we've only just got our mitts on all that filthy lucre. For eight of the last ten years, we've been as strapped as the rest of them.

[CaspertheClaret]

It would be good if we could find a balance now.

I was listening to Chris Iwelumo earlier talking about the lads that had been brought through the youth ranks at Millwall (again as a necessity) and I did feel a pang of jealousy!

[sinkov]

To be fair, as BT says, we do seem to be addressing the problem. But at the same time it's got ever more difficult, before a Championship player would have done us, now he has to make it in the PL to be of any use.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

SD is currently on record as saying he is happy with his pool of centre backs. That statement must mean that Anderson who is in the first team squad is in the reckoning and he came through our youth system.

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk...backs/?ref=mac