All time XI of under 18 Notts debutants

[upthemaggies]

You could make a very decent team out of all of the ex-players who made their debuts for Notts under the age of 18, they'd probably beat the current Notts at the age they were when they first broke through. Why can't we discover decent young talent anymore?

This is just the 1970s and 1980s list. All 17 unless stated.
Tony Hateley
David Needham (16)
Lloyd Richards
Gordon Mair
Paul Hooks
Brian Kilcline
David Clarke
Darren Davies
Dean Yates
Mark Harbottle (16)
Wayne Fairclough
David Kevan
Craig Jackson
Richard Young
Mark Draper
Tommy Johnson

No goalkeeper though.

Just missing out at aged 18, amongst others, would be Brian Stubbs, Pedro Richards, Tristan Benjamin, Mick Vinter and Stevie Carter.
Legends Sewell, Astle, Bradd and McParland were all 19.

[Warnocks Legends]

Omg took me back through the years. I think we do unearth decent young talent but then one of two things happen - 1) They are sold off immediately to the sharks from the Premier League. 2 ) They are never ever played, languish in the reserves, let go and re- appear later usually playing for a better team.

It's very depressing ! Look back at the success of the Warnock years, a good mix of talented hungry youth nurtured by some passionate pros.

It's about time we started that again and with out current crop winning the league, representing us as the lowest placed team in that division , there must be some ready for first team. Surely no worse than some of the first team wasters.

[uysapie]

You could make a very decent team out of all of the ex-players who made their debuts for Notts under the age of 18, they'd probably beat the current Notts at the age they were when they first broke through. Why can't we discover decent young talent anymore?

This is just the 1970s and 1980s list. All 17 unless stated.
Tony Hateley
David Needham (16)
Lloyd Richards
Gordon Mair
Paul Hooks
Brian Kilcline
David Clarke
Darren Davies
Dean Yates
Mark Harbottle (16)
Wayne Fairclough
David Kevan
Craig Jackson
Richard Young
Mark Draper
Tommy Johnson

No goalkeeper though.

Just missing out at aged 18, amongst others, would be Brian Stubbs, Pedro Richards, Tristan Benjamin, Mick Vinter and Stevie Carter.
Legends Sewell, Astle, Bradd and McParland were all 19.

Big Tone played in 1958 -63 before returning in 1970.

[WarsopPie]

You could make a very decent team out of all of the ex-players who made their debuts for Notts under the age of 18, they'd probably beat the current Notts at the age they were when they first broke through. Why can't we discover decent young talent anymore?

This is just the 1970s and 1980s list. All 17 unless stated.
Tony Hateley
David Needham (16)
Lloyd Richards
Gordon Mair
Paul Hooks
Brian Kilcline
David Clarke
Darren Davies
Dean Yates
Mark Harbottle (16)
Wayne Fairclough
David Kevan
Craig Jackson
Richard Young
Mark Draper
Tommy Johnson

No goalkeeper though.

Just missing out at aged 18, amongst others, would be Brian Stubbs, Pedro Richards, Tristan Benjamin, Mick Vinter and Stevie Carter.
Legends Sewell, Astle, Bradd and McParland were all 19.

David Mcgoldrick
Jermaine Pennant
Leon Best

I’m sure mcgoldrick and pennant appeared in the first team before 18?

[TheBlackHorse]

... Jermaine Pennant made his debut for Notts away at Sheffield United, a few days before his 16th birthday. He was then stolen by Arsenal and allowed to rot.

[laddo]

I remember that game well and the excitement in the away end at the prospect of seeing a ****ager wonderkid in action for Notts before his inevitable departure.

[upthemaggies]

... Jermaine Pennant made his debut for Notts away at Sheffield United, a few days before his 16th birthday. He was then stolen by Arsenal and allowed to rot.

He played in the FL Trophy as well a few weeks before that, came on as a sub for the last 20 mins against Hull City at Meadow Lane (our then record lowest home attendance for a competitive fixture)

I think Wayne Dulk made his debut at 16 around that time also. I've been putting player details into a database but I've only done mid-1960s to mid 1980s so far, plus a few old legends. Albert Iremonger was still only 20 when he first played for Notts, 41 when he finished. Tom Keetley, who might be described as our greatest ever striker with his record, was 30 when he made his Notts debut.

One somewhat disturbing fact I stumbled across, which I don't think is common knowledge, is that late 1960s player John Murphy died at the age of 21, just over a year after he returned to Scotland. his death is not acknowledged in the official history book, so it must have been something that was not known to the club at the time. I've no idea how he died. Anybody know? Possibly the youngest ex-Notts player to pass away.

[Stan Marshall]

An interesting thread and just shows what can happen with an effective youth policy and the intent to give youngsters a chance. I do actually question whether it’s viable these days when clubs at a higher level can just steal any talent from you on the cheap.
However, is it really fair to put any of our talented youngsters through the pain of playing for the current first team - unless it’s as punishment of course!
Can you imagine a young forward making a run into space, hoping for a ball being delivered, only for the ball to go sideways, again, and again, and again. By the time the ball is played forward (in the 87th minute) the poor lad has already been replaced by an extra midfielder!
Let’s hope something changes under IB.