Slow on the uptake?

[MikeSB]

Well it all makes conversation of sorts..

The old chestnut of whether we agree with having an academy or not and some like me who saw great games before Dario and the academy is bound to argue that its possible to have this football club with or without one. That's my point really and that the balance of experience and youth has swung far too much one way and to the detriment of the team. It cannot be compared directly with the heady days of the Championship because we also had some very good established players like Brammer and Jack and others. I keep trying to make the point not very well that Dario became transfixed with his Frankinstein Creation which is to be expected when success has come with that policy and a great deal of money. But then we all know what happened after Ashton left and that is my point that during that long downwards spiral, Directors were taking money out of the club and not paying it back and so the academy instead of a 'supporting' role, thus became the c

[Proggs]

The total proof that you're wrong Mike is the last 25 years and how since 89 we have been in higher leagues, or better placed, for over 15 of those than Shrewsbury, Bradford, Oldham, Notts County, Port Vale etc etc and on our meagre gates. We are a small town who suffer from the EPL riches around us but year on year we achieve and compete using our own brand. What became of Oldham after their glory few years? They tumbled back and no money had been spent on a legacy, their ground is an eyesore and their finances in ruins, they go from hand-to-mouth weekly. Even in the last 3 years, being Crewe Alex has ****ed all over being Oldham and Shrewsbury. Your argument doesn't stack up, cannot stack up because the reality is that we have a nice ground, a nice training facility, a good Academy, a good structure and a team that manages to play in the same league as big boys such as Notts County, Barnsley, Sheff Utd, PNE, Swindon, Bristol City - Wolves too. Your rosy nostalgic view of life before

[somersetcrewe]

But again and again, please do not fall for the spin by the club that the academy is our lifeblood and without it, we would be in the conference

But that's the point!
It *IS* our lifeblood - because we *CHOSE* it to be!!!

Every club needs to generate revenue to survive, especially us smaller types. There are probably several ways to do this - but in 1983, we chose to do it the "grow your own and sell your own" way!

So it's not so much a case that we fail *WITHOUT* an academy, as you have said other clubs survive without one, but because we chose this route and have invested so much, we *WILL* fail without a *SUCCESSFUL* academy.

And part of that process inevitably means we *HAVE* to sell - on two counts!
1. To get a ROI, and 2. So that the next Ashton/Murphy/Powell can come through, again so that we can get a ROI.

If we block the sell-ons, the whole thing falls on its knees!

Stopping now, getting dizzy because we seem to be g

[Proggs]

Vale rely on their massive fan base...now that's worked well for them this last 15 years hey

[itwasin]

The Academy has and was a good idea at the time? but time has now moved on, and C.A can no longer really afford to Run it, and now more clubs have Academy of there own. Many supporters who never see this forum site Do Question running the Academy believe it or not with the money its costing, many say get a Good Scout and pay him well with all the money saved to go and do what other teams do when they come to Crewe, and pick up cheap Bargains, at Non League and the 2nd Division likes of POGBA. The Academy at Crewe has done well but its days are numbered The cost is Enormous, every year running it how many does it Employ? Think of the Savings and the team will benefit more, with experienced players mixed with youth, it can be done without an Academy have seen it back in the 60s/70s like Mike says, Its not the be all and End all it just suits a few who are draining money out of the Club, and the team will carry on going around in Circles really.

[alexbarmy]

I don't get this envy of Shrewsbury.

Did you all miss them getting relegated?

[NEVTHEDEV]

Heres a little aside,taken from last weeks Shrewsbury Chronicle,stating that 100 years ago,May29 1914,Shrewsbury`s FC balance sheet for the season 1913-14,was the best in the club`s history. Profit was A£349 15s 3d.
Now thats what you call inflation.

[AstonAlex]

The Academy remains a good idea, the best idea in fact. It offers stability to the club, not to mention the wider benefits to the community at large.

We are a small town club, a selling club and one that will always sell on its better players to bigger clubs than we are . . the only question being the standard of that better club. In many ways Southampton are a similar club to the Alex, but at a level or two higher. Their Academy, as we all know, has produced and sold on Bale, Walcott and the Ox recently, and will soon do the same with Shaw and Lallana. And, just like us, they use that income to keep the club going - they are a bigger club than us, just not big enough unfortunately for them.

My brothers and nephews are all big Saints fans and, oddly, this sort of debate has not taken place there, even when they were in League 1 with us a few years ago. The main area of concern is the debt that they now find themselves in having spent big on transfers to supplement their own play

[out0lunch]

I could be wrong here but people say scrap the Academy and save £500,000, ok let’s do that but wait a minute where does that £500,000 come from that we are going to save? Certainly not the gates.
It comes from the sale of our academy players.

Mike I have also watched the Alex from the 1950s and it was dire. Asking for re-election every year.
I too saw the Spurs game and yes there were some good moments inc. beating Birmingham 2-1 when they were 1st Division. A couple of promotions. Generally speaking it was dreadful

Yes the past was great Mike…. Remember GO GO County, whatever happened to them, ooop sorry non-league.

Perhaps we should go the Swindon business plan of a few years ago? Look at what has happened to that!!
I do wonder though how some clubs manage to buy some of their team especially when like Oldham, as mentioned have money problems.

There are so many clubs that envy our system and that is why they are trying to emulate it so we know it makes sense

[bigroof]

[quote="itwasin"]The Academy has and was a good idea at the time? but time has now moved on, and C.A can no longer really afford to Run it, and now more clubs have Academy of there own. Many supporters who never see this forum site Do Question running the Academy believe it or not with the money its costing, many say get a Good Scout and pay him well with all the money saved to go and do what other teams do when they come to Crewe, and pick up cheap Bargains, at Non League and the 2nd Division likes of POGBA. The Academy at Crewe has done well but its days are numbered The cost is Enormous, every year running it how many does it Employ? Think of the Savings and the team will benefit more, with experienced players mixed with youth, it can be done without an Academy have seen it back in the 60s/70s like Mike says, Its not the be all and End all it just suits a few who are draining money out of the Club, and the team will carry on going around in Circles really