Appalling treatment of the youth team

[Bagger Vance]

Originally Posted by WrexhamO

https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/sport/1...-rising-stars/

I like that he's gone to the press and he's showing enthusiasm but.....

The lads were thrown in when Keates wanted to throw a couple of games to protect the 1st team, that's not good for their long term development and not a tick in the box for the centre. The tick in the box is when the team has 2 or 3 regulars in games that matter.

Also Matty and Jack - signed, put out on loan, released. What sort of pathway is that?

Danny was sold years ago, Maxi and Taylor before that, Johhny now a good few years out of the door as well when they were desperate to sell him rather than play him.

None of those mentioned from last season have been offered anything yet and probably the most promising has upped and left.

If I was cynical I would say this was timed to coincide with a resolution heading the members way that the board are likely to want the members to ignore.

[FieldtownRed]

Originally Posted by WrexhamO

https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/sport/1...-rising-stars/

"Mathew Jones, Max Cleworth, Cian Williams, Bobby Beaumont, Callum Huxley, Kyle Robinson-Murray and Jake Bickerstaff, who found the net against Ayr, all made first team appearances, with Lewis Parry, Jac Humphreys, Jamie Nash and Sam Williams included in matchday squads."

Are these all still with the club? Any of them?

[Bagger Vance]

Originally Posted by FieldtownRed

"Mathew Jones, Max Cleworth, Cian Williams, Bobby Beaumont, Callum Huxley, Kyle Robinson-Murray and Jake Bickerstaff, who found the net against Ayr, all made first team appearances, with Lewis Parry, Jac Humphreys, Jamie Nash and Sam Williams included in matchday squads."

Are these all still with the club? Any of them?

Nope. Bobby gone, Jake not offered anything, Lewis Parry left - not sure what the others are doing but no 1st year pro's offered yet as far as I am aware.

[LlayDragon]

Originally Posted by Bagger Vance

I like that he's gone to the press and he's showing enthusiasm but.....

The lads were thrown in when Keates wanted to throw a couple of games to protect the 1st team, that's not good for their long term development and not a tick in the box for the centre. The tick in the box is when the team has 2 or 3 regulars in games that matter.

Also Matty and Jack - signed, put out on loan, released. What sort of pathway is that?

Danny was sold years ago, Maxi and Taylor before that, Johhny now a good few years out of the door as well when they were desperate to sell him rather than play him.

None of those mentioned from last season have been offered anything yet and probably the most promising has upped and left.

If I was cynical I would say this was timed to coincide with a resolution heading the members way that the board are likely to want the members to ignore.

Considering the board's actions I don't think this counts as cynicism.

Glass half-full and all that........

[Hightown Brymbo Red]

Originally Posted by WrexhamO

https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/sport/1...-rising-stars/

Spin spin spin

[WrexhamO]

Bagger, who did you have down as most promising?

Any idea where Bobby is going?

[Haruki]

Resolution R lads, vote to support it if you want to see improvements to our Youth set up.

Over the past 10 years we have seen a reduction in the standards of youth at Wrexham FC. Our Under 19 team play at a Tier 3 College System.


There are significantly reduced chances for our youngsters to stake a claim in the first team. We loan young players from other clubs as oppose to utilising our own. The pathway from youth to first team football has been taken away and not replaced with suitable alternatives

(eg under 23 or under 21 football). The Centre of Excellence and youth teams do not regularly feature on the club’s social media channels or in briefing updates sent to members from the WST board.


However, we do not have to look too far back to see the financial riches that can be involved in producing high quality youngsters due to the sell on clause we benefited from when Danny Ward transferred from Liverpool to Leicester netting the club a significant amount of money that would be very difficult to obtain through other income generation channels.


Club Directors when questioned, always point to a lack of CoE funding outside of the Football league. Whilst this is true it is a failed strategy they appear to be employing to wait for promotion to the football league to run an effective youth system. With each passing year our system is further away from other successful ones in the area and we are another age group away from producing the quality of players we desire.


It is also a lazy excuse that the club Directors have used saying that the funding is not available given that there have been no obvious attempts at gaining sponsorship for the youth set up. In the club’s sponsorship brochure there are no opportunities to sponsor youth football.



Proposal

The club is to appoint a Director of Wrexham FC with the remit of having responsibility for the youth of the club. This role reports directly to the WST board and being a football role should always form part of the panel when interviewing for first team managers and coaches. This person can be appointed from within the WST board if a suitable person exists or could be an external co-opted appointment. It is envisaged that this will be an unpaid role utilising a person with prior skill sets in line management.

The role is to include but not be limited to

1) Recruit and Train an adequate team of coaches including the following positions.

- Head of Centre of Excellence/Youth

- Head of Recruitment

- Child Welfare Officer

2) Ensuring the following standards are met across all youth sections of the club from CoE to scholars (these standards are in line with the FAW Academy Program Regulations

https://www.faw.cymru/files/1615/627..._-_2019-20.pdf)

- All Coaches to hold a valid DBS check

- All coaches to be First Aid Qualified

- All coaches to have attended FAW Child welfare course.

- Minimum of 2 parents evenings per year with player action plans

- Minimum of 20 Games per year

- Head of Youth/CoE to be an A Class coach

- All other coaches to be a B class coach or a C class coach but actively working towards B class.

- Maximum of 12 players per coach

- Minimum of 1 dedicated goalkeeping session per week

3) Promote a pathway within Wrexham FC for youth players to develop into first team players.

4) Ensure that the club has an adequate scouting network to identify talented young footballers in the Wrexham, wider North Wales and Chester/Wirral areas. All Wrexham based Junior Tournaments should have a Scouting presence from Wrexham FC.

5) Ensure the Youth team are playing at a minimum standard of National League Youth football (they currently play at colleges league). Within 12 months of the club gaining Promotion to the Football League, the Youth are to apply for EPP Category 3 status.

6) Work with the Commercial department to find funding streams and / or sponsorship to fund the Centre of Excellence

7) Work with the Media Team to ensure that Youth Football has a visible profile at the club including updates on the club website and Social Media Channels.



The standards mentioned above should be subjected to an annual audit as is the criteria to be an affiliated club of either the FAW or EPP programs. The results of this audit is to become a standing agenda item each year at the Wrexham AFC AGM.



An expectation is that the role will be filed within 6 months of the AGM. If that has not happened then the members shall be briefed in full as to why it did not happen, what steps had been taken and what the future timeline of events is.

[Bagger Vance]

Originally Posted by WrexhamO

Bagger, who did you have down as most promising?

Any idea where Bobby is going?

Sunderland.

If i was the club I would be driving to the Wirral to beg Jake to sign pro forms.

[Haruki]

Originally Posted by Bagger Vance

Sunderland.

If i was the club I would be driving to the Wirral to beg Jake to sign pro forms.

Did we offer terms to Bobby and he turn us down for Sunderland Or did we not offer yet Sunderland deem him good enough?