Patrick Jones

[Lods]

Originally Posted by louisleftboot

On the flip side, would any manager aiming for promotion start playing a load of first year youth lads and expect results? We can be honest with ourselves and say the absolute cream of the crop would get pinched much lower leaving us with the likes of Rob Evans, Leo Smith, Reynolds etc. I don’t think any manager would have put faith in them to win promotion. And you’re right, dumping the reserve team was a mistake but we’ve been geared towards promotion at any cost.

I’m not defending the youth policy under the Trust but let’s not pretend we’re in the position to start filling the team with 17 years olds. If a championship team comes in for a 12 year old, what can a conference team do? Hold them off for a couple of years? Maybe now we have the cash to keep them.

I don't think anyone would argue playing a lot of first-year pros. But, give them time to develop, players like Matty Sargent and Jack Thorn would have been 3rd year pros by now, Doug Tharme even more. It's the fact we don't seem interested at all in playing them and then get rid of them.

Nobody gets good in the professional game without some professional game time. We're not going to keep the likes of Jonny Smith or Pat Jones once clubs higher up come knocking, but surely we have a few guys that can play at National League level given the right training and experience.

[sparky]

Originally Posted by krux

I dont blame the WST for the lack of a youth programme - we cant afford it.

Though its another example of why that ownership model does not work
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Given how much has been wasted on Johnny Journeyman and co under WST ownership, I'm not buying that argument.

The youth debate has been done to death. I agree with a previous poster, it is the WST defining failure that can't be blamed on anyone else but themselves.

I'm sure the new guys have done their research and are reminded of just how important a part a decent youth system has had in our successful periods in the past, and how important it will be going forward.

[pricey]

Post takeover, I think the perfect role for the WST would be to resurrect the youth system/COE, fundraising and organisation etc. It would be a shame for WST to have no purpose in the new setup, this way it can still contribute towards our glorious future.

Leave first team matters our new director of football, Pele.

[TomWFC]

Originally Posted by pricey

Post takeover, I think the perfect role for the WST would be to resurrect the youth system/COE, fundraising and organisation etc. It would be a shame for WST to have no purpose in the new setup, this way it can still contribute towards our glorious future.

Leave first team matters our new director of football, Pele.

So you want the organisation that decimated the youth system to now be responsible for resurrecting it!?

Fundraising maybe, but nothing else please.

[Haruki]

Originally Posted by sparky

Given how much has been wasted on Johnny Journeyman and co under WST ownership, I'm not buying that argument.

The youth debate has been done to death. I agree with a previous poster, it is the WST defining failure that can't be blamed on anyone else but themselves.

I'm sure the new guys have done their research and are reminded of just how important a part a decent youth system has had in our successful periods in the past, and how important it will be going forward.

The lack of money is a really poor excuse also. What attempts were made to fund the COE from other sources? Opportunities to sponsor the youth did not even feature in the clubs sponsorship brochure.
The youth never featured in any briefing or update emails from the club to members to keep interest up, they were never spoken about to local media.
As an example, once a year we could have had a “fund the youth” game. Get them on the racecourse and ask fans to pay a nominal amount with a voluntary higher entrance fee to fund the youth team. I certainly would have been prepared to pay yearly for that.
The club even rejected the chance to create a Directorship to drive acceptable standards even when all of the work was done for them by a members resolution. This was a zero cost solution laid out for them and they stood against it at the AGM.

As far as the board was concerned this was out of sight out of mind and they used lack of funds as their excuse rather than look for creative ways to keep the centre prosperous

[John Neals Dynasty]

One good thing Saunders did when he was manager is to have reformed a reserve side,I remember he couldn't believe Little had dismantled it.
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[krux]

Originally Posted by sparky

Given how much has been wasted on Johnny Journeyman and co under WST ownership, I'm not buying that argument.

The youth debate has been done to death. I agree with a previous poster, it is the WST defining failure that can't be blamed on anyone else but themselves.

I'm sure the new guys have done their research and are reminded of just how important a part a decent youth system has had in our successful periods in the past, and how important it will be going forward.

Even if Johnny journeymen were good enough and got us competing we still would not have enough cash for a youth set-up.
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[pricey]

Originally Posted by TomWFC

So you want the organisation that decimated the youth system to now be responsible for resurrecting it!?

Fundraising maybe, but nothing else please.

Exactly. Poacher turned gamekeeper init. Keep them away from Pele's businesss and a chance to rebuild following the error. I reckon this could work.

[sparky]

Originally Posted by krux

Even if Johnny journeymen were good enough and got us competing we still would not have enough cash for a youth set-up.
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We'll have to agree to disagree.

Maybe because it was Moss' baby, maybe they just couldn't be arsed playing the long game as it's not as sexy as hiring managers and signing 'professional' footballers, who knows? Quite frankly, I no longer care, just as long as those responsible for it's destruction clear their desks with regards footballing matters at The Racecourse.