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Post by mftc on Apr 3, 2024 7:36:21 GMT
It's around this time of year the first year pro intake is announced.
I haven't seen any FA youth cup games for ages and there is no mention of the youth team in the post Keith Brookman programmes, so I don't know much about the youth teams now and none have played in the JPT equivalent.
Kofi Shaw has been mentioned a few times on here and even included in the squad a few times (not sure why JB didn't pick him on the couple of times we couldn't fill the bench?)
Dewsbury? did well I thought in his cameo in the FA cup, and the kid with the double barrelled name who played v Peterborough must be 18 now.
Who is likely to be given a contract?
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Post by percy on Apr 3, 2024 7:46:46 GMT
Hope they have had a good look at some of these, the 3 you mentioned are the only ones I am really aware of (need a nickname for the double barrelled one!)
Then we have Greenslade, Jones and Lawrence who you feel will be a give a year to prove themselves.
Harvey's goal on Monday for Oxford City was a lovely finish. Think he could have a good pre-season and get some game time. Maybe a short loan to a conference team with a chance of winning games or a middling league 2 side?
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Post by gasmania on Apr 3, 2024 9:29:37 GMT
Pretty sure Kofi Shaw signed a professional contract on the pitch at half time in a game recently? Nothing on any official channels of communication though to confirm.
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Post by gasgas3 on Apr 3, 2024 11:45:53 GMT
The clubs attitude in my experience upto now has been are they good enough for the first team on the weekend. If not on your way.
Not having an u23 doesn’t help one bit, and the cost of keeping young players that are nowhere near ready yet, is a stumbling block.
It’s just one of those things. If the financials don’t make sense to keep players that aren’t ready but could be in a couple of years, thats it. A club like ours can’t afford to stock pile players, just doesn’t make sense.
A shame as we lose really decent lads, but on the flip side you get a really good one and they are gone.
I am assuming Max playing / training for Wales as well, and getting over an injury plagued period.
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Post by gassedOut on Apr 3, 2024 12:17:00 GMT
Max Edwards-Stryjewski (not sure about spelling) has been plagued by injury, His Dad I believe was trying to move him out of the Academy a couple of years ago as he was not impressed as to the level of coaching in the under 18's set up. ( I did hear that may have been the reason behind his appearance at such a young age, much harder to to move him out and compensation required to move to another academy ) he has had some bad injuries but was always a decent player and his Dad being a wales selector / coach / youth manager helps.
Kofi Shaw has signed a pro contract 2 years i believe and has shot up and getting stronger so it would be good to see how he fares, the main problem is with his Dad who is really hard work and would have you believe he is off to barcelona next week as he is that good!
Will Larvin and Charlie White both good players, both had a run out along with Theo Lynden last pre-season under Barton. Either Larvin or White had a really bad knee injury against Brentford in the friendly at the start of the season, so who knows if any of those will be looked at?
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Post by gassedOut on Apr 3, 2024 12:27:10 GMT
The clubs attitude in my experience upto now has been are they good enough for the first team on the weekend. If not on your way. Not having an u23 doesn’t help one bit, and the cost of keeping young players that are nowhere near ready yet, is a stumbling block. It’s just one of those things. If the financials don’t make sense to keep players that aren’t ready but could be in a couple of years, thats it. A club like ours can’t afford to stock pile players, just doesn’t make sense. A shame as we lose really decent lads, but on the flip side you get a really good one and they are gone. I am assuming Max playing / training for Wales as well, and getting over an injury plagued period. I think things are a little Different now as I know Both Jones and Greenslade has not cost the club a penny in the last 2 years as their wages have been covered by their loan clubs. I know Jones is back Training full time with 1st team but Bromley are paying his wages until the end of the season and Greenslade trains with 1st Team twice a week and Oxford City twice a week as they are part time but his wages are met by Oxford. So although a 23's would be good, that is where you would need more expenditure as you would need to pay these players full time. I know the Club is quickly trying to move to Cat 2 which means we have to have a 23's side and a lot more investment in the academy... we will see! So basically if our youngsters are good enough to play at a decent standard of men's football they will pay for themselves and I think its a far better learning curve to be be playing competitive Men's Football at a young age than development football now and then. |
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Post by mftc on Apr 3, 2024 12:40:36 GMT
The clubs attitude in my experience upto now has been are they good enough for the first team on the weekend. If not on your way. Not having an u23 doesn’t help one bit, and the cost of keeping young players that are nowhere near ready yet, is a stumbling block. It’s just one of those things. If the financials don’t make sense to keep players that aren’t ready but could be in a couple of years, thats it. A club like ours can’t afford to stock pile players, just doesn’t make sense. A shame as we lose really decent lads, but on the flip side you get a really good one and they are gone. I am assuming Max playing / training for Wales as well, and getting over an injury plagued period. I think things are a little Different now as I know Both Jones and Greenslade has not cost the club a penny in the last 2 years as their wages have been covered by their loan clubs. I know Jones is back Training full time with 1st team but Bromley are paying his wages until the end of the season and Greenslade trains with 1st Team twice a week and Oxford City twice a week as they are part time but his wages are met by Oxford. So although a 23's would be good, that is where you would need more expenditure as you would need to pay these players full time. I know the Club is quickly trying to move to Cat 2 which means we have to have a 23's side and a lot more investment in the academy... we will see! So basically if our youngsters are good enough to play at a decent standard of men's football they will pay for themselves and I think its a far better learning curve to be be playing competitive Men's Football at a young age than development football now and then. That's interesting but do you really mean the clubs they are loaned to, are paying their full wages? I know they can't be on that much, but I would have thought thats still quite unusual. I suspect we only pay a very very small fraction of our loan players wages - eg look at what Vale is alledged to be on at Chelsea. |
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Post by gassedOut on Apr 3, 2024 13:05:59 GMT
I think things are a little Different now as I know Both Jones and Greenslade has not cost the club a penny in the last 2 years as their wages have been covered by their loan clubs. I know Jones is back Training full time with 1st team but Bromley are paying his wages until the end of the season and Greenslade trains with 1st Team twice a week and Oxford City twice a week as they are part time but his wages are met by Oxford. So although a 23's would be good, that is where you would need more expenditure as you would need to pay these players full time. I know the Club is quickly trying to move to Cat 2 which means we have to have a 23's side and a lot more investment in the academy... we will see! So basically if our youngsters are good enough to play at a decent standard of men's football they will pay for themselves and I think its a far better learning curve to be be playing competitive Men's Football at a young age than development football now and then. That's interesting but do you really mean the clubs they are loaned to, are paying their full wages? I know they can't be on that much, but I would have thought thats still quite unusual. I suspect we only pay a very very small fraction of our loan players wages - eg look at what Vale is alledged to be on at Chelsea. Yes that it is, their wages are paid to Bristol Rovers from the loan clubs they are at, and you are correct they are not on much. Alot of youngsters wages would be made up with appearance bonus and goal / clean sheet / win bonus but the basic is pretty minimal. i.e they can earn 2-3 times more playing in National league / National league north and south where players can be on 600 / 1000 per week! I know a couple of Yeovil players at National league south level are on 1200 - 1500 per week. So for a conference side to pay what they pay Jones or Greenslade would be a lot less than paying a full time player contracted to that club so it makes sense for all parties. It is very different when they are full blown professionals or players at big clubs. i would be amazed if we were paying over quarter of the £27,000 per week Vale is getting and in all honesty for that money he should be lighting up every match in League 1 and running rings round other players which i honestly haven't seen! But we will be paying a chunk of money for him. |
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Post by gasgas3 on Apr 3, 2024 16:03:49 GMT
100% right it does make so much difference exposing the youngsters to proper men’s league football.
My youngest lads team has had a couple of Rovers u18s on loan this season, he is the same age, and you can clearly see what a couple of seasons playing mens football makes comparing development games, and the real thing.
Max playing a first team game makes a huge difference to value of a player, getting on the bench even makes it very difficult to move on to a different club with numbers involved.
Rubin Mcallister was a lot of money at u18 moving from Bristol City to Hibs, his dad and Johnson plus the press probably had an effect on the price tbf.
Some excellent players at u18 in their final year, be interesting to see if anyone gets a deal, but because they will no doubt be deemed not ready to go straight in on a Saturday, I think their will be a lot of disappointment, but they will absolutely be making a big wage somewhere at Step 3-6, probably a lot more than the £150 / £200 a week they are getting now.
Good luck to all the lads.
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Post by gasgas3 on Apr 28, 2024 10:00:45 GMT
Question I guess for gasyouthwatch.
Not sure if I’m correct, but did no one from the scholars get a deal.
Just highlights the desperate need for a u23 squad. But more importantly play the lads in mens football.
At under 18, with no experience playing against men just astounds me.
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Post by gassedOut on Apr 28, 2024 10:21:58 GMT
Question I guess for gasyouthwatch. Not sure if I’m correct, but did no one from the scholars get a deal. Just highlights the desperate need for a u23 squad. But more importantly play the lads in mens football. At under 18, with no experience playing against men just astounds me. I believe one has had an offer and another is 50/50. Most have been released. It would appear though at Rovers we have a horrible way of chucking a youngster in the team because there is interest from other clubs but we do it too obviously and it looks false. Dewsbury was one of them with Leeds having a look so we chucked him the FA cup game the very next week. Also Shaw was given a pro early because again there were rumblings that 2 or 3 clubs were watching him. The same happened to Greenslade a few years back. Although it was a scholar stage 3 clubs were watching him and he signed 6 months early to potentially get more money for him and then Covid stuck. We have decent youngsters but nowhere for them to be coached onwards after 18’s. Greenslade went straight out on loan at 17 and worked hard but in Taylor’s eyes not hard enough when everyone at the club believes he should be offered a new deal (even the owner and McCalistar) but MT thinks it’s better to get a club offering him 1st team football elsewhere? All it bit strange. |
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Post by Tilly's Thighs on Apr 28, 2024 10:46:13 GMT
A very interesting thread. Thank you to those who have knowledge of our youth system for sharing it with us, without any drama!
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Post by gasgas3 on Apr 28, 2024 11:29:23 GMT
Question I guess for gasyouthwatch. Not sure if I’m correct, but did no one from the scholars get a deal. Just highlights the desperate need for a u23 squad. But more importantly play the lads in mens football. At under 18, with no experience playing against men just astounds me. I believe one has had an offer and another is 50/50. Most have been released. It would appear though at Rovers we have a horrible way of chucking a youngster in the team because there is interest from other clubs but we do it too obviously and it looks false. Dewsbury was one of them with Leeds having a look so we chucked him the FA cup game the very next week. Also Shaw was given a pro early because again there were rumblings that 2 or 3 clubs were watching him. The same happened to Greenslade a few years back. Although it was a scholar stage 3 clubs were watching him and he signed 6 months early to potentially get more money for him and then Covid stuck. We have decent youngsters but nowhere for them to be coached onwards after 18’s. Greenslade went straight out on loan at 17 and worked hard but in Taylor’s eyes not hard enough when everyone at the club believes he should be offered a new deal (even the owner and McCalistar) but MT thinks it’s better to get a club offering him 1st team football elsewhere? All it bit strange. Thank you gasyouthwatch I get that only a very small percentage make it through, but so many could be there with a proper loan system at steps 3 to 6. Finance I guess is the bottom line. A real shame that one person ie the manager at that moment in time shapes kids football career. DC was brutal, but I guess it is that thing of protecting your job and winning games today. For me a very unstable business model. Great insight thanks GYW. |
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Post by worrelsterlingalbion on Apr 28, 2024 12:57:38 GMT
Does anyone know if the development team is due to restart from next season ? If the majority of the scholars along with Greenslade & Jones are released who would we realistically have left tò play in it ?
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Post by martincollins on Apr 28, 2024 17:00:43 GMT
The club has spoken of a development side, with chairman announcing last week. To then let the manager release all the youngsters?! Case of saying one thing and doing another again.
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Post by Topper Gas on Apr 28, 2024 17:09:05 GMT
Does anyone know if the development team is due to restart from next season ? If the majority of the scholars along with Greenslade & Jones are released who would we realistically have left tò play in it ? All the owner stated was that he would be introducing a Development Squad, no clues were given when that might be, nor where they are going to play their fixtures, given that the Gas Girls are going to be playing at the Mem and The Quarters doesn't have pp for paying spectators nor any facilities for them to watch games there. |
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Post by gasgas3 on Apr 30, 2024 21:37:34 GMT
Wow, lads got back from training tonight and according to an u18 scholar that turned up to train with us this evening that have all been released.
Can’t clarify from one player but Jezz what a waste of time for the poor guy.
Just tells you all you need to know about the plans. Glad my lad is 2 years ahead at mens football at the same age.
We really need to sort this out at owner level.
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Post by gassedOut on May 2, 2024 14:17:10 GMT
Wow, lads got back from training tonight and according to an u18 scholar that turned up to train with us this evening that have all been released. Can’t clarify from one player but Jezz what a waste of time for the poor guy. Just tells you all you need to know about the plans. Glad my lad is 2 years ahead at men's football at the same age. We really need to sort this out at owner level. I just don't think the MT and the current staff have the time or patients for the younger ones. Shaw was signed well before Taylor arrived as clubs were looking at him and I think he was played to help push him to be sold, spoken with a few scouts and he is either love him or they don't know what the fuss is about but that is football 'Opinions'! The one that surprises me is Lawrence being offered a new deal and watching Shaw come on in front of him the weekend gone must have been hard to watch, Lawrence is okay but didn't pull up many trees at Tiverton so he is the only one under Taylor to be kept on. It certainly does put pay to the Development squad for a while with just a bunch of First year scholars coming up to Under 18's league football and Shaw and Lawrence? And i cant see Taylor using valuable money to buy in bunch of 18-19 yr olds. So Cat 2 Academy status will have to wait and any youngsters wanting to get involved putt off as the Club has no clear Pathway through to first team. |
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Post by melrosegas on May 2, 2024 14:18:51 GMT
Pretty sure Kofi Shaw signed a professional contract on the pitch at half time in a game recently? Nothing on any official channels of communication though to confirm. Surprise surprise |
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Post by bidefordgas on May 2, 2024 14:23:32 GMT
Pretty sure Kofi Shaw signed a professional contract on the pitch at half time in a game recently? Nothing on any official channels of communication though to confirm. Surprise surprise Kofi Shaw is under contract and on the retained list. |
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