Who Truly Cares ....??

[arcadia]

The point made was regarding Ling's record in "getting young players and developing them" so it has everything to do with it.

I don't think that Torquay are in a position to produce their own players as soon as we show signs of developing a good player another club comes in and dangles a carrot. If it starts to cost money to develop players we should feed off of other clubs.

Buckle signed a few on contracts but were they good enough they've left playing non league now. Perhaps Rice is the only home grown but is he.

[tomogull]

I don't think that Torquay are in a position to produce their own players as soon as we show signs of developing a good player another club comes in and dangles a carrot. If it starts to cost money to develop players we should feed off of other clubs.

Buckle signed a few on contracts but were they good enough they've left playing non league now. Perhaps Rice is the only home grown but is he.

We have in the past produced some very good young players who have gone on to pastures new, earning the club much needed cash in the process. Darren Moore and Wayne Thomas spring to mind and also Gary Monk (now Swansea's manager) and Mike Williamson, playing for Newcastle. Luke Guttridge was also at the club but due to Mike Bateson's short-sightedness, was released. There have also been players who have stayed with the club and been regular players - Matt Hockley and Tony Bedeu being two, and going back a bit, Ian Twitchin and the Sandercock brothers. Don't forget we were offered £50,000 by Villa for a lad who'd never been in the first team squad. It's the sort of money we need to survive. Exeter are doing it - okay, they've slipped down the league this season, but their youngsters will learn from the experience and will be stronger next season and probably some of them will go on to bigger clubs. Look at Crewe - their youth policy is a good example for us to follow. I just hope that there will be funds for our youth scheme to continue next season and beyond.

[arcadia]

We have in the past produced some very good young players who have gone on to pastures new, earning the club much needed cash in the process. Darren Moore and Wayne Thomas spring to mind and also Gary Monk (now Swansea's manager) and Mike Williamson, playing for Newcastle. Luke Guttridge was also at the club but due to Mike Bateson's short-sightedness, was released. There have also been players who have stayed with the club and been regular players - Matt Hockley and Tony Bedeu being two, and going back a bit, Ian Twitchin and the Sandercock brothers. Don't forget we were offered £50,000 by Villa for a lad who'd never been in the first team squad. It's the sort of money we need to survive. Exeter are doing it - okay, they've slipped down the league this season, but their youngsters will learn from the experience and will be stronger next season and probably some of them will go on to bigger clubs. Look at Crewe - their youth policy is a good example for us to follow. I just hope that there will be funds for our youth scheme to continue next season and beyond.

[arcadia]

Thomo I obviously did not know enough about the history of players coming through but I've not seen any in the five years I've been here except Lathrope

[Sunnysideup]

Thomo I obviously did not know enough about the history of players coming through but I've not seen any in the five years I've been here except Lathrope

I think you'll find Damon was playing for Norwich reserves before Uncle Paul brought him here. Certainly not part of our youth scheme.
Im fairly sure Moore and Thomas were recruited from other clubs youth schemes (spotted by JJ?)

It's a very valid point that running an academy is not cheap and realistically probably needs to produce 2 (?) players a year to be worthwhile. I often though that the signing of Yeoman and Halps was more of a publicity exercise than a genuine progression from youth to senior.

[tomogull]

Thomo I obviously did not know enough about the history of players coming through but I've not seen any in the five years I've been here except Lathrope

Ah - that's because Mike Bateson in his wisdom (or otherwise) disbanded the Youth Scheme during the last couple of seasons he was chairman so that's why there has been no players coming through in recent years, Arcadia. Damon Lathrope was brought to Plainmoor from the Norwich youth set-up by Uncle Paul as Sunnyside posted. The Youth Scheme was only resurrected three or four years ago (Matt or Forever will probably know exactly when) and so there is this gap when players aren't coming through but hopefully there will be one or two soon ......

[Sunnysideup]

Ah - that's because Mike Bateson in his wisdom (or otherwise) disbanded the Youth Scheme during the last couple of seasons he was chairman so that's why there has been no players coming through in recent years, Arcadia. Damon Lathrope was brought to Plainmoor from the Norwich youth set-up by Uncle Paul as Sunnyside posted. The Youth Scheme was only resurrected three or four years ago (Matt or Forever will probably know exactly when) and so there is this gap when players aren't coming through but hopefully there will be one or two soon ......

Didnt "he who shall not be named" (but has the initials CR) restart the scheme? If so, the only good thing he did....

[DevonYellow]

Didn't realise we were restricting it players coming right through the ranks, because yes we haven't had many (any?) for years who have made it. Halpin had promise (such a shame Derby didn't sign him after the trial), Yeoman hasnt been fancied by any managers and couldn't even impress Dorchester fans, Niall Thompson hasn't broken through either.

Ling got the best from O'Kane which led to his move and Olejnik was an inspired bit of business so he "developed" them quite nicely. He also brought Lathrope through as mentioned above.

What's the verdict on the lad who came back from Villa. Is he any good? Or another Halpin?

[hector]

Matt Hockley was probably the last home-grown product who became a first-team regular.

John James was brilliant for us because of his Birmingham connections that brought a whole host of good players from Sharpe to Moore to Curran to Darby followed later by Thomas, Gregg and Bedeau plus the likes of Gary Monk and Mike Williamson.

To think that could have been supplemented by Dan Gosling, Keiffer Moore and Jamie Reid locally had the youth system not been scrapped.

People have suggested that the youth system has not produced anything yet but it is less than 7 years old. It was around this time that year that there was the big meeting at the Riviera Centre that Keith Richardson - in his role as Chairman for the day, or whatever - organised and it was during that that there was talk of the link up with Paignton Community College, a project that I think Richard and Debbie Hancox were possibly involved with, because I seem to remember they were there handing out leaflets.

So, at the time, the best young players (probably anyone 11 and over) would have already been snapped up, so the best local talent (the youngest of whom) would only be 17 or 18 now, would still be elsewhere - not at Torquay. We will have always had, up to now, players that other clubs did not want or somehow overlooked.

It would be players who are now in that 15-16 age bracket, that you would hope that we would have on a par with other clubs, so still another 3 or 4 or 5 years before we have likely first-team players emerging from the Plainmoor youth system. What non-league football is going to do to that prospect, I suppose is the concern. Youngsters are not going to rushing to join a non-league team, even if we can run a youth system.

[Bomber]

Matt Hockley was probably the last home-grown product who became a first-team regular.

John James was brilliant for us because of his Birmingham connections that brought a whole host of good players from Sharpe to Moore to Curran to Darby followed later by Thomas, Gregg and Bedeau plus the likes of Gary Monk and Mike Williamson.

To think that could have been supplemented by Dan Gosling, Keiffer Moore and Jamie Reid locally had the youth system not been scrapped.

People have suggested that the youth system has not produced anything yet but it is less than 7 years old. It was around this time last year that there was the big meeting at the Riviera Centre that Keith Richardson - in his role as Chairman for the day, or whatever - organised and it was during that that there was talk of the link up with Paignton Community College, a project that I think Richard and Debbie Hancox were possibly involved with, because I seem to remember they were there handing out leaflets.

So, at the time, the best young players (probably anyone 11 and over) would have already been snapped up, so the best local talent (the youngest of whom) would only be 17 or 18 now, would still be elsewhere - not at Torquay. We will have always had, up to now, players that other clubs did not want or somehow overlooked.

It would be players who are now in that 15-16 age bracket, that you would hope that we would have on a par with other clubs, so still another 3 or 4 or 5 years before we have likely first-team players emerging from the Plainmoor youth system. What non-league football is going to do to that prospect, I suppose is the concern. Youngsters are not going to rushing to join a non-league team, even if we can run a youth system.

Kieffer Moore was playing for Paignton Saints in the South Devon League two years ago, so with him it wasn't just a case of a better player being signed up by other clubs- rather one individual slipping through the net.

[arcadia]

You've just stated that Kiefer Moore who I don't know, slipped through the net. I have been involved with semi-pro football for over 30years and know that given the chance players with the right attitude could have made it. There are better players in Devon and Somerset than Halpin and Yeoman out there, I don't want to knock them but it's a fact.

[Phipsy]

Another one who apparently slipped through unnoticed was the tall lad Vicente who plays for Rochdale.
He was at Plainmoor for trials a while back.

[friendlygas]

The truth is that EVERYTHING is now put against the smaller clubs even down to the way that any club who has the money can now poach the young players knowing they will only have to play a very small fee for them. When I say smaller clubs I include every club outside of the Championship. There is not really the incentative to spend the money to bring on young players and you are just as well trying to pick up players from other clubs at the end of the season. We had a great goalkeeper in the Youths last season who has signed for Arsenal and we have got very little for him. We now have another player who it looks like Everton will sign him. It really makes me sick that Premiership clubs with all the advantages they have poach and pay as little as possible for smaller clubs players that they may have brought on from the age of 9 or 10.

[Sunnysideup]

Didn't realise we were restricting it players coming right through the ranks

Perhaps no one can think of any young players that were brought in and developed?

Ling got the best from O'Kane which led to his move and Olejnik was an inspired bit of business so he "developed" them quite nicely. He also brought Lathrope through as mentioned above.

Would that be the O'Kane that played something like 50 odd games (scoring 8 goals) in the Old Trafford season? He was always going to move up the ladder, just a question of how far.
Lathrope broke into the side that season too, well enough to be a starter by the time the playoff semis and final took place.

Olejnik was a good bit of business though

[tomogull]

The truth is that EVERYTHING is now put against the smaller clubs even down to the way that any club who has the money can now poach the young players knowing they will only have to play a very small fee for them. When I say smaller clubs I include every club outside of the Championship. There is not really the incentative to spend the money to bring on young players and you are just as well trying to pick up players from other clubs at the end of the season. We had a great goalkeeper in the Youths last season who has signed for Arsenal and we have got very little for him. We now have another player who it looks like Everton will sign him. It really makes me sick that Premiership clubs with all the advantages they have poach and pay as little as possible for smaller clubs players that they may have brought on from the age of 9 or 10.

You're mostly right in what you say, Friendlygas, but I don't agree that there isn't the incentive to spend money to bring on young players. Take your Youth goalkeeper who has gone to Arsenal, I bet there are other strings to the deal such as payments for appearances and a percentage if transferred on. Apparently, Portsmouth will receive £1 million for Johnson if Liverpool win the title - now, that is a good bit of business ! Not sure if Johnson came through Pompey's Youth ranks, though.

Apart from the cream that gets skimmed off by the big clubs, there are the Div 1 & 2 'bread and butter' players (for want of a better description) who stay with their home clubs, saving them money in the process. As mentioned in a previous post, I think Exeter have five players in their squad who have come up through their Youth system. Okay, they've struggled in recent weeks, I think mainly because of the number of games played in a season, but they will be stronger next season. Yes, picking up young players from bigger clubs at the end of the season is a useful option. One or two came to Plainmoor this season I believe but there isn't that much publicity about how the Youth set-up is progressing.

Looks as if your lot are going to scramble their way to safety again ! But you still need another five or six points to be sure ....... and you've only got five games to get them cos we will beat you tomorrow week !!!!!!!!!!!!!!