Could Apter be the new Wes?

He could be but we are constantly trying to replace our own Academy players with youngsters from other Academies.
It's not for me to question the wisdom of Critch because he clearly knows the standard better than me but it must be frustrating for players like Rob Apter to keep being pushed down the pecking order.
He did it first time around and he's doing it again but who am I to complain if we end up with a promotion winning squad.
 
Insider said:
He could be but we are constantly trying to replace our own Academy players with youngsters from other Academies.
It's not for me to question the wisdom of Critch because he clearly knows the standard better than me but it must be frustrating for players like Rob Apter to keep being pushed down the pecking order.
He did it first time around and he's doing it again but who am I to complain if we end up with a promotion winning squad.
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Hasnt Apter been pushed up the pecking order? He made the pitch in our final pre season game and looks likely to get some game time this season. I think.
 
It might not be for you question Critchley, but I will.😁 The model was supposed to be, according to SS when he took over, find young talent, develop and sell on fog decent money. All we have done so far is develop young players for other clubs and loan ours to places like, and no disrespect here, Bamber Bridge. They might as well stay here for all they will learn there, what happened to the model.🤷
 
voyeur said:
Hasnt Apter been pushed up the pecking order? He made the pitch in our final pre season game and looks likely to get some game time this season. I think.
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Yes he has but like I say every potential new signing pushes him back down the order again.
I'm sure he will be part of the 1st team squad and don't expect him to be sent out on loan but 46 games on the bench isn't going to help his development.
Of course until the transfer window closes, and the fax machine is unplugged, it's all speculation.
 
He's certainly the best academy player I've seen in a long time. Labelling him the new Wes is quite something to live up to. We have to trust Critchley and the coaching team to look after him though, I expect him to be a very good impact player and get starts in the cup competitions. If he takes his chances I don't see why he can't get more starts towards the end of the season.
 
Although it does seem that Critch’s judgement on the academy players has been bang on so far.

As much as we all want one of our own to break through, not one that has been released under Sadlers reign (forget the Parasites as they didn’t care either way) have gone on to play at a higher or even the same level as Pool.

We’ve not yet found one ready to go, which is maybe why we raid others academies? Maybe Apter is the first?
 
Chunkylad said:
Although it does seem that Critch’s judgement on the academy players has been bang on so far.

As much as we all want one of our own to break through, not one that has been released under Sadlers reign (forget the Parasites as they didn’t care either way) have gone on to play at a higher or even the same level as Pool.

We’ve not yet found one ready to go, which is maybe why we raid others academies? Maybe Apter is the first?
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I think the point to bear in mind is that there's a lag of maybe 4 - 5 years between investing in and taking the academy seriously, and seeing it start to produce results.

Sadler has been here 4 years now, and Apter plus maybe Holmes and Moore are the result.
 
Insider said:
Yes he has but like I say every potential new signing pushes him back down the order again.
I'm sure he will be part of the 1st team squad and don't expect him to be sent out on loan but 46 games on the bench isn't going to help his development.
Of course until the transfer window closes, and the fax machine is unplugged, it's all speculation.
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Its inevitable we will sign players and we havent signed wide players and only Morgan as an AM so i think he stands a good chance. There isnt huge competition for the positions he plays as things stand i think. Could be much tougher.
 
He’s not top of League 1 level yet. If your ambition for us this year is promotion, you shouldn’t be disappointed or be moaning when Apter’s first team opportunities are limited.

He also looks like a winger and Critch is going 352.

Either send him on loan to League 2 or use him off the bench in smaller games.

Reminds me off Cam Antwi in the promotion year. Simply not quite there yet.
 
Chrismalkin said:
He’s not top of League 1 level yet. If your ambition for us this year is promotion, you shouldn’t be disappointed or be moaning when Apter’s first team opportunities are limited.

He also looks like a winger and Critch is going 352.

Either send him on loan to League 2 or use him off the bench in smaller games.

Reminds me off Cam Antwi in the promotion year. Simply not quite there yet.
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We all love the idea of producing our own players and I love it when it happens. They have to be good enough though.

He'll get minutes this season if he stays. Might well go out on loan again though.
 
Insider said:
He could be but we are constantly trying to replace our own Academy players with youngsters from other Academies.
It's not for me to question the wisdom of Critch because he clearly knows the standard better than me but it must be frustrating for players like Rob Apter to keep being pushed down the pecking order.
He did it first time around and he's doing it again but who am I to complain if we end up with a promotion winning squad.
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Well said @Insider - the ONLY positive about being in League One is to allow some of these academy players to flourish whereas in the Championship it did seem a conveyor belt of allowing the Prem loan players to flourish (or fail) at our expense.
 
NewburyOne said:
He's certainly the best academy player I've seen in a long time. Labelling him the new Wes is quite something to live up to. We have to trust Critchley and the coaching team to look after him though, I expect him to be a very good impact player and get starts in the cup competitions. If he takes his chances I don't see why he can't get more starts towards the end of the season.
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You can probably count on one hand how many players have come through the ranks and made it even at League 1 level in 25 years. Probably have to go to 30 years and Trevor Sinclair to have a produced a Premier League player and 40 years and Paul Stewart for a top PL player.

I'm nowhere near qualified to assess whether Apter, Holmes, Mariette, Tayt-Trusty et al are able to trouble a League 1 team, but at the moment I'd prefer the likes of Patino, Poveda, Simms, Ballard, Fiorini and so on, kids from PL clubs who are smashing it at this level.

So as not to be too hard with our kids, I'd like to see them smashing it at a level well within their capabilities on loan before they are given a run in the 1st team if they aren't quite ready rather than "right we've got 5 minutes to rescue something from the game, go and run your bollocks off and we might give you 20 minutes next time if you contribute an assist or a goal."
 
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Fylde Seasider said:
You can probably count on one hand how many players have come through the ranks and made it even at League 1 level in 25 years. Probably have to go to 30 years and Trevor Sinclair to have a produced a Premier League player and 40 years and Psul Stewart for a top PL player.
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Sinclair played for England at a World Cup.

Alan Wright played Premier League, and David Bardsley played Prem and for England twice.

Bright OS has recently been linked with a move to the Prem.
 
voyeur said:
Sinclair played for England at a World Cup.

Alan Wright played Premier League, and David Bardsley played Prem and for England twice.

Bright OS has recently been linked with a move to the Prem.
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Exactly my point!!!

Sinclair played for England right at the end of his career when we were absolutely stuck for midfielders. Don't get me wrong he was OK. But my pertinent point was, we sold him in 1993 (30 years ago). We sold Alan Wright in 1991 (32 years ago) and sold Bardsley in 1983 (40 years ago!)

I'm sure a few will throw in Matty Blinkhorn, Tom Barkhuizen, Chris Beech or a few others that managed brief dalliances at Championship level . . . but back to my original point, it's not been great for developing good/great young players has it?
 
Fylde Seasider said:
Exactly my point!!!

Sinclair played for England right at the end of his career when we were absolutely stuck for midfielders. Don't get me wrong he was OK. But my pertinent point was, we sold him in 1993 (30 years ago). We sold Alan Wright in 1991 (32 years ago) and sold Bardsley in 1983 (40 years ago!)

I'm sure a few will throw in Matty Blinkhorn, Tom Barkhuizen, Chris Beech or a few others that managed brief dalliances at Championship level . . . but back to my original point, it's not been great for developing good/great young players has it?
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I wasn't disagreeing. I think the rise of Prem academies has made it very hard for clubs like ours to get that level of young player. Back thn Tricky Trev talked about going to Lilleshall and other lads asking him why he was at Blackpool. He was an outlier who saw the chance to play first team football at a smaller club to be advantageous and he used to advocate it. Clubs facilities for youth have improved massively at other clubs, and we have got left behind. We will never attract the best kids, and will always probably pick up cast offs from the big academies at 16 ish. And if we get a young diamond, they will likely go to a bigger academy at 16 for much more money ....
 
Danny Coid came through the ranks and was an outstanding talent, IMO.

He was naturally two-footed, comfortable on the ball, very skillful, had a good shot on him and he could play almost anywhere in the team.

Played over 300 games for us but, unfortunately, had a few well-documented injury issues which curtailed his career.

Edit to add, I rate Apter!
 
Born_in_the_Fifties said:
Danny Coid came through the ranks and was an outstanding talent, IMO.

He was naturally two-footed, comfortable on the ball, very skillful, had a good shot on him and he could play almost anywhere in the team.

Played over 300 games for us but, unfortunately, had a few well-documented injury issues which curtailed his career.

Edit to add, I rate Apter!
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I agree could and should have been the best of his generation but only ever managed 3rd tier football at best. I'd add Mark Taylor to that, playing alongside Stewart, O'Keefe, Cunningham he for me could have surpassed all of them but Tony Cunningham shredding his Achilles in training all but finished his development.
 
Apter has been included in the games through pre-season I see no reason for him not to be selected in a match day squad. Now is the time for him to make an impact when selected it won’t be easy but that’s the challenge. Moore & Marriott’s did perform well at Morcambe.
 
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