Development squad update

Sounds like it's well planned and coming together with everyone singing from the same hymn sheet.

It's good to hear. Good luck to them all.
 
We are in capable hands and recruiting at the top end of our Category 3 status.
We just need the new training ground before we can move up to the next level.
Good to see 5 of the Development Squad have travelled to Ireland.
Also at long last confirmation from the Club that Zach Littler and Josh Nyame have been given pro-contracts.
 
What has happened to young keeper Harvey Bardsley no mention of him in development or under 18s squads
 
Poppajoe said:
What has happened to young keeper Harvey Bardsley no mention of him in development or under 18s squads
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Played for them on Saturday, signed pro at the end of the season

Think he came in mid-season and the profiles on the website haven’t been uploaded. Jibran Ahmed in the same position?
 
Insider said:
We are in capable hands and recruiting at the top end of our Category 3 status.
We just need the new training ground before we can move up to the next level.
Good to see 5 of the Development Squad have travelled to Ireland.
Also at long last confirmation from the Club that Zach Littler and Josh Nyame have been given pro-contracts.
Click to expand...
Would you say it's better to recruit at the top end of 3 or, as I'd imagine we'd be, the lower end of 2?
 
fcblackpool said:
Would you say it's better to recruit at the top end of 3 or, as I'd imagine we'd be, the lower end of 2?
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That's a very hard question.
We need to attain Category 2 status and that's a given because we want our Academy to be competing at the highest level.
I've seen us play Category 2 teams and we do frequently beat them so I don't think talent wise we are too far away.
Ciaran was talking about recruitment at scholarship level (16/17) which is the first age group we look to bring in young players from outside the area. I'm not sure that these kids are "rejects" so there must be something that attracts them to BFC and it's obviously not our training facility.
We bring in external recruits again at Development Squad level and the same principle applies.
So in answer to your question there probably won't be much difference.

Edit. Just seen this on League 1 twitter feed.

"It’s 26 days until the opening game and currently Reading FC have
-No Manager
-An uncompetitive squad
-An owner that’s lost the plot-HMRC bills still to be paid -
-Frustrated fans.
But on the good news Reading’s Academy has been awarded Category 1 status. "
 
Last edited:
Insider said:
That's a very hard question.
We need to attain Category 2 status and that's a given because we want our Academy to be competing at the highest level.
I've seen us play Category 2 teams and we do frequently beat them so I don't think talent wise we are too far away.
Ciaran was talking about recruitment at scholarship level (16/17) which is the first age group we look to bring in young players from outside the area. I'm not sure that these kids are "rejects" so there must be something that attracts them to BFC and it's obviously not our training facility.
We bring in external recruits again at Development Squad level and the same principle applies.
So in answer to your question there probably there won't be much difference.

Edit. Just seen this on League 1 twitter feed.

"It’s 26 days until the opening game and currently Reading FC have
-No Manager
-An uncompetitive squad
-An owner that’s lost the plot-HMRC bills still to be paid -
-Frustrated fans.
But on the good news Reading’s Academy has been awarded Category 1 status. "
Click to expand...
Thanks for that.

I confess to not knowing too much about the various categories and the implications of, but I've always applied a cost benefit approach. Obviously with the new TG (if and when) the cost isn't as high as it could be so it would make sense to try for a 2.

At the end of the day the benefit side has to kick in.

The only thing I sort of worry about is too many clubs chasing too few players and when you've invested in the infrastructure you are tempted to join in the chasing.

I do think the real value to the FC lies in the Dev squad acquisitions and getting those links with PL acads nurtured for the heads up on releases and getting them in training with good facilities.
 
Insider said:
He's played in both of the Development Squad friendlies and scored in the first one.
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Follow his Instagram and he's effectively been doing his own training all season. Probably a bit of extra pressure on him now he's a commercial entity as well because being the first gay pro footballer will probably only yield rewards both on and off the pitch if he keeps his pro contract!
 
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