Son of Cod
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2015
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- Location
- Faversham
- Supports
- Grimsby Town
Yeah, it's fair enough regarding your own players. We have the same problem, it's very rare for any of our YT grads to make it into the first team and hold down a place. We have Harry Clifton who is a key player now but he's very much the outlier and has benefitted from being in some crap squads in his formative years and us suffering a relegation when he arguably needed to drop down a level.That's partly the point - we have nowhere for the top scholars to play regularly without the B set up. For example we've just given pro contracts to around 4 or 5 really promising players from the u18s, but they won't develop by hanging around waiting to be given a chance in the 1sts. We can give them game-time on a regular basis, while keeping a close eye on their progress. If a loan move is best for them, they'll go on loan as most of them did last season. In some instances we have some strong depth at first team level currently, but also have promising youth coming through - should we discard these players at 18 because they've currently got half a dozen in front of them in terms of breaking the first team? In a year's time the situation could look totally different and they could be the next cab off the rank.
Jack Tucker was a good example a few years ago, was set to be released before being given an opportunity in the first team thanks to injuries, and nailed down a place in the side before eventually earning us a few quid. If not for the injuries at the time he probably would've been released and we would've lost out. The B team is a safety net for that scenario.
In terms of the players we've signed to the B team so far then yes you're right with the sort of level - Agbebi from Dover and Clarke from Dulwich Hamlet were both NLS, plus Ike Orji from Chatham who are Isthmian Premier (step 3). So far the recruitment process seems to be to give lower league players a chance, rather than released players from higher divisions getting a second chance which I'm all for personally.
However, as I've said, I don't see players that are playing regularly for the likes of Dulwich Hamlet and Dover getting anything more from a L2 club's development squad than from playing regular first team football two levels down. Cheaper for Gillingham in the long run? Perhaps. Potentially detrimental to multiple players' careers? Also perhaps. I guess the proof will be in the pudding.
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