Former Players

[SEA Grecian]

I thought the latter two were pretty good - as were the rest of Posh's side this afternoon. It's quite the impressive conveyer belt you've had at SJP.

And what's quite exciting for us is that for the first time there's a real possibility three or four of them could be playing in the Premier League next season.

 

[andrew p long]

This is what i was referring to:

Exeter academy record in jeopardy, says Caldwell

Exeter City boss Gary Caldwell says run of fielding academy products could be close to an end after nearly eight years

www.bbc.co.uk

The reason for the 'gap' is largely the poaching by Premiership clubs of our academy talent before they've barely kicked a ball for the first team between them. Pond (20), Chrisene (20) and Stansfield (21) are in the two year groups between Cox (19) and Diabate (22). But all three are now with Prem clubs, two of them playing on loan in the Championship.

The production line would look fantastic if those 3 players (aged 20/21) were in City's match day squad alongside Cox and Diabate.

 

[grecIAN Harris]

The reason for the 'gap' is largely the poaching by Premiership clubs of our academy talent before they've barely kicked a ball for the first team between them. Pond (20), Chrisene (20) and Stansfield (21) are in the two year groups between Cox (19) and Diabate (22). But all three are now with Prem clubs, two of them playing on loan in the Championship.

The production line would look fantastic if those 3 players (aged 20/21) were in City's match day squad alongside Cox and Diabate.

As pointed out ages ago when people were continually knocking Caldwell for not playing players from The Academy.

 

[Rosencrantz]

The reason for the 'gap' is largely the poaching by Premiership clubs of our academy talent before they've barely kicked a ball for the first team between them. Pond (20), Chrisene (20) and Stansfield (21) are in the two year groups between Cox (19) and Diabate (22). But all three are now with Prem clubs, two of them playing on loan in the Championship.

The production line would look fantastic if those 3 players (aged 20/21) were in City's match day squad alongside Cox and Diabate.

I wonder if we will enquire about Alfie Pond on loan next season. He would fit in pretty well as a defender who can play out.

 

[andrew p long]

As pointed out ages ago when people were continually knocking Caldwell for not playing players from The Academy.

Yes,indeed. There are 3 things going on contributing to the dramatic fall off in the number of academy players starting for City. So as well as the early departures to the Premiership of Chrisene, Pond and Stansfield there is also

a) the departures - which we could do nothing about - at the end of last season of the hugely talented Key,Collins and Stansfield and
b) the fact that GC chooses (rightly or wrongly) not to play academy graduates Sparkes, Hartridge and Kite, all of whom will have gone by the end of this season

 

[grecIAN Harris]

Yes,indeed. There are 3 things going on contributing to the dramatic fall off in the number of academy players starting for City. So as well as the early departures to the Premiership of Chrisene, Pond and Stansfield there is also

a) the departures - which we could do nothing about - at the end of last season of the hugely talented Key,Collins and Stansfield and
b) the fact that GC chooses (rightly or wrongly) not to play academy graduates Sparkes, Hartridge and Kite, all of whom will have gone by the end of this season

Sparkes had his chance but his lack pace was never going to fit the plan. Hartridge has been a regular under Caldwell until he lost his form and was justifiably replaced. It is not beyond him to get back in the side if he knuckles down as an Alex on form is a very good player for us. Kite has never been a regular starter even under Taylor so why his lack of selection under Caldwell gets levelled as a Caldwell flaw is beyond me.

 

[Martin Lawrence]

Don't get me wrong, I'm really proud of the Academy and the players it has produced but the downside of that is we sell them (Its what we do) to keep the coffers coming in and as a team on the pitch we never move forward, Its a double edged sword imo.

I would be inclined to agree with this, were it not for the fact that our approach over the last 10 years, has seen us go from a middling L2 side, to a (reasonably) competitive L1 club.

 

[Stelios]

It’s horrible to lose players before they’ve played for us but do we ever pick up academy players from higher leagues who’ve been released?

 

[DB9]

I would be inclined to agree with this, were it not for the fact that our approach over the last 10 years, has seen us go from a middling L2 side, to a (reasonably) competitive L1 club.

Not to derail but L2 Middling? We were always there or there abouts weren't we? 3 POF and just missing out the play off places in the years after our relegation from L1?

 

[Martin Lawrence]

Not to derail but L2 Middling? We were always there or there abouts weren't we? 3 POF and just missing out the play off places in the years after our relegation from L1?

I was thinking about the struggles following relegation from L1. To be fair, you have made my point, as our upturn came around from player sales.