Development Squad

[Mooro]

Remarkable lack of information available from the club so far on the Dev squad (apart from anything that was said at the forum), but the following is what I can gather so far.
They will play a regular series of games against other similar U21-style squads (3 over age outfield players are permitted, plus an over-age keeper if required) from other league clubs as part of the new initiative to promote young talent by providing a stepping stone between the YT and the first team.
Not sure how many, if any, L2 clubs are taking part, so this could prove a real positive for us in terms of future
development.

Anyway, it seems a squad is slowly being put together:
- Marsh, Crocombe, plus O'Dowda (FW), Sam Long (CB) and David Lynn (LB) have now signed as pros from our own youth system,
- I believe it was stated at the forum that we would try to add in players discarded by academies higher up the ladder. The first signs of this coming to pass is the appearance of the brilliantly named Bismark Alofah (RB) in the final couple of YT games. He has been at the Reading Academy, as has Josh Sharma (ST), who is also rumoured to be coming here. This suggests one or two others may appear via this route as well
- As Dev games will be midweek, we can also use the best of our current YT, such as James Roberts (ST), Josh Ashby &amp Sam Humphries (both CM) who will be second years next season, yet were almost ever-present in the YT this season. Aiden Hawtin (ST) was a second year, but spent the entire season injured so has been offered another year. Duran Martin &amp Greg Hackett (both MF) also made a number of appearances.
- We could also pick up the best of those who are at the OUFC Academy (which is a separate entity to the youth system, and takes in boys for a year at U17 level, which is equivalent to first year scholars in age). As a club, we have the option to offer any of these scholarships at the end of their year. I have no definite info on who has been offered what, but note that Liam Wright (RB), Justin Niangasa (CB) &amp Leon Lalor-Dell (ST) all featured for the YT on a number of occasions, so may be the lucky ones to get offers?
- Three other scholars who played a number of YT games are Jermaine Udamaga (MF), MArvin Ekpiteta (CB) &amp Josh Hill (GK). Their age suggests they are second years, but were not mentioned in terms of graduating, so have either not been offered anything or are only 1st year scholars having come from the Academy.

So, an initial outline squad (which I'll update)
GK: Crocombe, Hill
DEF: Long (CB) Lynn (LB) Amofah (RB), Wright (RB), Niangasa (CB), Ekpiteta (CB)
MID: Ashby, Humphries Martin, Hackett
WM/FW: Marsh, O'Dowda, Roberts, Hawtin, Lalor-Dell, Udamaga, Sharma

[Mooro]

A couple of reference pages from the fountain of all mythology:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Profession ... ent_League

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012%E2%80 ... t_League_2

Not certain, but I believe our setup is a category 2 grading which means we will go into League 2 of the new structure. All being equal this would mean joining the southern division alongside teams from: Barnet, Brentford, Brighton &amp Hove Albion, Bristol City, Cardiff City, Charlton Athletic, Colchester United, Ipswich Town, Millwall, Queen's Park Rangers &amp Swansea City. This would mean a definite 20|| games a season.

[Mooro]

A couple of reference pages from the fountain of all mythology:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Profession ... ent_League

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012%E2%80 ... t_League_2

Not certain, but I believe our setup is a category 2 grading which means we will go into League 2 of the new structure. All being equal this would mean joining the southern division alongside teams from: Barnet, Brentford, Brighton &amp Hove Albion, Bristol City, Cardiff City, Charlton Athletic, Colchester United, Ipswich Town, Millwall, Queen's Park Rangers &amp Swansea City. This would mean a definite 20|| games a season.

I've put more detail on a thread on the other side, but the main correction I need to make here is that we are actually a Category 3 academy which means no official Dev league, but the plan si 15-20 games against other dev squads, mainly cat 3 but some 2s and 1s.
More later

[Paul Cooper]

Yes my understanding is that it is more informal and we are not part of any League but there will be a number of planned friendlies which will be used for the yuonger players but also those returning from injury.

These will have to be pretty regular as players like Crocombe and Marsh need to get time on the pitch if they are sitting on the bench for the first team.

It will be really interesting to see whether CW actually does use the youngsters but I suspect that IL will not allow any short term loans next season

[Mooro]

As I say, there will be 15-20 games against other Dev squads - all behind closed doors sadly - but the rules are that it is for U21s with up to three overage outfield players and an overage keeper if required, so this will allow senior players to recover from injury, but without the potential mismatches that the reserve league used to throw up, when some Championship teams came to us with 8,9,10 senior players while we fielded the same number of U18s...

I think CW will not have a problem with playing Crocombe and Marsh in the first team, the other new 1st year pros may not get the same exposure this year, but will hopefully be ready in 12 months time, a luxury we haven't been able to exploit over the last 10 years or so, when one or two if not all three would have departed.

2013/14 may not be the breakthrough year for our youth supply-line, but things are looking pretty good for 2014/15 onwards