Development Squad
Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 4:31 pm
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 & 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 & 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) & 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) & 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
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 & 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 & 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) & 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) & 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