Geoff Harrop to Yeovil ?

[taxilady]

Well I'm absolutely, personally, delighted that one of my posts has inspired you to join the forum, congratulations and may I extent a warm welcome to you.

[tomogull]

What a big mouth tw*t you are. f**king know nothing halfwit.

Well, Mitch - you don't actually say why you think Forever is a (quote) 'f**cking know nothing halfwit' so I can't argue for or against your opinion. I think if you read postings on the Forum regularly, you might change your mind because I find Forever's posts well reasoned and sensible and he never resorts to slagging off other posters. That doesn't mean to say that I always agree with him !

Going back to the Youth set-up, there's a very compelling article in favour of retaining the Youth Scheme in today's Herald Express written by Dave Thomas. He asks instead of questioning whether the club can afford to maintain the Youth Scheme, we should be asking 'Can we NOT afford to keep the Youth Scheme'. If my computer non-skills allowed me to include a link to the article, I would. Maybe one of you IT whizz kids out there can do it for me ! He also suggests this is an area where TUST might be able to assist with funding which is what I suggested on another thread many moons ago. Forever has posted about level 2 and level 3 Youth Schemes. I'm not that well up with the Youth Scheme to know the difference but I fully agree with Dave Thomas article that there should be a Youth Scheme of some sort for the future of the club.

As Mitch has posted on this thread, he presumably knows about the Youth Scheme. Maybe he can give us some information in GCSE English on how the various scheme levels operate.

[Dave]

As Mitch has posted on this thread, he presumably knows about the Youth Scheme. Maybe he can give us some information in GCSE English on how the various scheme levels operate.

Even though I've quoted Tommo's post this reply is meant more in general.

Thanks for your support, and to other supportive posts. I'm going to stick my neck out now, and say with a great deal of certainty that who ever this mitch is ( and the poster concerned is guilty of an act, of total cowardice ) is not someone with a direct connection to our youth set-up, what mitch may not know is I've been involved in local youth development coaching for 10 years, I've stepped down recently after coming to the end of my U18 season, with W.B.B Blue U18, I have had a previous voluntary involvement in our youth set-up, and I'm known to Robbie, Kenny both say hello and sometimes stop for a chat when I see them, I know the clubs former academy goalkeeper coach, and a lad called Kevin who was on the coaching staff is also some one known to me, in fact last time I did a coaching refresher down at Devon FA , Kevin was on the same course, that's why I'm confident it is not someone who is involved with our club that would post such a thing.

Also not ashamed to admit, I've been to ISCA and the cat+fiddle and seen first hand how Exeter's youth set up works as well, I have never ever claimed to be an expert, nor I have I claimed my opinions are correct, at least my formed opinions do have some base to them.

I said it in the past and I'll say it again, the clubs no 1 priority should be to keep a category 3 youth set up, that goes with out saying, but it's the practicalities of it, I am not, and never have been someone who advocates any organisation introducing a measure where by someone loses their job, been victim of a company closure myself, not the nicest feeling.

However we have five full time youth academy staff, while the club are filling the first team with £150 pw 17 year olds, and it's highly likely that CH will be forced down the road of filling his squad with dirt cheap trialists, I am saying that the club should retain some form of youth set up, which allows it to continue to develop the best young players in this area, however, the club almost certainly should be looking at a much cheaper alternative, one that allows more money to be pushed into the first team budget, and give us at least a chance of being competitive at our level.

Finally if the poster called Mitch has anything about them, who ever it is would log into the site send me a PM revealing who you are, you'll find me extremely approachable, and I'm more than happy to discuss this topic with you away from the public forum, lets see if you do !!

[John Griffett]

when the club has to date produced absolutely nothing from the academy.

Neil Osbourn - Sold to Southampton
Liam Prynn - Almost went to Villa and is now in the first team
Both of these came through the academy not signed at 16 and then just youth team development.

[Dave]

Thanks for pointing Neil Osbourn out to me John, I genuinely had forgotten about him, and I saw him play for the academy a few times, so really shouldn't have. there was no need to point out Liam Prynn, if read back through my posts you'll see I am more than well aware of what route he came through, and contained in that post is my opinion as to why, I do not see him as yet, a produced player.