Thetownend.com

I think that after their great cup run last season it would be good to have a thread just for the youths.

Town currently (05/10/24) sit in 11th place in the Youth Alliance League, just below FGR and Cheltenham and just above Stevenage and Northampton.

D Stevenage 3-3 Swindon (Foye, Stewart x2)
L Swindon 1-2 Luton (Alston)
W Swindon 3-0 Walsall (youth alliance cup) (Ameen x2, Gonzales)
W Cardiff 1-5 Swindon (professional development league cup) (Alston x3, Ameen, Obodo)
D AFC Wimbledon 2-2 Swindon (Obodo, Gonzales)
L Swindon 1- 3 Gillingham (Gonzales)
W Oxford 1-3 Swindon (youth alliance cup) (Alston, Obodo x2)
W Cambridge 1-3 Swindon (Kanu, Ameen, Alston)
W Swindon 3-0 Northampton (Gonzales, McCormack, Terry)
L Swindon 2-3 Portsmouth (Ameen, Alston)
W FGR 1-3 Swindon (youth alliance cup) (Obodo, Hutt, Foye)
W FGR 0-2 Swindon (youth alliance league cup) Alston, Britchford-Stanley

Top Scorers
Alston 8
Ameen  5
Gonzales 4
Obodo 4
Stewart 2
McCormack 1
Kanu 1
Foy 1
Terry 1
Britchford-Stanley 1

Hey, time that the Academy got more publicity. Last season, the Youth Cup run was one of the few high points for those of us who follow the Town from outside Wiltshire. The game at the County Ground against a Manchester United side that were carrying all before them in the league was a joy to behold. Incredibly, the result was deserved and let's hope for a similar run this time. I am pleased to see that the Academy game highlights are being shown more regularly on YouTube.

Adam Hart's cockney kids coming good.

All joking aside we do seem to have a great crop of talented kids at that age group. Is this the 'golden generation' for us?

I was discussing this very same thing (with the same terminology) with a fellow TEFer on Tuesday, the last time we got to the semi finals of the youth cup was in 1964 when we had a great team of youngsters coming through.

I know times are different now and young talent will be sold off rather than putting into the first team regularly but we have some great talent in Ameen, McGregor, Brown, Gonzales, Alston, Obodo, Hart and the recently sold Hunt to Boro. Even Minturn is only 20.

I don't ever remember in the last 50 years or so that I have been going that we have had more than 1 good prospect youngster coming through the ranks at any one time.

What year was it that we gave out something like 5/6 pro deals to one crop of under 18’s and almost all were gone within a year?

Fitton gave the entire academy year deals once. Think that was 2008, Callum Kennedy, Lloyd Macklin, Nathan Thompson. Maybe Billy Bodin too?

No, because the management wont play the vast majority of them unless its the Efl trophy.

Plus any decent ones, they’ll fucking sell them first hand for fiver.

Ah no I had a dig and I was thinking about 2013 when Alex Ferguson, Mark Francis, Aaron Oakley, Louis Thompson and Connor Waldon were offered deals.

I think that's the key. Tempered optimism. As we've seen so many just about break info the fist team but not quite make it.

This time could be different. We all hope it is and the signs are good.

Tans raises a point, I don't think its STFC exclusive. Can we afford to develop them in the fist team at the expense of a quick buck. Also can't hold a good player back if they want to go.

Chris Allen, Sam Morris, Kurt Hammond?

You could have given me a lot of guesses before I'd got Sam Morris.

Ben Joyce, Jake Hyde as well.

I was on early shifts back then so often finished & went to the CG to watch the youth/reserve games when they were on.

Doubtful the club would even get much of that fiver. Individuals who we are always told are nothing to with the club will want their cut and will probably pressure for some to be sold as a result.

No reserve league, but would love to see Monday night friendlies once a month at The CG.

Free ST/low fee entry - game time for those coming back from injury and youth team players needing more competition.

Worked all those years ago with the Combination and can't be THAT hard to organise surely.

The loss of reserve team football can't help with bringing kids through.

If you can't get a decent level loan for them there's not much chance to develop into first team ready players.

Jaxon Brown for example seems to be flying at Canvey Island. If his talent means he's that much better than the players around him he's really not gaining any insight into the physical side of playing men's football.
So what exactly does he gain from a loan at the same level of the pyramid as Melksham, who the youth team regularly comfortably beat each pre-season?

I'm not saying they're all as ready as McGregor is  but he's certainly gained far more training with the first team the last few months than if he was off playing for Supermarine in that time.

I’ve said it for years but we are extremely poor at getting our young players ‘level below loans’ where as what I referred to it as suggests - getting our young players playing in the divisions below the one we currently reside in.

The only example I can think of, off the top of my head is the obvious one of Scott Twine to Newport. He was getting regular football in a division only one below our level at the time.

Harrison Minturn from what I’ve seen of him strikes me as a young player who would be so much better if he’d had a ‘level below loan’ at any point in the last 3 years.

*I have vague recollection of us loan Sean Morrison to Southend - obviously he young at the time but can’t remember if the loan was because he was still breaking into our first team therefore for his development or whether he was coming back from injury or whether he had a falling out with a manager who soon (probably) left…

I think the general plan is that they have a good loan at a lower level and then move up. Twine went straight from Chippenham to Newport, which skipped a few levels. Billy Bodin before him had Torquay and I think Crewe?

More recently George Cowmeadow did Slough, Kidlington, Poole and Supermarine, which I wouldn't claim to be able to place them all into divisions it doesn't look like it was moving up much. Minturn did NL North/South a few times, but never NL.

Will be interesting to see if we try and move Jaxon Brown up a division come January.

If only we had someone who's job role was to generate & nurture relationships with clubs to allow a seamless transition from the youth team to the first team proper via loans at a decent level.

Yes like some form of youth loan manager or first-team pathways coach maybe.

Town currently leading 3-1 at FGR with goals from Obodo, Hutt and Foye with 25 mins to go in the Youth Alliance Cup.

Ameen not playing so presume he's with the first team.

I understand he has definately travelled with the 1st team, and rightly so IMO, I would put him above Drinan on Tuesdays game alone, hes mobile, can pick a pass and knows where the net is.

I also havent seen any of our strikers really attack a near post corner as he did for his goal on Tuesday.

This - Emphatically so! 👌

FGR 1-3 Swindon U18 final score.

Onto the next round of the cup again.

Mark Moss appointed new academy manager to start on 4th November.

https://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/news/2024/october/18/mark-moss-appointed-town-s-new-academy-manager-/

I went to school with Mark, he was a couple of years below but we had mutual friends and used to have a kickabout. He was a decent keeper back in the day

Currently (15 mins in) 1-0 up in the Youth Alliance League away at FGR thanks to a George Alston free kick.

HT currently winning 1-0.

2-0 to Swindon now (83 mins) Conor Britchford-Stanley.

FT FGR 0-2

FA Cup run starts tonight - Newport at the County Ground. Moonraker has a nice preview for those who subscribe.

https://www.youtube.com/live/ACD02oeKWzM?si=Y4kXu0Cv4N7Ic4hf

1-0

3 : 1 now.

Goals all well taken, if the defending was a bit shit. Especually for our second.

Pen save late on, well done the Swindon goalie.

Impressive performance especially the first half, could have been four one up on chances. Every player was comfortable on the ball, the passing good and the work rate winning challenges was great to see. I thought the short corner routines worked very well which I know that lots of people hate but it gave a far better option than just slinging the ball in hope that someone might get on the end of it. I will certainly watch the next cup game if drawn at home.

Gillingham away in the second round, bit of a shame it isn't something at home.

Half Time away to Plymouth drawing 1-1 with a Laim Hutt penalty.

Plymouth 2-1 Swindon FT

Gillingham in the second round of the cup tonight at 7pm live on YouTube.

1-0 D' you know what Ameen

No, who scored?


(yes)

1-1 defensive mix up

Red card Gills, for the goalscorer.

QPR away in the 3 round (if we win).

2-1 up

Gills second red card

FT 2-1 to the Town

Great stuff

Its 'funny' that despite going through probably our most inept ownership, we've probably got the best lot of youths that I can remember. I'm assuming that the hard work of Alan Mac and Lee Peacock are to thank for that, rather than what we have in place currently?

To be absolutely fair to a man who probably isn't a net positive, weren't quite a few of the stand out current players supposedly brought in from London clubs via our occasional fitness consultant?

The scholars are always a strange mix of those who have been at the club since kids (McGregor, Hunt, Foye) and those who came in from other sides higher up when they didn't get offered terms (Ameen, Brown, Obodo).

So probably a mix of things/reasons. Certainly very welcome though.

Should it really come as a surprise that we have a decent crop?

our catchment area is huge. I'd be worried if we didn't.

the coaching is absolutely brilliant btw, no doubt.

In the past other clubs have come in and stolen all the local talent, Southampton, Chelsea and Reading are culprits of that in particular.

We seem to be able to hold on to local youth a little more recently, which can only work in our favour.

Agreed, but that hasn't really helped us in the past.

TBF it may just be a coincidence that it has happened under this ownership, however it's one way to potentially make decent money without a massive outlay

Cynically, it may also be that our first team is much easier to break into than it used to be.

We've always had decent players we've sold out of the U18 though - Leigh Mills, Tozer, the keeper that went to Liverpool, Bogle and Mitchell-Lawson, Henshall, Markus Ifill, probably loads of others I can't remember.

Someone like DV who used to watch lots of U18 stuff can probably comment on whether the level is actually better!

This is also true, although there results (particularly in the Youth Cup) have also been much improved.

I wonder how much is down to the coach who is going to Charlton, and whether the new group will be able to keep it up?

I think with internet & streaming in general youth football is a lot more accessible. Perhaps we are under the impression our youth team is better purely because we can see them play & hear about them - where as 10-15 years ago if you didn’t go & watch then you’d know nothing about them apart from the odd name.

I’m far from an expert but watched a fair few games between maybe 07-10. Obvious stands out where Jutkiewicz, Macklin (who obviously never made it), Bodin who was decent but was always tiny (I guess he might have been playing a year up) & N.Thompson who when I first watched him play right wing looked like one of those mini football figure things from the 90s because his head looked too big for his body.

….again, far from me to make the judgement but the acid test is how they take to first team football. Some do it seamlessly like McGregor & some just don’t take to it (again Macklin)

Even the long list of ones that were poached. It’s only really Bogle whose forged out what I’d call as successful career. The rest just faded out to the point we can’t even remember all their names…

The whole match

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru1dVCsc7iQ

Sean Morrison was one wasn't he, Byrne nicked him from the Plymuff setup, did he play in our youth team before getting in the first team?

I didn’t mention Sean Morrison because I think he pretty much went straight into our first team.

I don’t recall watching him play many games for the youth team - that’s not to say he didn’t.

His recent podcast thing mentioned he got released by Plymouth and then came down here on a YTS and was in the first team by the end of his first scholar year here if I remember correctly.

My main worry with the path to the first team is i actually think it's very possible over the last 2 years that the youths have better coaches than the first team do. McGregor already looks like he is being coached out of that natural ability and raw talent he first showed and starting to get left on the bench which really will not help him.

I kind of look at it a bit like a first team player, there's a long list of players over the last few years that arrive and look great with some potential and then just stagnate and listen i could be way off here but i really struggle to see that apart from our coaching set up what other reason is there?

The Gunning Effect ?

Possibly, i just don't see a great coaching set up there. Poor Mildy gets pelters when he is a keeper coach.

Also on a seperate note, is it me or do we seem to have a different physio every month

It’s entirely possible that it’s a factor.

I also assume going from a development league to a ‘proper’ league a player will somewhat become a bit more cautious because there is more riding on the game & more eyes on it to.

I’d suggest it would take immense mental strength for a 18 year old to start playing in the first team whilst playing with the exact same freedom he did in youth football.

Oh totally mate i get that.

The kids are currently 3-0 up away at Bournemouth after 75 mins with goals from Alston, Obodo and Chard.

We won 3-1 in the end in the PDL Cup.

Bournemouth have a cat 2 academy, a level higher than our academy.

Another impressive result. It does seem that the Academy coaching, the talent in the side and the spirit running through the youngsters does give us cause for optimism.

Does it? We probably won't even have an academy next season. I wonder what excuse they'll use for Karachi then. 

Half time in the home game vs Portsmouth and we are winning 4-0.

Goals from Obodo x2, Alston and Stewart.

Swindon 4-1 Portsmouth final score.

Anyone know how the Academy side got on against FGR today? They've been on a good run since the start of the New Year so let's hope that it continues a bit longer.

Lost 3-2. Alston and Abu Kanu with our goals.

Havent had an update for a while.

Town U18s having a good battle at the moment, currently winning 3-2 away at Bristol Rovers with 5 mins left.

Make that 4-2 now final score.

Not really for this thread, but Charlie Austin’s son, Hunter, has signed forms for STFC.

What age is he?

They hoover up a load of kids early, then spit them out.

I obviously hope he's the next Charlie

He’s 9

Is he the new Club Secretary?

Any idea who his agent is? 😃

Miles Obodo on trial at Brighton, has scored vs AS Monaco.

He also came on as a sub with 1/2 hour to go in the U18 Premier League match vs Palace and provided an assist.

Somewhat surprised he left as Holloway said some good things about him.  Quite liked the look of some of the others released, Chard, Britchford-Stanley.  Guess that's how it as at U18, all got something, just which ones are going to develop.

Interesting that 5 U15s made it to the England emerging talent event last year.

Sean Wood (u18’s coach) is leaving after 18 years.

Well this is good. Isnt he rated?

Played a big part in a lot of the recent academy graduates that have/will make us £££. Article doesn’t mention where he’s going but wouldn’t suprise me if it’s a higher club.

Didn't the guy running the Academy leave to go to Brentford, quite possible that he's taken one of the coaches with him

Alex Pike

Don’t tell him..

Moonraker saying he’s moving to “A nearby EFL club”.

Hard not to be concerned at the loss of what would seem to be three key individuals in the recent succesful youth set up (this being the final of the three).

An easy stick to beat the current ownership with.

The reality of the club is that anybody who proves they are good will be offered better roles elsewhere and thats the same under most ownership.

The concern would be who the hell plans and recruits for the Youth staff going forward? I guess super Gav!

Be Mark Moss academy manager wont it