Harry Parsons

[theakston2k]

We don't have a particularly solid record of producing keepers to be fair. Who was the last one that came through the youth ranks to have a good career? I'm thinking Rhys Evans, but I think he was produced by Chelsea and sold to us IIRC.

He went to Chelsea early on, I'd say Mildenhall is the last who came through our ranks and built a decent career....

[Bob's Orange]

He went to Chelsea early on, I'd say Mildenhall is the last who came through our ranks and built a decent career....

Christ, that's practically a lifetime ago!

[Peter Venkman]

We don't have a particularly solid record of producing keepers to be fair. Who was the last one that came through the youth ranks to have a good career? I'm thinking Rhys Evans, but I think he was produced by Chelsea and sold to us IIRC.

Yeah Rhys was in our U14 team and sold to Chelsea for a small development fee as a 15 year old, came through Chelseas youth system and sold back to us aged 21.

I don't remember the last home developed keeper that came through our ranks and played more than 50 games for us. Mildenhall only played 33 games and he is the last good level keeper we produced and pretty much the only one I can remember since Jimmy Allen in the 70's.

[theakston2k]

Yeah Rhys was in our U14 team and sold to Chelsea for a small development fee as a 15 year old, came through Chelseas youth system and sold back to us aged 21.

I don't remember the last home developed keeper that came through our ranks and played more than 50 games for us. Mildenhall only played 33 games and he is the last good level keeper we produced and pretty much the only one I can remember since Jimmy Allen in the 70's.

It is a strange one, other than Mildenhall and Jon Stewart we don't seem to produce keepers that have any kind of stature or size. If you compare the likes of Matthews, Henry, Bedwell etc to the young keepers we bring in from other clubs ours always look small and weak in comparison.

[Nemo]

I think there have only been five youth products who've played 50 games this century in any position, so that's a pretty tough bar. Two Thompsons, Morrison, Pook and Sol Davis. And you could argue about Morrison's eligibility.

Dropping it to 30 only gives you another four mind. Our youth academy has been dreadful/dreadfully used depending on your view for many years.

[DiV]

I've seen Matthews play about a dozen times if you include his loan moves and youth cup so it wasn't based on 'a minute'. He's just clearly nowhere near 1st team level just another in the long line of youth keepers who hang around a bit but aren't football league standard like Craig Farr, Matty Bulman, Mark Scott, Leigh Bedwell even Will Henry. Only one that should have done better than he did was Jon Stewart.

As for Parsons, he's best off steering clear this season as a few games with this mob could finish him off before he's even started.

Jon Stewart was absolute toilet.

[horlock07]

Christ, that's practically a lifetime ago!

I remember a very young Mildy playing in a pre-season game at Witney Town (possibly 95-96), he was bloody massive even then.

[DiV]

I think there have only been five youth products who've played 50 games this century in any position, so that's a pretty tough bar. Two Thompsons, Morrison, Pook and Sol Davis. And you could argue about Morrison's eligibility.

Dropping it to 30 only gives you another four mind. Our youth academy has been dreadful/dreadfully used depending on your view for many years.

Fair points but it completely negates players who were sold on for significant profit before they reached 50 games.

Similar to Morrison as in so far he didn’t completely come through our youth team but Lucas Jutkiewicz looked the part and was never going to stay here long enough to play 50 games.

I guess at our level our youth development is more about making money than making first team players. You’d think some where down the years you’d get some players who could have a solid career here. They seem to be either too good and get sold and woeful and let go

[Nemo]

Fair points but it completely negates players who were sold on for significant profit before they reached 50 games.

Similar to Morrison as in so far he didn’t completely come through our youth team but Lucas Jutkiewicz looked the part and was never going to stay here long enough to play 50 games.

Absolutely, if you look at it as a way of making money by selling to bigger clubs then maybe it's viable (I'm sure someone has done the maths, certainly clubs like Brentford have and decided to stop). Not many of those we've sold in the 12-16 age range have ended up as professional footballers either - Bogle obviously the stand out of recent times.

Jamie Stephens to Liverpool the only goalkeeper I can remember, to link back to keepers. Played a bit of League Two/Conference at Barnet.

[DiV]

Absolutely, if you look at it as a way of making money by selling to bigger clubs then maybe it's viable (I'm sure someone has done the maths, certainly clubs like Brentford have and decided to stop). Not many of those we've sold in the 12-16 age range have ended up as professional footballers either - Bogle obviously the stand out of recent times.

The younger they are they more it’s bigger clubs taking a gamble and one that quite frankly probably costs what to them is next to nothing.

Does seem odd that we can’t very often produce players for the level we are at.

[Flashheart]

Does seem odd that we can’t very often produce players for the level we are at.

I suspect it's the same for most other clubs at our level, with most picking up players that haven't made it at clubs higher up. The talented kids will be picked up by the big clubs leaving the rest with slim-pickings and hoping for the occasional starlet that slipped through the bigger clubs' nets.

[Red Frog]

The younger they are they more it’s bigger clubs taking a gamble and one that quite frankly probably costs what to them is next to nothing.

Does seem odd that we can’t very often produce players for the level we are at.

Not so odd when we're run on a shoestring, have no training facility and minimal youth scouting network. Add to that significant incursions into our catchment area from Southampton, Reading and Bristol City, and it's a lot less mysterious.

It's not just the first team that's underfunded. All the money goes there, so there's very little infrastructure beyond it.

[DiV]

I suspect it's the same for most other clubs at our level, with most picking up players that haven't made it at clubs higher up.

I imagine so, would be interesting to have actual data but I can’t be arsed to look for it.

I guess it a player in a L1 youth set up is L1 standard at 15/16 a Prem club will think if he’s L1 standard at 15 he could be Prem standard by 18.

Then when they aren’t they get released and end up in L1.

[Bob's Orange]

The younger they are they more it’s bigger clubs taking a gamble and one that quite frankly probably costs what to them is next to nothing.

Does seem odd that we can’t very often produce players for the level we are at.

Seems a bit ludicrous to say but are we held back due to geography? Given that Reading, Bristol City and probably Southampton and London clubs (specifically Chelsea) are very easy to get to from Swindon, the more elite of kids are much more likely to get a better footballing education at these clubs rather than us. Obviously the occasional gem 'slips through the cracks' but more often than not get hoovered up when it looks like they have a chance of becoming good professionals. (Bogle and the kid that went to Brighton cases in point)

Until we can compete with these clubs its unlikely we are going to become a conveyor belt of talent sadly.

[Nomoreheroes]

Bit harsh off the back of, what, 10-15 minutes on the pitch?

I wasn't trying to write him off. I was just trying to say that in the (brief) appearances earlier in the year he didn't look to be at the required standard. If you remember Charlie Austin, Simon Cox, Sam Parkin or other 'good' strikers that have played for us, then they immediately showed they had something about them.

Parsons ran around, harried and clogged someone in his first game. But, I don't remember him showing a presence or anything that made you sit up and think that he was a bit special.

So, not writing him off, but am suggesting that he is not ready yet to be thrown into the mix.