Agree, in principle.
We were pitched at High Ridge. It wasn’t free, they charged for use of all their facilities… it wasn’t cheap.
We were like nomads.
JLC, High Ridge, The Shed, Hornsbys.
Winter months are the toughest – as there are virtually no indoor facilities suitable within the town. Virtually.
Those ‘players’ from the distant fields in Yorkshire – they have to meet the EFLs travelling time rules.
How many players in Leeds’, Hull’s, Grimsby’s Lincoln’s, Doncaster’s, Blades’ Wendy’s, Rotherham’s, Barnsley’s first team came through their Academy?
Of those (which there won’t be many) – how many were there for say 4 years – up to & including U16s.
A lot of these bigger clubs pick up the ‘cast offs’ from the mega clubs when they do their U16 releases.
Also, the big clubs have scouts operating everywhere these days. They’ve set up DCs in major towns & cities to attract players to their badge.
You can’t compete with the pull of a Man City, Man Utd etc.
It’s a conveyor belt, certainly… of high hopes and dashed dreams.
It’s a bus ride, you need a squad of players to facilitate the one player in the team who might have a chance of hurdling over 8 seasons of part time coaches with their over inflated opinions of their own coaching abilities.
That one… may just get a one year “pro” contract.
The real talents, Rooney and the like who break in to the big clubs first teams do so for a reason – and it’s the big clubs that have these star players.
Their scouting networks and the compensation payments as per the EPPP are orchestrated by the Prem League to ensure that they get the best players or pay peanuts for them.
