The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2024/25

[Hound]

Obvs depends whether Dai really has ran out of money or not

Really hope they do get the Cat1 back though and have a thorough review of the whole academy in the lower age groups as don’t hear a lot of good things about it tbh

[Snowflake Royal]

It's worth it if we have any more potentials like Fletcher becaus eit makes them more expensive.to poach.

[Orion1871]

Not as expensive as the previous system made it to poach them.

[Royals and Racers]

Very interesting article from Middlesboro FC regarding the PL 2 in 2023/4 season. Instead of 2 divisions all 25 clubs will play in one big league playing 20 matches plus play-offs for the top 16.
Last season there were 14 + 11 teams.
Fuller details of this concept which is based on the Champions league 24/25 model is to be found on this article https://trainingground.guru/articles/pr ... ext-season

[Sutekh]

Very interesting article from Middlesboro FC regarding the PL 2 in 2023/4 season. Instead of 2 divisions all 25 clubs will play in one big league playing 20 matches plus play-offs for the top 16.
Last season there were 14 + 11 teams.
Fuller details of this concept which is based on the Champions league 24/25 model is to be found on this article https://trainingground.guru/articles/pr ... ext-season

Wonder if Reading might be involved. Guess the first we'll know is with the release of the PL2 fixtures.

[paultheroyal]

Obvs depends whether Dai really has ran out of money or not

Really hope they do get the Cat1 back though and have a thorough review of the whole academy in the lower age groups as don’t hear a lot of good things about it tbh

totally lost their way. No leadership, no direction, values not followed, ego city from staff - an absolute shambles.

[RG30]

Found this interesting on the club site on the EFL Trophy fixture dates;

We now only await a date and a kick-off time for our EFL Trophy meeting with former Reading U21 boss Mehmet Ali's Arsenal as they are yet to learn their Premier League 2 fixture schedule. However this is provisionally expected to be staged in mid-November.

As we had aspirations to get Cat 1 again, is this a quiet way of us being told we won’t be in PL2/Cat 1 again for upcoming season?

[Stranded]

Found this interesting on the club site on the EFL Trophy fixture dates;

We now only await a date and a kick-off time for our EFL Trophy meeting with former Reading U21 boss Mehmet Ali's Arsenal as they are yet to learn their Premier League 2 fixture schedule. However this is provisionally expected to be staged in mid-November.

As we had aspirations to get Cat 1 again, is this a quiet way of us being told we won’t be in PL2/Cat 1 again for upcoming season?

It could be but as our u21 side would not be involved in this competition their fixture list has literally no bearing on the game regardless on if we are in PL2 or the Development League.

[Royals and Racers]

Found this interesting on the club site on the EFL Trophy fixture dates;

We now only await a date and a kick-off time for our EFL Trophy meeting with former Reading U21 boss Mehmet Ali's Arsenal as they are yet to learn their Premier League 2 fixture schedule. However this is provisionally expected to be staged in mid-November.

As we had aspirations to get Cat 1 again, is this a quiet way of us being told we won’t be in PL2/Cat 1 again for upcoming season?

No because even if we are granted CAT 1 our U21’s wouldn’t be affected.

[Sutekh]

Reading have signed Dennis Bossman up to the Academy he's apparently the brother of former prospect Kelvin.

[morganb]

https://twitter.com/TUFC1899/status/167 ... QZqTA&s=19

U21s 5-0 down and it is only halfway through the first half!

[Sutekh]

https://twitter.com/TUFC1899/status/1677672480255737858?t=CaalketmgOIjkJHl-QZqTA&s=19

U21s 5-0 down and it is only halfway through the first half!

Anyone any idea of the team they've put out? Guess you can forget any of them being quite ready for division 3 football.

[SCIAG]

Almost everyone who is an "established" U21 is in Portugal, including the likes of Paul and Abdul Salam, so expect it is effectively an U18 team supplemented with one or two extra players. Tuma might be playing?

[Sutekh]

https://twitter.com/TUFC1899/status/1677672480255737858?t=CaalketmgOIjkJHl-QZqTA&s=19

U21s 5-0 down and it is only halfway through the first half!

Anyone any idea of the team they've put out? Guess you can forget any of them being quite ready for division 3 football.

As usual absolutely sod all on the Reading OS about the game unlike the Torquay United site which actually carries a match report though obviously from the Torquay perspective.

https://torquayunited.com/report-readin ... -5-united/

Be interested to know who played for Reading though. Perhaps one day Reading will care sufficiently about their Academy games to actually tell their fanbase about them.

[MM]

Almost everyone who is an "established" U21 is in Portugal, including the likes of Paul and Abdul Salam, so expect it is effectively an U18 team supplemented with one or two extra players. Tuma might be playing?

Tuma is still in Malta, the 3rd & final game of Malta's Euro U19 schedule will be today against Portugal. Went to the first game on Monday against Italy and watched the second this week against Poland on local TV.

He was quite lively starting both, playing as a central striker in a fairly poor team. That in itself would be good experience if he has any involvement with the shambles that is Reading FC. Probably not ready for League 1 starts but could possibly be a bench option as he has lots of pace and energy, Lacks composure but worth keeping an eye on.

[The Royal Forester]

https://twitter.com/TUFC1899/status/1677672480255737858?t=CaalketmgOIjkJHl-QZqTA&s=19

U21s 5-0 down and it is only halfway through the first half!

Anyone any idea of the team they've put out? Guess you can forget any of them being quite ready for division 3 football.

As usual absolutely sod all on the Reading OS about the game unlike the Torquay United site which actually carries a match report though obviously from the Torquay perspective.

https://torquayunited.com/report-readin ... -5-united/

Be interested to know who played for Reading though. Perhaps one day Reading will care sufficiently about their Academy games to actually tell their fanbase about them.

There is a report, including the players used in each half on the Reading FC website. It was on yesterday as the "opening feature" and is still there today.


EDIT: Sorry just reread your post and saw you meant the u-18's. I forgot they were playing, no doubt because of the lack of info from the club. Apologies.

[RG30]

https://twitter.com/TUFC1899/status/1677672480255737858?t=CaalketmgOIjkJHl-QZqTA&s=19

U21s 5-0 down and it is only halfway through the first half!

Anyone any idea of the team they've put out? Guess you can forget any of them being quite ready for division 3 football.

As usual absolutely sod all on the Reading OS about the game unlike the Torquay United site which actually carries a match report though obviously from the Torquay perspective.

https://torquayunited.com/report-readin ... -5-united/

Be interested to know who played for Reading though. Perhaps one day Reading will care sufficiently about their Academy games to actually tell their fanbase about them.

Gary Johnson's post match reaction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8SuVCfINgc

[Stranded]

Looks like Stickland played his first 25 mins in 512 days.

And apparently we hear back about Cat 1 status this week.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

https://twitter.com/TUFC1899/status/1677672480255737858?t=CaalketmgOIjkJHl-QZqTA&s=19

U21s 5-0 down and it is only halfway through the first half!

Anyone any idea of the team they've put out? Guess you can forget any of them being quite ready for division 3 football.

As usual absolutely sod all on the Reading OS about the game unlike the Torquay United site which actually carries a match report though obviously from the Torquay perspective.

https://torquayunited.com/report-readin ... -5-united/

Be interested to know who played for Reading though. Perhaps one day Reading will care sufficiently about their Academy games to actually tell their fanbase about them.

To be fair, I think quite a few of the better U23 players were in the matchday squad against AFC Wimbledon. Still not exactly promising getting tonked 5-0 by Torquay like.

[Hound]

Cat1 reinstated apparently