The Academy

[SCIAG]

To keep funding coming in, The Academy needs to unearth some talent, mark my words Henry will NOT make any impact at this club, If he does all on here can act stupid, send Dodd photos and whatever you do to deride people.
There are however 3 players currently training with the U15s which look very good, unless Bashir gets involved!!!

This is the James Henry we have been hearing about for 3 years as the "next big thing"?

Trust me, he's quality. He's scored hatfuls in the reserves and at every youth level. He was very good at Bournemouth, and the only reason he wasn't starting at Norwich was Kieran Gibbs, who will be a starter at Arsenal in a few years. Wenger has said of Gibbs "he has nothing to learn technically", high praise indeed from that man. Plus, Norwich were fielding too many loanees (they had Henry, Pearce, Gibbs, Ryan Bertrand of Chelsea and several others) to use Henry.

Our u-10s and u-14s are both quality. I think we'll see two players from each of those teams on the verge of our first team in a few years.

Strap: Golbourne's injured.

[cmonurz]

'Our under-10s are quality'?

How random is that? When I was at school I played football at lunchtimes with a group of lads in my year and the one below, including one called Daniel Wing, who was (and still is) about 5ft 6ins, skinny, and for all his tricks, useless and couldn't pass the ball. He was crap. Ten years later he is a county level athlete and last season (or the season before) was playing for Bracknell Town.

Ability at 10 years old has little to no bearing on future Academy prospects. I'd argue even the under-14s too.

[SCIAG]

I know a lot can happen in the 6 years before our u-10s will come into the public eye and the same with our u-14s, but some of them are really good. I won't go into more detail because then it will sound like I'm making it up.

In slightly related news, Aldershot will have a midfield featuring two former and one current Reading Academy players next year. Simeon Howell, Louis Soares (who has converted himself to a winger) and Scott Davies will play for them in League 2. Not bad work, is it? Is Johny Mullins still at Macclesfield? Whatever happened to Peter Castle? Plus Ashdown, Young, Henderson, Tyson, from a "young" Academy that produced these players in the third tier, 2 second tier players, a 2nd or 3rd tier player (Tyson) and two fourth tier players (Howell and Soares) isn't bad (plus wherever Young etc. are playing). Davies not counting due to being on loan ofc.

[Wimb]

Bump... if only because I'm bored and it says a lot about how the yoof/BR was viewed 15 months ago

[Lukewarm Lager]

Christ Wimble, you are even more bored than I am!

[Wimb]

Christ Wimble, you are even more bored than I am!

Valid lukey also been reading the threads started after we were relegated, interesting to see how people were reacting at the time as I wasn't viewing HNA much

[Forbury Lion]

Henry is not and never will be good enough, He reminds me of a poor Scott Taylor.

A poor Scott Taylor would walk into the current side.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Henry is not and never will be good enough, He reminds me of a poor Scott Taylor.

A poor Scott Taylor would walk into the current side.

Well I won't panic until someone says a poor Mark Reilly would walk into the side....

[Royal With Cheese]

This is the Aaron Brown who joined us at the age of 22?

My mistake I meant Alex Pearce, so please dont slag me off for typing in wrong name, Im getting old and forgetful LOL

Well that just changes everything then!

His contrition is a lesson for many posters on Hobnob.

[Terminal Boardom]

A poor Jimmy Kebe walks into the side. HTH