Academy goes from strength to strength

[andrew1957]

This year we have seen the addition of 8 Academy youngsters into the Reading squad list - Bell-Baggie, Taylor, Rowe, Locke, Walcott, Hector, Mills and Joyce. I think that is a record for any RFC year group and is very encouraging.

In the last 5 years the following numbers of Academy players have been give squad numbers and many are still with us.

2006 - 7 of which 4 are still with us (Hamer, Pearce, Davies and Henry)
2007 - 6 of which 4 are still with us (Church, Karacan, Robson-Kanu and Sigurdsson)
2008 - 5 of which 3 are still with us (Kelly, McCarthy and Bignall)
2009 - 1 - none with us now
2010 - 8 - all still with us.

That makes an average of in excess of 5 players graduating to the squad each season and only one bad year in 2009 when no players came through at all.

Obviously only some will make it in the long run but it is hugely encouraging and I just wanted to say congratulations to Eamonn Dolan and all who work so hard bringing the young players through.

[Barry the bird boggler]

You list two players called Rowe, I know of James but who is the other Rowe?

[andrew1957]

You list two players called Rowe, I know of James but who is the other Rowe?

Well spotted - the last one should have been Joyce. I have amended the list.

[Dirk Gently]

You list two players called Rowe, I know of James but who is the other Rowe?

Well spotted - the last one should have been Joyce. I have amended the list.

Joyce Rowe? We're putting girls into the squad now?

[andrew1957]

You list two players called Rowe, I know of James but who is the other Rowe?

Well spotted - the last one should have been Joyce. I have amended the list.

Joyce Rowe? We're putting girls into the squad now?

No Danny Joyce - but I guess that could be short for Danielle!

[Terminal Boardom]

And Jack Mills is on standby for the England U19 squad for the Euro Championships. 20 years ago this would have been earth shattering news so it goes to show how far the club has come.

[readingbedding]

And Jack Mills is on standby for the England U19 squad for the Euro Championships. 20 years ago this would have been earth shattering news so it goes to show how far the club has come.

Never heard of Neil Webb then.

[Hoop Blah]

I think it helps that lower division clubs now seem to carry larger professional squads than they did 20 years or so ago. That means we take on more youngsters as professionals than we used to.

Having said that we're certainly churning out more players capable of playing league football than we ever have done before in my time supporting the club. That's a great achievement and even if those lads aren't playing for us the academy is doing it's job (IMO) if it's making decent professional footballers.

[Terminal Boardom]

And Jack Mills is on standby for the England U19 squad for the Euro Championships. 20 years ago this would have been earth shattering news so it goes to show how far the club has come.

Never heard of Neil Webb then.

Yes I have and it was earth shattering news then!

[readingbedding]

Swerve, forgotten that he played for England Youth then.
Goes to show far the club has come has it?

[Ian Royal]

Worth a lol at all those criticising the academy for bringing no one through 5+ years ago when anyone with sense said it would take time to iron out the creases and for players to come through from the beginning of the process.

[Franchise FC]

Swerve, forgotten that he played for England Youth then.
Goes to show far the club has come has it?

And scored a hat-trick from LEFT BACK !!

[Baines]

The great thing about bringing these academy players through is that they'll treat every first team game as a cup final.

[eleventh earl of mar]

And Jack Mills is on standby for the England U19 squad for the Euro Championships. 20 years ago this would have been earth shattering news so it goes to show how far the club has come.

Never heard of Neil Webb then.

Yes I have and it was earth shattering news then!

He was more like 30 years ago!

[floyd__streete]

This year we have seen the addition of 8 Academy youngsters into the Reading squad list - Bell-Baggie, Taylor, Rowe, Locke, Walcott, Hector, Mills and Joyce. I think that is a record for any RFC year group and is very encouraging.

Being given a squad number only to never feature in the first team and wind up playing for Basingstoke Town is no cause for back-slapping as far as I am concerned. The last couple of seasons has seen some good progress on this front with outstanding products like Sigurdsson and Church finally coming to the fore as key first team players. When we get good, consistent home grown performers in the first XI week-in week-out over a number of seasons then that is reason to be really be pleased with ourselves.

[shaka's shorts]

When? What do you mean Floyd. We have that now - Hamer, Kelly, Pearce, Karacan, Henry, HRK, Sig, Church....need I go on....all have been in the first team squad on a number of occasions.... some have gone on to be capped at full or u21 level and that list doesn't include about 5 excellent young keeprs on top as well.....

[Kitson12]

I'm really looking forward to seeing more of Jake Taylor, he seems like a real prospect for the future.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

The great thing about bringing these academy players through is that they'll treat every first team game as a cup final.

just as long as they don't treat it like a play-off final

[Terminal Boardom]

When? What do you mean Floyd. We have that now - Hamer, Kelly, Pearce, Karacan, Henry, HRK, Sig, Church....need I go on....all have been in the first team squad on a number of occasions.... some have gone on to be capped at full or u21 level and that list doesn't include about 5 excellent young keeprs on top as well.....

Are you on drugs SS? The likes of Hamer, Kelly, Pearce, Henry and HRK have hardly set the world alight have they. In time they may prove to be regular first team players but I have not seen anything to suggest this to be the case.

The best thing that could happen to the club is to become 100% self sufficient in acquiring players. It will not happen because too many supporters demand success yesterday!

[Ian Royal]

Pearce has already played 37 league games for Reading, which is more than Karacan who you seem to have accepted as having broken into the first team.

Regardless of whether you rate Pearce as good enough, it is impossible to dispute he has broken into the first team and made an impact. Especially seeing as currently he looks set to start the season alongside Mills with Ivar still out and no other options signed.

Robson-Kanu, Henry & Kelly have all also started league matches for our first team, with chances being much more hard to come by for Hamer, as he is a goalkeeper.

Set the world alight? Maybe not. But that's not really the point.