The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2024/25

[Royals and Racers]

Looks like around 350 sold so far. I imagine it will improve the closer we get to the game. The EFL Trophy games that have little risk of selling out tend to have a late rush of ticket sales and people may realise the game is taking place fairly late too. Would be good to get to at least 500 in.

To update on this, looks like 534 sold right now.

Thanks. RFC bigging it up- preview and even an interview with Michael Stickland- shame they couldn’t ask Noel Hunt about the squad injury situation.

[Royals and Racers]

Just a reminder for anyone thinking of going to buy prior to the game as the club have said no ticket sales at the ground tonight.
Matchday prices( dearer) apply from 3pm today.

[Pepe the Horseman]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/20 ... _reg_first

Exclusive: Crisis-hit Reading pull team out of new competition after US takeover collapses
In the wake of a failed takeover owner Dai Yongge withdraws under-21s from cup competition amid fresh concerns for the club’s future.

Reading have pulled their under-21s out of a newly created competition by the Premier League in another alarming development at the crisis-hit club.

Days after American businessman Rob Couhig’s protracted takeover collapsed, under-fire owner Dai Yongge will come under renewed scrutiny after withdrawing the club’s youngsters from the National League Cup.

Reading’s academy has nurtured the likes of Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise in recent years and the under-21s were initially expected to take part in the competition, which starts next month, but the decision is understood to have been made to cut costs.

All of the games in the National League Cup are scheduled to be played at the grounds of non-league clubs, so Reading’s withdrawal will save costs on travel and possibly even overnight hotel stays.

The surprise decision to remove the under-21s will raise fresh concerns over the future of the club’s academy teams at Bearwood Park.

The Premier League have devised the new competition in a bid to boost elite development, with 16 non-league clubs to be pitted against 16 Premier League 2 clubs with Category One academies.

Reading were initially selected to play in Group A, with Brighton, Fulham, Southampton, Aldershot, Maidenhead, Wealdstone and Woking. They have since been replaced by Championship club Derby County.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Tldr: We've pulled out of the new National League cup to save money.

[Royals and Racers]

Boyce-Clarke
Ahmed
Garcia
Rushesha
Holzman
Dean
Akande
Spencer
Wareham
Tuma
Sackey
SUBS
Norcott
Beacroft
Okine-Peters
Senga
Stjckland
Barough
Osho

[Clyde1998]

Disappointing. Would’ve been a good experience for the young players to play at a few National League sides and play against experienced men.

Shows how tight funds are if we can’t afford to send an U21 team to Aldershot, Maidenhead, Wealdstone and Woking.

[Snowflake Royal]

Tldr: We've pulled out of the new National League cup to save money.

Even though we're apparently fully funded until January and Dai is committed to getting the best deal possible for the future of the club.

oxf*rd oxf*rd scum.

[Clyde1998]

Boyce-Clarke
Ahmed
Garcia
Rushesha
Holzman
Dean
Akande
Spencer
Wareham
Tuma
Sackey
SUBS
Norcott
Beacroft
Okine-Peters
Senga
Stjckland
Barough
Osho

Good that players like CBC, Garcia, Akande and Wareham are playing. Would’ve preferred if Stickland was playing instead of Harlee Dean.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Tldr: We've pulled out of the new National League cup to save money.

Even though we're apparently fully funded until January and Dai is committed to getting the best deal possible for the future of the club.

oxf*rd oxf*rd scum.

Don't shoot the messenger.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Tldr: We've pulled out of the new National League cup to save money.

Even though we're apparently fully funded until January and Dai is committed to getting the best deal possible for the future of the club.

oxf*rd oxf*rd scum.

I suspect the real reason is academy workload. We use a lot of them in the first team, we have the pizza cup, the continental competition and the regular league.

We don't need this joke of a competition on top of it.

[Sutekh]

Tldr: We've pulled out of the new National League cup to save money.

Even though we're apparently fully funded until January and Dai is committed to getting the best deal possible for the future of the club.

oxf*rd oxf*rd scum.

I suspect the real reason is academy workload. We use a lot of them in the first team, we have the pizza cup, the continental competition and the regular league.

We don't need this joke of a competition on top of it.

Joke is the right word given a number of NL clubs have also pulled out

[Royals and Racers]

1-0 23 mins Sackey

[Royals and Racers]

Even though we're apparently fully funded until January and Dai is committed to getting the best deal possible for the future of the club.

oxf*rd oxf*rd scum.

I suspect the real reason is academy workload. We use a lot of them in the first team, we have the pizza cup, the continental competition and the regular league.

We don't need this joke of a competition on top of it.

Joke is the right word given a number of NL clubs have also pulled out

It is only for 16 National League so 8 couldn’t be in it anyway. For an opposing view to Eastleigh have a read of Rochdale’s statement.

[Royals and Racers]

1-0 23 mins Sackey

1-1 34 mins
H-T 1-1

[Clyde1998]

Shame to be at 1-1. Completely dominated the first half and Ajax scored from their one real attack - simple cross from the right being finished.

Generally a very positive first half.

[Royals and Racers]

2-1 69 mins OG

[Clyde1998]

2-1 69 mins OG

Total deserved. Superb ball into the box too.

[Royals and Racers]

F-T 2-1

[Hound]

Good stuff. Once again academy a rare bright spot for us

[Orion1871]

F-T Reading 2-1 Ajax

Corrected for not saying Reading just beat Ajax * in an under 21 game