bedforddiamond wrote:football - some for next season, some for the season after, and probably a couple for the season after that! The likes of Cogenhoe and Chenecks build sides to compete in the NSYL, none of their players play for the respective mens teams and aren't likely to next season.
Dave I don't think the comment I have highlighted is very respectful or true about the clubs you have mentioned. Certainly here at Kempston we have at least four players from our current U18 squad playing in our reserves on a regular basis and our 17 year old goalkeeper played for the first team in there 2-1 win at Holbeach yesterday.
All clubs in the UCL use the NYSL to bring U18 players up to the next level before using them in there Reserves or First team!
I don't think Dave was intending to be disrespectful to ANY clubs in the divisions we're playing in at the moment, but just factual based upon what we've been told by some of those players and clubs. Maybe AFC Kempston have a different policy to those mentioned, and damned good luck to you for it (except when we play you of course ;) ) ?
I hear that there is a concerted effort to get a Under21 league up and running as well. This should be good news as it will give some of the late developers a chance to keep developing before they hit the rough and tumble world of men's football.
Trek wrote:I keep hearing references to the age of our youth players compared with the general age in most of our opponents teams. Was this a decision by the acting committee or what MS wanted?
If it was the latter then perhaps many of these younger players won't be able to compete in the more physical UCL Premier league next season?
Discuss.
As Jim said, it was a case of seeing who was available rather than deliberately targeting younger players. Because of how late we started in comparison to the rest of the league, the majority of older, more experienced players were already signed to other clubs.
Our team next season will (hopefully) include a few of this season's youth side, but we will certainly need a core of experienced players for us to compete in whichever division we start in. In many ways our league position and results this season are irrelevant (although we obviously want to do as well as possible), as our youth setup is all about nurturing young players and preparing them for mens football - some for next season, some for the season after, and probably a couple for the season after that! The likes of Cogenhoe and Chenecks build sides to compete in the NSYL, none of their players play for the respective mens teams and aren't likely to next season.
Dave I don't think the comment I have highlighted is very respectful or true about the clubs you have mentioned. Certainly here at Kempston we have at least four players from our current U18 squad playing in our reserves on a regular basis and our 17 year old goalkeeper played for the first team in there 2-1 win at Holbeach yesterday.
All clubs in the UCL use the NYSL to bring U18 players up to the next level before using them in there Reserves or First team!
BD I think Dave has been going on what has been mentioned by people at both those clubs, in fact there are players in one NSYL under 18 team playing for other UCL teams I understand. The way you run Kempston is brilliant with a clear progression from youth football to men's football and we want to be doing the same, other teams have been put together to try and win the NSYL, while some have under 18 players not interested in representing their respective men's teams which was a big surprise when this was mentioned to us.
Dave kindly explained by PM what he discussed with the managers of Cogenhoe and ON Chenecks so my apologies to Dave for taking what he said out of context.
Thank you for your kind comments about our policy, we also have a superb relationship with Bedford College Football Academy who also feed players in to our Under 18 side (and other sides within the AFC Kempston set up), growing players from 4 years old through to playing for your first team at say 18 or 20 has got to be the most rewarding aspect of grass roots football and as far as Kempston are concerned, long may it continue!
