http://www.barnsley-chronicle.co.uk/mobile/sport/article/10573 Is our academy not looking healthy at the moment....Or is it just a bad year? or are we just in the speculation market!
The latter imho. Not good enough to push into the first team at e.g. Old Trafford doesn't mean you have no future as a professional footballer.
http://thepeoplesperson.com/2015/05/13/callum-evans-set-to-sign-new-man-utd-contract-94977/ Callum Evans was due to sign a new contract at Man Utd. At 20 it seems he's more 1st team potential than U21. Seeing as he is older than Smith and Bree. Quite like the idea we sign premiership u21s who aren't quite good enough to break into their first teams. If we get them free on low wages it's an ideal way to prop up our development squad because only 1 or 2 a year from academy will be good enough to make it all the way.
If our excellent academy coaches can improve guys with experience in premiership academies and make them first team guys for us, it's all good
Keep an eye on Drennan - signed from Newcastle. Looked excellent when on trial at the end of last season.
I think a reason for doing this is because it gives us the chance to have more options in all positions if we have an injury crisis. Due to the amount of players from the academy to the first team last season there are now very few players who fall into the 'U21' bracket i.e. older than U18 but not playing in the first team: just Matty Templeton and Bailey Gooda to be precise. Therefore next season our U21 squad would basically be another U18 squad with a few first team players, so it makes sense to bring in players from other clubs who fall into this bracket and may be able to help us in the first team anyway.