Further proof that the prem are strangling the life out of smaller clubs...

Its funny reading this thread.
Its full of moaners saying players arent good enough.
How many times have you seen these players.
Mark Robins, Keith Hill, and ronnie branson have seen them play, train, eat and spend time in hotels ect. They say there talents but some on here that haven't seen them kick a ball say there not.

Butterfields not good enough for grimsby, remember.

 

Like the vast majority of fans we base the success of our academy on the number of players that come through to the first team squad, We've had some good ones but nowhere near the number we ought to get

 

Opportunities for the Acadamy lads might not have been helped...

...by changing the Management staff every two minutes. Each time the new Manager has focused on bringing in his own players, therefore, relative unsettled teams and limited opportunities to bring in acadamy lads gradually. Flirting with relegation most seasons probably hasn't helped too.

 

Re: Just to address some of those issues

A well-thought out reply Jay. I know what you mean but the point I was trying to make was that we're as good as anyone in the league at producing full-time professionals. You say that the Academy is there to produce players for the first team and I think we've done that in recent years. All the players I mentioned played first team football and I'm sure I've missed quite a few out as well.
Neil Austin, Dave Mulligan, Robbie Williams, Jon Parkin and Antony Kay have all played at least 2nd tier football and were good players in my opinion who shouldn't have gone for peanuts but that's not the fault of the Academy Manager.
Steve Parkin released both Mulligan and Parkin when we could have commanded a decent fee. Parkin's gone for more than a million more than once. As for Digby, Rose and Clarke - its a case of watch this space but i've seen them play against so-called superior players and they are ones for the future. Digby in particular looks quality.
I don't think we actually spend as much on the backroom as you think even though our facilities are 2nd to none. The facilities are the club's facilities which have a positive effect on any potential youngsters or transfer targets coming into the club. Ignoring the ground rent, how much does the Academy really cost us? Some clubs want to chuck us out of the Academy because we don't offer the designated level of support but the FA inspectors give us a bit of slack because we're not a big club. (I know one of the inspectors and know this to be true). I'd be really interested to see the running costs of the academy because it would make it easier to determine whether we're getting value for money or not.

 

Re: Just to address some of those issues

Although there are some valid points on both sides of the argument it can not be denied that at barnsley something is going drastically wrong once these highly talented youngsters hit 18.

Despite some peoples perception I have been watching the academy sides for ten years plus. The last few years have seen a number of young players handed first team professional contracts then vanish into the nether. We have an excellent record of stocking up non league clubs for a loss.

The academy set up has gone down hill since mark smith left to pursue ventures elsewhere. A succession of various different directors hasn't helped.
What was once a shining light has been left in the darkness by its rivals.

There would be nothing I would like more than players from the barnsley youth set up in the first team as the star men but as it stands the odd gem aside its highly unlikely to happen.