8th!

[bakes8]

And 5 players who came through our academy played yesterday.

The future is bright I feel.
Lumley is growing (literally, the man is a giant) into the role, looks a top talent. Loves a clean sheet.

Furlong, I have never seen a full back win literally every single header he contested yesterday. Pace to burn, will possibly end up a top class centre back.

Eze a bit off colour yesterday, but well marshalled by Cruella de vil (Chalobah) may have contributed.

But Eze coming off gave us a 20min cameo of Chair again, who really looked sharp, some lovely touches from him yesterday. And Oteh who wasn't on for long but absolutely roasted their full back for a beautiful cross that Bright Samuel almost scored a cracker from.

Future is bright chaps, soak it up.

[Undecided]

We need to keep them all together, so that suggests promotion is kinda essential?

[West Acton]

If anyone goes it will be the likes of Freeman not the kids

[Shania]

We need to keep them all together, so that suggests promotion is kinda essential?

In Penrice we have to trust, and I do also hope that CR has been given a long and generous contract. He is of vital importance to this club.

[davieqpr]

Chair never really came through the academy and was signed for the U23s, Eze came from Millwall , Oteh from Spurs and Samuel from Blackpool. So although well scouted youngsters technically not through our academy.

[bakes8]

Chair never really came through the academy and was signed for the U23s, Eze came from Millwall , Oteh from Spurs and Samuel from Blackpool. So although well scouted youngsters technically not through our academy.

Chair, Eze and Oteh were all signed to play for our young squads and have all developed into first team players. Lumley and Furlong have been with us for ages. I didn't mention Samuel.
But point taken.

[West Acton]

Whether they were bought in or not our academy and efforts have continued their development and made them better players

[qprjeff1882]

Surely the U23 is still part of the academy. If they played a big part in the U23 and have played for the first team then they have come through the academy. I get that some haven't cone through from the U16, U18 etc but they are still seen as academy players before first team. Players like Freeman and Luongo were bought in to go straight into the first team etc.

[davieqpr]

An Academy is for players under 17. On their 17th birthday they are eligible to be offered Youth Development Contracts. There is a difference between an Academy player and a Youth or Young player.

[bakes8]

An Academy is for players under 17. On their 17th birthday they are eligible to be offered Youth Development Contracts. There is a difference between an Academy player and a Youth or Young player.

Merry Xmas Mr Pedantic

[bakes8]

An Academy is for players under 17. On their 17th birthday they are eligible to be offered Youth Development Contracts. There is a difference between an Academy player and a Youth or Young player.

Funny how Steve Mcclaren mentioned the 4 Academy players on the pitch at the end of the game in his post match comments on the Official site. His own words. You must know more than him

[Alanwycombe]

We need to keep them all together, so that suggests promotion is kinda essential?

A near miss will see McClaren move on, reputation restored by sorting out our squad into challengers.

[West Acton]

A near miss will see McClaren move on, reputation restored by sorting out our squad into challengers.

Don’t agree with this. Where is he going to go?? Prem club won’t touch him and even champ clubs look at the foreign market. I would say he’s our manager as long as we want him to be

[Alanwycombe]

Cardiff. I can't see Warnock sticking around at 70, and I don't think their boss would fork out for a foreigner. Wouldn't surprise me at all.

[Undecided]

A near miss will see McClaren move on, reputation restored by sorting out our squad into challengers.

I wasn't talking about this season, promotion is highly unlikely in 2018/19 (if that's the season we are in, although there was some debate!) , but with this squad, we could expect to come closer as the years progress. If its too long coming, our squad will be picked over by the big boys, so we can't hope to keep them together.

Can't think SMAC will stay forever if we keep knocking on the door with a limited squad, but he'll be with us for a season or two yet if we do come close to or get into the play offs.