Gustav Engall - £2m player on Loan..

Yes I'm with you on that.
My point was the pulling power for kids to Bristol City would be not in the same ball park as the attraction for kids (and their parents) to signing for Southampton. This much is obvious, but what is also obvious to me is that Southampton are a far bigger and more important club, which is why we need sustained success to build what we have to the point where we can compete with the like.
A successful club will always attract the better young players, and that for me is what it comes down to.
Catch 22 I think they call it

 

Two of the most successful academies in England are and were Southampton and Crewe. Crewe could hardly be described as bigger or important.

Crewe were highly proactive and progressive. Southampton via their coaching network, bottom up philosophy, embracing of sports science/education coupled with the Staplewood Campus/Satellite centres are proactive and progressive to being radical.

Local development centres feed players into academies if good enough. The advice is if you have a choice, join Southampton not because of their league status, but because of how yous Son will be treated and the opportunities they offer.

Bristol City - Mr Lansdown could have mirrored much of what Southampton have done by spending money on infra structure and coaches overseen by a man like Les Reed, instead of racking up massive debts. The structure could now be in place. As it is City are playing catch up, a lot of catch up as the club offers neither the opportunities, and has the spread and capacity. At the bottom even Exeter offer more opportunity in the Counties away from Bristol,

 

There's no doubt about the fact that Southampton are a bigger club than us, but in terms of catchment area and potential, there's absolutely no reason why we couldn't aim to match or eclipse them long-term. I'm just not convinced it will ever happen.

 

johngalleyfan2 said: ↑
He hadn't left yet? and the deal must have not been completesd .. earliest recall was in the summer?

so many adverts ...I managed to get through the ENGVALL BIT clicked on the Tomlin link and Evil Post strikes again... finished up doing the 7 second push ..............

seems The Swedes are not keen on him coming back! But as they say ..2 week break now and he already has permission to join the under 21 squad for nigh on 2 weeks........

 

There's absolutely no reason why Mr Lansdown couldn't aim ... To create something akin to Sporting clubs abroad. Mr Lansdown has land at Ashton Vale he can build upon - A facility for the Academy x Community Trust.