Jack Batton on their radars already,this kid will go a long long way. Jack was a excellent rugby player and great footballer. Jack played with my youngest alongside him in Defence for Yate Utd when they were younger. This kid has it all,just keep your feet firmly on the ground Jack,your Dad will no doubt. Mirror reporting Liverpool want him, after previously reporting Everton and a host of other premier league clubs want him.18 Year Old CB, currently playing for the under 21, and just signed a Pro Deal
seeing that he has signed a pro deal the bigger clubs would have to pay a lot more seeing that we have nothing to play for I would like to see a youngster or 2 in the squad on Saturday
Funny how our players are getting tapped up by the big boys but we never see them play in the first team??
We have an opportunity now to show the Under 21's that we are serious about our youth policy. It would not be fair on others still fighting relegation if we fielded a very young and inexperienced team versus Crewe. But assuming all are fit, I would include Bryan, Reid and Burns in the starting line up. With Batten, Morrell and Bishop on the bench. For the Crawley game, there is a totally different scenario because neither team is now involved in the threat of the drop. My knowledge of the Academy boys is limited to what I read in match reports and postings on here about Batten and others. I am also not party to SC's ideas on who out of the current first team squad he wants to be around next season. So with some guesswork on my part, here is how I would line up at Crawley. Current first team squad not mentioned below are assumed to be leaving us. GK; Fielding (if fit. If not Richards) Back 3; Osbourne, Jack Batten, Williams Midfield 5; Burns, Reid, Wade Elliott (Pearson) Kelly (Joe Morrell) Bryan Front 2; Baldock, Marley Bishop (JET) Half time subs in brackets. Other first team squad members not included but staying; Cunningham, Wagstaff, Moloney, El Abd (although IMO there is a strong possibility that he will not be here) That squad of nineteen, would need three or four additions to be recruited during the summer. Unless of course there are others in the academy that I don't know of.
A league is won over several games. Since we're safe we shouldn't field a full-strength side. If there was ever an opportunity to field the youngsters it's right now. I've harped on enough about how pointless our academy is when we don't ever play the talent we have there. If clubs are sniffing around this youngster then put him in the ****ing team! We have about five players that could make the step up, but need to be given a chance to do so. The remaining two games should be their chance to show why they should be playing in this league.
Burns deserves to start and maybe a youngster on the bench. We have an obligation to the other sides in the relegation battle to field a strong team.
A very gentlemanly statement which is how my own mind naturally works, but actually we don't owe those teams anything. We need to be a bit more ruthless and think of BCFC, not other teams fighting relegation. I bet they wouldn't think of us if our roles were reversed.
Interesting isn't it- I would hate to be still in the relegation mix and one of our rivals was facing a weakened team, then again,, Chelsea seem to be getting away with it this weekend it seems, allowing Liverpool the opportunity to all but seal the title- I am surprised that there hasn't been more noise from Man.City.
Funny how Chelsea seem to be getting away with it, but didn't old Hollowhead get an earbashing and Blackpool censured and fined for fielding a weekend team even though most had been first team squad players? don't tell me there is one rule for the rich clubs and one for the rest??????????
Every team that is "safe" fields youngsters at the end of the season and we should be no different. Teams that are in the relegation fight are there for a reason - they have failed to win games over the prior 40-odd previous ones and so they cannot blame relegation on a team fielding youngsters. Besides, if the kids are good enough to earn pro deals, they should be good enough to play.
