Thought would be a good idea to make a designated thread for all things related to the development squad for their upcoming season, as we do have an interest in them due to players breaking in to the 1st team last season. We can keep a close eye on them to see who will break through this season. Squad details, interviews, signings, friendlies, league games, loans going out, highlights and anything else related to the development squad, can all be added on this thread
Our development squad fixtures have just been announced for the Central League that they are in, which we won the league last season, so we are looking to retain our title this season. Here are their fixtures for the Central League. I am sure there will be friendly games added in a long the way, which we can add on here as and when. (please note, fixtures/venues are subject to change). September: Tuesday 11th Vs Forest Green Rovers - Away - 1pm KO Tuesday 18th Vs Cheltenham Town - Home - 11am KO Tuesday 25th Vs Luton Town - Home - 2pm KO October: Tuesday 16th Vs Plymouth Argyle - Away - 2pm KO December: Tuesday 4th vs Exeter City - Home - 1pm KO January: Tuesday 15th Vs Forest Green Rovers - Home - 1pm KO Tuesday 29th Vs Cheltenham Town - Away - 1pm KO February: Tuesday 5th Vs Plymouth Arygle - Home - 1pm KO Tuesday 26th Vs Exeter City - Away - 1pm KO March: Tuesday 19th Vs Peterborough United - Away - 2pm KO Tuesday 26th Vs Southend United - Home - 1pm KO April: Monday 15h Vs MK Dons - Away - 1pm KO Tuesday 23rd Vs AFC Wimbledon - Home - 1pm KO
Current development squad players, although there will be more added as we have a lot of triallists involved in games at the moment. U18's will help bolster the development side as and when needed but I wont add them here. GK's: Alexis André please log in to view this image Liam Armstrong please log in to view this image DF's: Alfie Kilgour please log in to view this image Rollin Menayese please log in to view this image Ben Morgan please log in to view this image Michael Kelly please log in to view this image Lewis Ludford-Ison please log in to view this image MF's Luke Russe please log in to view this image Lewis Leigh-Gilchrist please log in to view this image Connor Jones please log in to view this image Cameron Hargreaves please log in to view this image Mohammad Baghdadi please log in to view this image CF's Cameron Ebbutt please log in to view this image Rhys Kavanagh please log in to view this image
I have watched the games at Yate and WSM in their pre season friendlies, one of the trialists a RB particularly impressed me as did one of the strikers also a trialist better not mention names. The players that got game time last season Russe Hargreaves played well as did Morgan and Josh Bailey at WSM. Dillon played at yate and also had a good game. Other players played well during those games but their names are not known by me
Josh Bailey is on the list on our OS as in the development team but has no picture. When you click on his name, it says u18's so didn't include him. Its good for the u18's to get game time at development level too. It can only help improve them.
When I attended the WSM match I was chatting to 2 fellow spectators, one of them was the father of the WSM striker who was looking for a club to play for, he scored the first goal against the Rovers and played well for a very good WSM team. Said player played for Cardiff Youth but later joined Colchester when the Cardiff development squad wasn't used by the new manager after Paul Trollop was sacked, he played along side Rollin Manayese when they were both at Cardiff The second spectator I was talking to was scouting Ossian Dillon for the Welsh 17-19 age group but Bailey and Morgan played the whole match so unless he came on in a defensive MF role the poor guy wasted his evening, though as he only lived at Flax Bourton he didn't have far to come.
CJS I have just written a letter to Steve Hamer to see if he can get something moving re lack of reports, in the letter I received with my season ticket it said they wanted to improve communication lets see if actions speak louder than words
It would be good if some of these players made the main squad. Menayese has got to be worth a squad number, and Baghdadi did well at the end of last season. Are there any 6'+ strikers in the development squad?
Liam Armstrong, Cameron Allen, Alfie Clarke and Connor Jones all going out on loan. Armstrong to Tiverton Connor Jones to Mangotsfield Alfie Clarke to Larkhall Athletic these deals run until end of December Cameron Allan to Dorchester Town until middle of September
I read somewhere (not sure of true) that if you give a squad number to a player then that player goes towards the wage bill which the FFP rules effect. Again I dont know if true but if it is, it may explain why Menayese and also the likes of Russe too haven't been given a number yet as we may have to use what budget we have left with getting in some strikers. Or if its not true, it could be a case of just the 1st team squad being announced what their squad numbers are. They may have given numbers to the development team too but just may not have bothered to announce it.
Received a letter by return from Mr Steve Hamer today Goal scorers against AFC Totton were Cam Ebbutt and a trialist and as previously stated Lewis Leigh- Gilchrist against Salisbury. If the trialist was the same one that played against Yate and WSM then he might well be good signing for the future My thanks to Mr Hamer for his very prompt reply and information supplied
Development side playing Yate on Friday KO 7pm at lodge road Ad prices £5 concessions £3 under 11 free
Development squad v Yate 0 - 0 26 mins Trialist LB GK and on the bench Team Trialist A Clarke Morgan Kilgour Trialist Russe Hargreaves Widdrington Baghdadi Spruce Leigh-Gilchrist Subs Alexis Jr Ebutt Bailey Jones Ison Trialist
Rovers development squad played Paulton Rovers last night in a friendly game. Our starting 11: Trialist (GK), Luke Russe, Michael Kelly, Connor Jones, Alfie Kilgour, Josh Bailey, Lewis Leigh-Gilchrist, Theo Widdrington, Cam Ebbutt, Cam Hargreaves, Mo Baghdadi. Our subs: Alexis Andre (GK), Lewis Ison, Ben Morgan, Alfie Clarke. We won 6-0. The goals: 1-0: Leigh-Gilchrist is played in on goal by Ebbutt and fired low beyond the keeper. 2-0: Ebbutt cuts in off the left and fires a powerful strike beyond the keeper and into the bottom corner. Half time. 3-0: Cameron Hargreaves converts from the spot. 4-0: Leigh-Gilchrist finds the net with a well placed free kick. 5-0: Widdrington on target from the penalty spot again. 6-0: Ebbutt has his brace after racing through on goal and chipping the keeper.
Thanks for that CJS had family staying this week and computer is in their bedroom, not able to do much
Deon Moore a striker ex Peterborough has been singed by the development squad, Moore is a striker and in the matches I saw that ha was involved in looked to be a good player for the future, He joined Posh from Carshalton in 2015 and made 4 EFL appearances. I wish Deon all the best for his future with us and look forward to seeing him in the first team squad in the future