In, Out, Shake It All About: January 2025 Transfer Window

[Worthy4England]

Was interesting when Markham was asked about how many Academy players he expected to land, the starting point for the answer was somewhere around "no one is really pulling through big numbers of first teamers...sounded like a "hopefully more than none but maybe not two" type pitch...

[GhostoftheBok]

The fact is that most players coming through "fail" (in some sense), even at the most successful development sides.

The success of the project (queue wrath on here) is longer term. Do your sell-ons make you money? How many clauses get triggered? Those are the things that help you break even over time.

Then there's bigger clubs swooping in for you kids and having to pay comp (ala Liverpool recently) and you being owed money if that player moves on later. That's a bit more money.

You're left with the players in between - not the best lads, who get stolen, nor the drop-outs - hoping some of them make an impact on the first team.

Hutch featured in the Villa cup game, which was nice to see. Other kids have made the bench. Max is flying a division below.

There's hope for players there and some money coming in through the process.

We're what, 3 years into this rebuild? That's sod-all for an academy and development system. This is pretty good going so far, considering we've taken the cheapest option to do it.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Agreed with all that – and of course I bow to your experience in the area.

Just hoping it comes good and we don't sacrifice decent longterm potential for a small short-term chance of improvement - eg flicking Conway. In many ways it's good to have him flying there but I'd definitely be looking at bringing him back to come on as sub for Schon. Even if we got him back for January then decided at the end of the month. But I guess we're halfway through January now... (and he's cup-tied for tonight anyways)

[Frank Drebin]

Connor Carty - this year's Alex Samizadeh........hopefully without the legal ahem, 'complications'. We do seem to bring through strikers who set the youth leagues on fire.........then disappear without trace........

Aye, you can put Dennis Politic in this bracket too.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

On subject of kids' loans, we recalled Trevon Bryan yesterday.

[GhostoftheBok]

Agreed with all that – and of course I bow to your experience in the area.

Just hoping it comes good and we don't sacrifice decent longterm potential for a small short-term chance of improvement - eg flicking Conway. In many ways it's good to have him flying there but I'd definitely be looking at bringing him back to come on as sub for Schon. Even if we got him back for January then decided at the end of the month. But I guess we're halfway through January now... (and he's cup-tied for tonight anyways)

100% on Max. For me he's a League One player at the minute and (assuming we're still in this division next season) he should be seen as a first team option next term.

You can do all you have to do as a development bod, but if the manager won't take a risk on talent then it's a thankless task.

After 3 years you are unlikely to have loads of talent available, but to attract talented kids you have to be able to show their parents that you make professional footballers. You can show them lads all across the pyramid and say "We are able to make the best of everyone's ability", but ultimately they usually ask how many lads make the first team.

Lads aren't working every day to end up signing for Accrington on a 12 month deal. They want to believe they can play for Bolton.

Max breaking through might seem small to us, but for the academy it would be huge.

[The_Gun]

Interesting that the two youth players who appear closest to our first team (Conway and SSA) are academy products rather than B teamers.

Khumbeni the only real success of the lads we’ve recruited for the B team thus far.

[nicholaldo]

I'd add my voice (or at least type my agreement) to those arguing in favour of persisting with our youth set-up as is.

We've steadily got to the position where the best of our youth prospects are not only attracting the interest of fourth-tier clubs but joining them temporarily and succeeding.

That wasn't happening at the outset and definitely helps our reputation, which is so important for attracting talent.

[GhostoftheBok]

Interesting that the two youth players who appear closest to our first team (Conway and SSA) are academy products rather than B teamers.

Khumbeni the only real success of the lads we’ve recruited for the B team thus far.

The point of the B Team is that we aren't bringing through enough kids to fill out a bridge side between the U18s and men's football. We have to sign players to be able to field that team.

You want some of them to make it through, but if it's academy lads that's still fine.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Interesting that the two youth players who appear closest to our first team (Conway and SSA) are academy products rather than B teamers.

Khumbeni the only real success of the lads we’ve recruited for the B team thus far.

Bs are always going to be a calculated, probably outside, chance. As I say if we get a sell-on % with Carty that's more than we had before he came, and he did come close to the 1st XI.

Bs have also been going for a lot shorter time, whereas I'd guess Conway and SSA have been at the club for a few years.

100% on Max. For me he's a League One player at the minute and (assuming we're still in this division next season) he should be seen as a first team option next term.

I'd argue sooner. This is his last underage season. So if we don't try him this spring, when he doesn't take a space, I can see Evatt (or his replacement) saying "yeah, good kid, but I'd rather have this fella over here." Especially if we do manage to sneak up... fair enough it's a hgher bar, but he's more likely to clear it if he's been playing in the third rather than the fourth.

You can do all you have to do as a development bod, but if the manager won't take a risk on talent then it's a thankless task.

After 3 years you are unlikely to have loads of talent available, but to attract talented kids you have to be able to show their parents that you make professional footballers. You can show them lads all across the pyramid and say "We are able to make the best of everyone's ability", but ultimately they usually ask how many lads make the first team.

Lads aren't working every day to end up signing for Accrington on a 12 month deal. They want to believe they can play for Bolton.

Max breaking through might seem small to us, but for the academy it would be huge.

Totally agree on this and it seems to me an important part of the "ooh we're a special club" stuff. We can publish a thousand videos with drone shots and piano music but like you say it's a huge boost to club unity when you successfully promote a youth player to the first team.

[Frank Drebin]

The fact is that most players coming through "fail" (in some sense), even at the most successful development sides.

The success of the project (queue wrath on here) is longer term. Do your sell-ons make you money? How many clauses get triggered? Those are the things that help you break even over time.

Then there's bigger clubs swooping in for you kids and having to pay comp (ala Liverpool recently) and you being owed money if that player moves on later. That's a bit more money.

You're left with the players in between - not the best lads, who get stolen, nor the drop-outs - hoping some of them make an impact on the first team.

Hutch featured in the Villa cup game, which was nice to see. Other kids have made the bench. Max is flying a division below.

There's hope for players there and some money coming in through the process.

We're what, 3 years into this rebuild? That's sod-all for an academy and development system. This is pretty good going so far, considering we've taken the cheapest option to do it.

Some friends of mine, season ticket holders at Crewe are in raptures about Max Conway. They are desperately hoping he won’t be recalled and they’re hoping we sell him to Crewe.

[The_Gun]

The fact is that most players coming through "fail" (in some sense), even at the most successful development sides.

The success of the project (queue wrath on here) is longer term. Do your sell-ons make you money? How many clauses get triggered? Those are the things that help you break even over time.

Then there's bigger clubs swooping in for you kids and having to pay comp (ala Liverpool recently) and you being owed money if that player moves on later. That's a bit more money.

You're left with the players in between - not the best lads, who get stolen, nor the drop-outs - hoping some of them make an impact on the first team.

Hutch featured in the Villa cup game, which was nice to see. Other kids have made the bench. Max is flying a division below.

There's hope for players there and some money coming in through the process.

We're what, 3 years into this rebuild? That's sod-all for an academy and development system. This is pretty good going so far, considering we've taken the cheapest option to do it.

Some friends of mine, season ticket holders at Crewe are in raptures about Max Conway. They are desperately hoping he won’t be recalled and they’re hoping we sell him to Crewe.

I’ve read similar stuff from a number of sources, and it’s ultimately great news for us.

You’d imagine that Crewe would need to get promoted in order to be able to afford him.

[GhostoftheBok]

I'm going purely off chatting with staff at the Boro (I think it was) preseason game, but the position then was Max was slated to be viewed as a full option for pre-season 25/26.

They wanted a season of league footy in him and he'd then come back to earn a spot.

That of course would need those same staff members to be in place then.

[nicholaldo]

Well, let's hope he doesn't think he'd be better off signing a contract with the club he's currently at before then.

[GhostoftheBok]

Well, let's hope he doesn't think he'd be better off signing a contract with the club he's currently at before then.

Max can't talk to Crewe without permission.

In other news, social is melting down over Dion rumours again.

[Prufrock]

He's playing as a LWB for Crewe I think? Is he a left back by trade? I.e. could be play there if we went to a 4?

Just checking if I can chuck that dart at the manager down the line given one issue with that right now is no natural left back ?

[DJBlu]

Well, let's hope he doesn't think he'd be better off signing a contract with the club he's currently at before then.

Max can't talk to Crewe without permission.

In other news, social is melting down over Dion rumours again.

Aye, appears the mood has somewhat changed since losing 3-1 to Rotherham. Apparently last week £1m was good money, this week it's mental he's going.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

He's playing as a LWB for Crewe I think? Is he a left back by trade? I.e. could be play there if we went to a 4?

I believe he played on the left of Fylde's back four for a large slice of last season.

[Bertie Wooster]

Well, let's hope he doesn't think he'd be better off signing a contract with the club he's currently at before then.

Max can't talk to Crewe without permission.

In other news, social is melting down over Dion rumours again.

Aye, appears the mood has somewhat changed since losing 3-1 to Rotherham. Apparently last week £1m was good money, this week it's mental he's going.

Personally I'm not bothered about Dion leaving & I actually think that it would be a great move for him getting away from this shitshow, however I'm sure if true it will upset the natives and pile even more pressure on Ms Brittan & Mr Evatt.

[BWFC_Insane]

Another Evatt fall out then? Funny that. But don’t worry. We’ve got…ermmm…Mcatee…who is truly dreadful.