' Emergence of more youngsters '

With Vincent Tan & Dalman continuing to cut back the budget and saying publicly their is NO money for transfers.




' Emergence of more youngsters '



The above likely means you will be seeing more headlines about youngsters getting their debuts or making more of an impact in 2022.

For the most part, fans have been happy and excited to see talented young players break on to the scene and make an impact. There are, of course, the odd joyless moaners prepared to write teenagers off after just a couple of games, but on the whole it's rightly been a positive reaction from supporters.

Not all of them will make it, some might even fall by the wayside next year.

Steve Morison has stated its a massive step up to go from the


But Rubin Colwill is set to play a big part, so, too, Mark McGuinness, even though he is not an academy graduate but is still just 20 years of age.

Isaak Davies and Sam Bowen have shown glimpses of his potential in recent months, too, while Kieron Evans and Chanka Zimba ( Not an Academy player ) , crucial to the success of the under-23s, will want to build on a positive 2021 and translate that into more first-team appearances next year.


There needs to be quality around them, of course, no one wants to be relying solely on this young crop to carry the pressure of the entire club, but there is hope that these, and others we have perhaps not seen yet, can further make their mark in 2022.

Expect to hear more about them...

Morgan Wigley, Joel Colwill, Rhys Schwank are all very good prospects in the u18s as well as the more well known names such as Keenan Patten, Eli King, Ryan Kavanagh, Jai Semenyo Tavio d'Almeida and Cian Ashford. The future is looking good.

The one nobody seems to mention is Oliver Denham [from Man Utd academy I think]. He came on as a sub in the Brighton cup game and looked really decent against their quick and mobile strikers. Surely a better bet then Nelson or Morrison for the rest for the season as both look way off the pace to me - alongside Mc Guiness we would have two ball playing centre backs.

It was alluded to me that one of the main reasons there is 'no money' to spend currently is the worry over the Sala battle, which could go either way as things stand

According to the politician, £19m has actually been set aside to cover the worst outcome and let's be honest, that amount is not insubstantial for any club outside of the Premier League

So let's look at what might occur either way...

1: We (as a club) lose the Sala case and the club (nee Vincent Tan) has to pay out the c.£19m

Not good at all and that will set back the club some distance and pretty much ensure a bleak year or two ahead on the recruitment front

2: We (as a club) win the Sala case and the club (nee Vincent Tan) see £19m released back into his remit

That would be an impressive 'windfall' and potentially a huge relief on club finances, if the owner decides to re-invest any or all of it into the club's future (a telling point in his book of intent)

It has been said by a trusted provider of information that we have a 'new' manager lined up for next season...

Why not now?

Tied to another club?

Or, let's try and be positive, in primed to take the reins once the Sala case is resolved and in a position to move this club forward?

In reality it's still an unknown right now but the Sal outcome is going to have a massive impact on the club's short to medium future either way

In these scenarios (and excluding Steve Morison doing a bloody good job) let's hope for Scenario 2, as Scenario 1 doesn't bare thinking about for any other than the perennial detractors on here

This worries me greatly. If Tan thinks we will do anything other than struggle in the lower reaches of lower divisions with his 'cost cutting' plan then he is deluded.

There was a need to cost cut due to COVID, but in my humble opinion, with what we have had, cost cutting to the level Tan and Dalman are trying to do shows complete disdain for our great club, and shows total lack of understanding of football.

I'm not afraid to get relegated, but to leave us uncompetitive is cruelly criminal and will lead to more fans just walking away.

This worries me greatly. If Tan thinks we will do anything other than struggle in the lower reaches of lower divisions with his 'cost cutting' plan then he is deluded.

There was a need to cost cut due to COVID, but in my humble opinion, with what we have had, cost cutting to the level Tan and Dalman are trying to do shows complete disdain for our great club, and shows total lack of understanding of football.

I'm not afraid to get relegated, but to leave us uncompetitive is cruelly criminal and will lead to more fans just walking away.

Or a simple miscalculation followed by a reset and moving forward once the potentially rather expensive (c.£19m) Sala outcome is known...?

Time will tell, I guess...

The only thing that seems to be lacking is a strategy for this cohort of academy kids.

I am not a fan of aged group football after U18's, its all a bit pointless and academic. I think we should ask the LOW to allow us to field a team . The players would only be registered to play for that team and can only move in the international transfer window. If you are good enough then you are old enough.

We have had loads on the next big things that were never tested in real football. But if these lads hope to make a living out of the game they should show something and others who don't make it to the EFL at least can show what they can do at LoW level