Throw in

Scannell
Grabben
Foderingham
Wiggins
To name a few there's plenty still earning a decent living out of the game

Edited by Y Ddraig Goch (07 Jan 2017 1.05pm)

We don't really have many young players that are ready to play in the first team apart from the likes of Dreher, Husin, Croll and possibly Phillips and Wynter. The other players in the academy are not doing too well at the moment, the only ones who to me seem decent are Andre Coker, Jason Lokilo and Sam Woods but they all have a fair way to go before they are ready to play in the first team

Our academy isn't efficient by the looks of it. Our catchment is truly enormous, when you think about it, but our academy isn't that great; we're in the third tier of the development leagues.

[Link]

Think we only have academies to produce young players to sell and make a bit of money and occasionally a big bit of money. Unless it's a real standout talent they aren't given a run and that's the only way you ever find out if a player is actually good enough.
I've said it for years, but the amount of money doesn't help produce players because the managers feel they can't take the risk of losing the money through relegation. Other countries the money is minimal or only the top 2/3 clubs get the majority of the money, so they have to blood players at a young age. That means by 19/20 these players have got about 100+ games under their belts in first team competitions in front of big crowds against men with something at stake. So blood a 19 year old youth prospect or pay £3m odd for a proven first team starter from France, Spain, Germany, Eastern Europe etc. Really it's a no brainer.

Edited by Dangermouse (08 Jan 2017 1.03pm)

That's Life
And as funny as it may seem
Some people get their kicks stompin' on a Dream.
KEEP THE FAITH!!!!!

The academy isn't currently fit for purpose. It was thrown out of the Training Ground about two seasons ago and has been using the Beckenham GOALS facility since. In its first season there the pitch was so poor there were large holes in the turf. We currently have several portacabins adjacent to the permanent buildings, but frankly for what we are supposed to be it's nothing short of an embarrassment.

Any decent facilities for them at a new training ground must be several years away at least. So whilst we have some good players like Sam Woods & Luke Dreher under development we aren't likely to get or keep a lot more.

In those circumstances we are unlikely to get the outstanding talent as we did in the 70s and 80s until at least the mid-2020s.

Taking the bungy jump since 1964. Never to see John Jackson in a shirt again

Sorry to see Lee Hills go, did we ever see Alex Marrow? We did January 2013

I can see why poster might suggest the academy isn't great but then again when I think of the last, say, 10-15 years we've not done too bad.

Foderingham (GK, now at Rangers, arguably not academy).

Clyne (RB, England and Liverpool)
Wiggins (LB, but for injury would have had a great career)
Innis (CB, injuries and personal issues disguise obvious talent)
Struggling for another CB

Routledge (RW, still effective in top flight)
Watson (CM, Still in top flight)
Williams (CM, unluckiest player in the world, potential there)
Zaha (LW/RW, need i say anything?)

Moses (CF, playing him up top to accommodate others tells its own story)
Grabban (Not spectacular, still commanded big fees).

Now that isn't a bad first 11. Add the likes of Bostock who is finally realising his potential, Soares (over rated in my eyes but had a good career) etc then we've not done too badly.

laddo

"People say, live fast, die young. I say live fast, die old. That's me, the non-conformist".
David Brent.