SFC Youth Academy - currently active professional players

I was browsing a bit when I came across a list of some former Saints players. It got me thinking how many of our former/present youth players are currently active in professional football above conference level.

Here's a quick list - any forgotten? Any surprises? Any thoughts on the level of our youth setup in general? Folly, Griffit and Jones might be a stretch, but as I remember it, they were part of a development squad being groomed for the first team... Phillips also a bit of a stretch...

Premier League:

Chris Baird (Fulham)

Gareth Bale (Tottenham)

Calum Chambers (Southampton)

Nathan Dyer (Swansea)

Adam Lallana (Southampton)

Garry Monk (Swansea)

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal)

Nile Ranger (Newcastle)

Ben Reeves (Southampton)

Luke Shaw (Southampton)

Jack Stephens (Southampton)

Andrew Surman (Norwich)

Theo Walcott (Arsenal)

James Ward-Prowse (Southampton)

(Mike Williamson (Newcastle))

(Kenwyne Jones (Stoke))

FLC:

Leon Best (Blackburn)

Dexter Blackstock (Nottingham F)

Wayne Bridge (Brighton)

Martin Cranie (Barnsley)

Simon Gillett (Nottingham F)

Oscar Gobern (Huddersfield)

Joseph Mills (Burnley)

Matt Mills (Bolton)

Scott McDonald (Middlesbrough)

David McGoldrick (Ipswich)

Kevin Phillips (Blackpool)

League One:

Ryan Doble (Shrewsbury)

Darryl Flahavan (Bournemouth)

Brian Howard (Pompey)

Lloyd James (Leyton O)

League Two:

Scott Bevan (Bristol Rovers)

Arron Davies (Exeter)

Oliver Lancashire (Aldershot)

Matt Oakley (Exeter)

Matt Paterson (Burton)

Michael Poke (Torquay)

Danny Senda (Barnet)

Eredivisie:

Tim Sparv (Groningen)

Scottish First Division:

Andrew McNeil (Livingston)

From recent times I actually think we have provided a number of great players for the top tiers of English football. Question is if the picture is similar for other clubs or if we really have a very good academy?

Williamson and Jones aren't Saints academy products. Nor are Bridge, Monk, Oakley or Phillips technically.

Williamson and Jones aren't Saints academy products. Nor are Bridge, Monk, Oakley or Phillips technically.

Bridge is

Bridge is

The academy system started in 1998/99. Bridge turned 18 in August 1998 and was playing for the first team in 1998/99.

*waits for the reasons why the other 31 are not either*

The academy system started in 1998/99. Bridge turned 18 in August 1998 and was playing for the first team in 1998/99.

Did he play for a Saints youth or reserve team before making his first team debut?

He went from Oliver's Battery in Winchester to Saints. Your semantics made nothing here, he is a product of Saint's youth scouting and precursor to the current academy. He is a product of Saints.

The academy system started in 1998/99. Bridge turned 18 in August 1998 and was playing for the first team in 1998/99.

Fook me where did Le Tiss, Shearer, Wallace brothers etc come from

Your semantics made nothing here, he is a product of Saint's youth scouting and precursor to the current academy. He is a product of Saints.

I know, sorry couldn't help it.

Williamson and Jones definitely aren't though.

Williamson and Jones aren't Saints academy products. Nor are Bridge, Monk, Oakley or Phillips technically.

Williamson and Jones removed

Edit: I must have forgot some players - who?!

Did he play for a Saints youth or reserve team before making his first team debut?

 

He went from Oliver's Battery in Winchester to Saints. Your semantics made nothing here, he is a product of Saint's youth scouting and precursor to the current academy. He is a product of Saints.

Thank you colin..... a certain Alan Stevens would appreciate your post

I know, sorry couldn't help it.

W**ker

Thank you colin..... a certain Alan Stevens would appreciate your post

I'm sure the FA Level 1 Badge holders at Oliver's Battery F.C. would be equally grateful, as well as the P.E. teachers at Kings' School.

What does technically mean?

 

Most sign from other teams, whether it's local leagues or whatever. If you come in and play for the academy teams for a year or two you're an academy product.

I mean technically, because the academy system didn't start until 1998, and all of them came through at Saints before then. Bridge being right on the edge of the change.

Yes, they are still Saints products though. But there are significant differences between youth football before and after 1998.

I mean technically, because the academy system didn't start until 1998, and all of them came through at Saints before then. Bridge being right on the edge of the change.

Shut up you ****

I mean technically, because the academy system didn't start until 1998, and all of them came through at Saints before then. Bridge being right on the edge of the change.

 

Yes, they are still Saints products though. But there are significant differences between youth football before and after 1998.

Regardless of this, I stand by my earlier judgement.

I mean technically, because the academy system didn't start until 1998, and all of them came through at Saints before then. Bridge being right on the edge of the change.

 

Yes, they are still Saints products though. But there are significant differences between youth football before and after 1998.

Yawn.

Williamson and Jones aren't Saints academy products. Nor are Bridge, Monk, Oakley or Phillips technically.

Wayne Bridge came as a 16 y.o. trainee. He certainly played a lot of youth level football before he signing prof. when he was 18...and the rest ..is history.

Mike Williamson came as a n 18 y.o. from Torquay I think, and began in the Reserve side in 2001, He was unable to establish himself in the first team where the centre backs at the time were Michael Svensson and Claus Lundekvam !. He was later being loaned out and eventually moved from club to club. He currently has a 5 year contract with Newcastle.

Monk came to Saints as 18 y.o. ...from Torquay but it was 18 months before he played for the first team where he played 10 games +3 sub.) but played over 100 games for the Reserves in what was often a very young side. He was later loaned out before moving in 2002. He is currently captain at new Prem. side Swansea and just signed a new 3 year contract.

Kevin Phillips did play for our "Youth" side and actually played some games for the (then) Reserve side in 1990-91 season, but his progress was eclipsed by the presence of Jason Dodd and Jeff Kenna...and he was later released.

Matt Oakley came as a 16 year old " trainee" and signed a prof. 2 years later (1995), so he certainly played Youth team football for 2 seasons before moving up to first team level.

I can't see a "Jones" on the above list..but if you are thinking of Kenwyn J. he came as an 18 year old and began with Youth / reserve football and had "lots" of training before graduating to first team level..the phrase " rough diamond " often being used. If it refers to Lloyd James ..he certainly came through all the U16/U18 levels before playing first team football in CCC 07/08.

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I know that theoretically the Academy began 10 years ago, but it's totally wrong to suggest that there wasn't a good youth /trainee /apprentice set-up before that. There are many such examples ; prime ex. is Nick Holmes who began playing schools football in 1968, and later signed as " apprentice aged 16. went through Reserves and over 500 first team games, FA Cup Winner 1976 and team captain for several seasons.

Throughout the mid / late 1980's Dave Merrington managed the most successful Youth sides Saints have ever produced, many moving up to First team level and international honours. Alan Shearer and Neil Maddison came from the north East as 16 y.olds and played at youth level before signing pro. Matt Le Tissier began as a 16 y.o. apprentice as did the three Wallace brothers - and no-one can say they didn't get some sort guidance and training (!).

The "Academy " has now become highly sophisticated and the most successful youth development programme in the country, but the "basic system " has been in place for decades albeit, underfunded without proper resources and too-often ignored.

I didn't expect this to turn into a debate on technicalities about the academy - more a reaction on the number and quality of players coming out of SFC recently.

"From recent times I actually think we have provided a number of great players for the top tiers of English football. Question is if the picture is similar for other clubs or if we really have a very good academy?"

And again: who did I forget?

good post - Kayne Mclaggon is league 2 with Bristol Rovers.

But i'm stum[ped to think of any more...

Whoops. Forgot that The Gas were relegated

Edit: and added Oscar "the Ninja" Gobern!

Danny Senda - now Barnet, released at the age of 18 (I think) to Wycombe... played in the 1-0 win over Pompey the other night.

Having followed the Mark Pauls, Mark Peters and Dani Rodriguezes of our youth academy, I'm surprised to find a former youth player with a respectable career that I can honestly claim to have never heard of...

He was released about the time I used to get to a lot of youth and reserve team games, shortly before I had a stint at the Echo writing articles and Youth team match reports. I think you have most of the others I know of, the majority are in the lower leagues or dropped out completely.

Ryan Ashford was a BT local business rep for example, and is now in some other aspect of telecomms sales.

I believe Andrew McNeil played in goal for Saints Youth (maybe even in the 2005 FA Youth Cup Final? It says so on Wikipedia but Wiki isn't a wholly reliable source) and currently plays for Livingston in the Scottish Division One.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_McNeil

http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=42168

Yes, he did. Good spot.

http://community.codemasters.com/forum/lma-manager-2007-game-548/289542-4-4-2-magazine-footballs-top-100-prospects-2001-a.html

Number 44.

Was decent on Championship Manager.

Last I heard, Craig Richards was playing in Australia

Jay Lucas was the player from my link above, but Michael Poke at Brighton.

Where is Jake Thompson playing now? Was at Exeter but think he may have joined Cheltenham.

Too bad Eddie Odhiambo is "only" playing in the conference. You have to love a player, whose name must be sung to the "Annie Are You OK" part of Smooth Criminal...

Where is Jake Thompson playing now? Was at Exeter but think he may have joined Cheltenham.

Jake Thomson was at Exeter last season (came on as sub against Saints in the 4-0 home win against them), he had a one month loan at Cheltenham in March but was released by Exeter in the summer and AFAIK hasn't been picked up by anyone else either.

Edit : he's on Twitter : http://twitter.com/?q=jake+thomson#!/Jst_89 and played some pre-season games (as a striker!) for Southend, but he's not on their website in the squad.

I didn't expect this to turn into a debate on technicalities about the academy - more a reaction on the number and quality of players coming out of SFC recently.

 

"From recent times I actually think we have provided a number of great players for the top tiers of English football. Question is if the picture is similar for other clubs or if we really have a very good academy?"

And again: who did I forget?

I think it's a very interesting thread, and brings back lots of memories for older fans.

My comments on # 18 were only setting the case straight regarding some of the players quoted by Matthew Le God.

Of course the a lot has changed in the last 10 years, not least the training methods, footwear and that bl**dy beach ball they played with in the last World Cup.

Saints have always had a good youth team set-up (relatively speaking) and older fans can recall the epic exploits of the Youth side

in the 1950's when they had some great scraps with Man.Utd.s " Busby Babes " in successive years in the FA Youth Cup.

The main difference of course is that in bygone times, few players got to their first team debut before they were around 19 or 20 if they were lucky, and even then as "stand-ins " for injured players..by the time they reached 22/23 they weren't likely to make it and then moved on to lower league football. We often had a Reserve side in their mid 20's who were only selected in an emergency.

In an early interview when Gordon Strachan was manager he made the astounding statement that in years to come there wouldn't be Reserve teams , only youth team players - that turned out to be a very prophetic comment. Today's Academy side is a real revelation and many fans are well-acquainted with those who play at U16 / U18 level already, and those who are " on the up ", and the phenonema of 16 /17 year olds debut-ing has not been so unusual at all. Surman, Walcott, Bale and more recently Alex O-C.

When I was a regular fan (at the Dell) I enjoyed watching Youth games, too and seeing the younger talent emerge, although in those days few " made the grade " when older. (Anyone who thought Mick Channon's windmill goal-celebrations were unusual or strange should have seen him as 16 year old... scoring goals for the Reserves and then doing his own lap of honour - and even leaping the boundary wall - to celebrate with the often sparse groups of supporters). Lots of fun and very entertaining.

I hope this thread continues with more names and memories from contributors.

good post - Kayne Mclaggon is league 2 with Bristol Rovers.

 

But i'm stum[ped to think of any more...

What happened to the Russian (or was he Ukrainian) kid that was here, but who we couldn't get a work permit for? Because I can't remember his name I can't Google it, was it Periplotkin or something? Whatever happened to him, he was going to be the greatest thing since sliced bread (or at least since Mick Channon)

Too bad Eddie Odhiambo is "only" playing in the conference. You have to love a player, whose name must be sung to the "Annie Are You OK" part of Smooth Criminal...

The ex-Mr Anaclet was very popular at Newport until he left recently.

What about Darryl Flahavan?

What happened to the Russian (or was he Ukrainian) kid that was here, but who we couldn't get a work permit for? Because I can't remember his name I can't Google it, was it Periplotkin or something? Whatever happened to him, he was going to be the greatest thing since sliced bread (or at least since Mick Channon)

We've had this one before, went to Bohemians in Ireland, then onto Skonto Riga. 2 games on loan at Derby in 2008/9 and is now playing in Uzbekistan.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrejs_Perep%C4%BCotkins

What about Darryl Flahavan?

I can only assume you're taking the p155 as after making over 200 appearances for Southend, his last two clubs since the start of 2010/11 are Portsmouth and AFC Bournemouth.

From recent times I actually think we have provided a number of great players for the top tiers of English football. Question is if the picture is similar for other clubs or if we really have a very good academy?

Mmmmm ... not sure where is the best place to begin but if we use the FA Youth Cup Finals as a starting point, and our own final against Ipswich, the team line-ups can be found on Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FA_Youth_Cup_Finals#2004.E2.80.9305:_Ipswich_Town_vs_Southampton_.281.E2.80.930.2C_2.E2.80.932.29

Looking down the list of Ipswich players, there are no names that appear obvious current 'household names', whereas in the line-up for the Saints the names Walcott and Bale stand out; their names are known to non-Saints fans - and probably to some non-footie fans.

Other readers of this post might want to scroll up and down the above link and see the line-ups of other finals. Middlesborough were in two consecutive finals and Adam Johnson and also David Wheater stand out. The Arsenal teams of 2000 and 2001 also have several names that are now familiar - indeed, most finals have had a least one player who has turned out to be a star; the surprise being, perhaps, there are so few.

As for players who went on to play for Championship or League 1 and 2 sides, I do not know enough to make an answer other than to say I suppose nearly all of the finalists play somewhere in the lower leagues, at least.

Then, of course, there will be the clubs that had good academies but never made it to a Youth Cup final.

But the above is only a suggested starting point - others will have better informed ideas.

I can only assume you're taking the p155 as after making over 200 appearances for Southend, his last two clubs since the start of 2010/11 are Portsmouth and AFC Bournemouth.

He was in our youth set up along with his brother Aaron (rip)

I can only assume you're taking the p155 as after making over 200 appearances for Southend, his last two clubs since the start of 2010/11 are Portsmouth and AFC Bournemouth.

..but he ( Flahavan) was a youth player for Saints at one time, I think ...? even if he didn't progress past the juniors.

....or was that his brother who died so tragically ?

..but he ( Flahavan) was a youth player for Saints at one time, I think ...? even if he didn't progress past the juniors.

....or was that his brother who died so tragically ?

Both were with Saints as youth players.

I'm sure the FA Level 1 Badge holders at Oliver's Battery F.C. would be equally grateful, as well as the P.E. teachers at Kings' School.

I can advise 'Olivers Battery Youth FC' was renamed 'Winchester Youth FC' in about 1998 as the OB rec pitch was inadequate for fielding a team in each age group - Under 11 to Under 16.

The thriving club now plays at King George V Playing Fields bar End.

That is all.

good post - Kayne Mclaggon is league 2 with Bristol Rovers.

 

But i'm stum[ped to think of any more...

Is he? Good on the lad.

You could get a pretty good team out of that lot

------Bevan

Baird-Cranie-Mills-Bridge

AOC-Oakley-Surman-Bale

-------Walcott

-----Blackstock

Bench: Poke, Monk, McDonald, Howard, Best

I'm ignoring Lallana just because he still plays for Saints - the rest of the choices based on personal bias

One addition, Jeffrey Imudia is playing for Dave Hockaday's Forest Green Rovers side tonight in the BSP. I think they've recently gone full-time so he'll still count as a pro.

Saw Leon Best and Theo Walcott playing today. Makes me proud on behalf of SFC and the academy!

You could get a pretty good team out of that lot

 

------Bevan

Baird-Cranie-Mills-Bridge

AOC-Oakley-Surman-Bale

-------Walcott

-----Blackstock

 

Bench: Poke, Monk, McDonald, Howard, Best

I'm ignoring Lallana just because he still plays for Saints - the rest of the choices based on personal bias

interesting line-up though maybe Monk would take preference over Crainie ?

Monk is captain of Premier side Swansea, whilst Crainie plays for.... Coventry! I think ..

that was an interesting line-up though maybe Monk would take preference over Crainie ?

Monk is captain of Premier side Swansea, whilst Crainie plays for.... Coventry! I think ..

Is Scott McDonald at ..Newcastle ? if so... he's a Prem player, whilst Blackstock is ..with who nowadays ?

McDonald at Middlesboro and Blackstock at Nottingham Forest (along with McGoldrick)

Edit: clubs added in the first post...

Our academy is so so well run. The right people have all got their fingers well on the pulse.

For example, I indirectly know Matt Richie (former skate) through family connections. I know for a fact that from the age of seven that we were tracking him, asking him every year to move to us from the blue few. Matt's parents wanted him to leave Portsmouth but Matt himself said no, being a die hard pompey fan. IMO he'd be a far better player now if he had. (according to Matt's brother he is now greatly regretting not making the switch, but of course he would )

Just a little insight into how active our scouting of youngsters have been over the years. Long may it continue!