Saints swoop for 14-year old defender

http://www.camdennewjournal.com/sports/2014/oct/saints-swoop-defender?

Incidentally, does anyone know what became of a lad called Harry Ball who was scoring goals for fun?

I thought this kind of thing happened quite a lot?

It would be interesting to know what percentage of boys in our academy actually go on to make 1st team appearances for saints. I suspect we are much better than most clubs but there also seem to be a hell of a lot who's name gets mentioned at youth level that then never go any further.

Saints are as cut throat as any club as discarding youth players who they feel won't make the grade.

Saints are as cut throat as any club as discarding youth players who they feel won't make the grade.

They will discard them of course but actually look after them and help them with their future far more than other clubs. Les Reed spoke about it at Sportstech conference recently.

Incidentally, does anyone know what became of a lad called Harry Ball who was scoring goals for fun?

He got involved with some right wing extremists and had a run-in with the police - it was a close shave. So you could say, he is a bald nut now...

He got involved with some right wing extremists and had a run-in with the police - it was a close shave. So you could say, he is a bald nut now...

How long did this take you?

How long did this take you?

Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week!

Our friends 7 year old just been picked up by Bournemouth.

It would be interesting to know what percentage of boys in our academy actually go on to make 1st team appearances for saints.

I suspect we are much better than most clubs but there also seem to be a hell of a lot who's name gets mentioned at youth level that then never go any further.

interesting comments from Les Reed's presentation (featured on here recently) when he said that "some clubs" think it's good if they get 1 or 2 graduates to a first team debut, who might go no further.

It use to be the case that Academy " drop-outs " ended up in the Conference South or Southern league level. Not so today.

A quick reflection on former Saints' Academy lads in recent years who have made a League career (albeit not always in the Prem.) is really quite long.

There are many good players who rarely made it off the subs. bench for a Prem. club.... yet do well... at a slightly lower level.

Those sort of decisions are hard to make on the day, but it's often the start of a career and not the end of it.

It would be interesting to know what percentage of boys in our academy actually go on to make 1st team appearances for saints.

I suspect we are much better than most clubs but there also seem to be a hell of a lot who's name gets mentioned at youth level that then never go any further.

I don't know how you would calculate percentages, against an entire playing staff? , or how one counts how many Academy boys U16-U21 are actually with us at any one time?... but here are some rough stats.

Based on lads who were; either selected to start a first team game; (League or a cup match) OR who came off the bench at sometime and can reckon first team match minutes.

2009-10 : 3

2010-11 : 3

2011-12 : 4

2012-13 : 5

2013-14 : 4

We are used to those " known successes ".... JWP, Shaw, Chambers, Gallagher, but players like Reed, Isgrove and Reeves had a number of subsequent apps. since their debut games.

A number of others made fleeting appearances and have since moved on, but still more who never made it to the first team have found new clubs and play regular League football ....albeit at a lower level.