U18s come back to beat Newcastle

A nicely timed victory in the last U18 game of this year,it came after being knocked out of the FA youth cup versus Derby County.

I think once Brands has fully got emerged in the whole set up at Finch Farm, if given the chance, there will be lots of changes to how the Acadamy will be run.

Why, Dave? This is something Steve keeps referring to but why is the academy in disarray? 3rd in the table is still acceptable given the size of the other clubs in the region so how is it after a couple of defeats the academy is no longer being "well run".

Peter (2), nothing to do with any rumours, at U18 level, the players can have good and bad days, witness yesterday and the game at Derby County, the Derby game was unacceptable to me, although another supporter had a different view, and he knows the game well at all levels.

At U23 level, they have played a defensive game mostly, not attractive to watch, winning trophies seems to be the name of the game there, that’s not the remit there, bringing players through to the first team should be the main approach, and the fact is not many are coming through, even the ones bought for decent fees. The whole Acadamy definitely needs sorting out in my opinion, other fans might have a different perspective to mine.

Thanks Dave: to be honest I've not seen any games this season but I actually found the more direct style of the U23s far more entertaining than the low-tempo dross of the first team under Silva and the abject safe-first approach of Allardyce, so I probably need to take a closer look this season to see what you mean by defensiveness.

I also thought that, when it comes to lack of progress into the first team, the buck should be stopping with the first team manager.

I am often baffled by people's criticism of our Academy. I see Unsworth criticised for winning the PL2 league but not getting players through, then when he plays the younger players and loses, he gets even more criticism.

The regular U18s team this season has been the youngest we've fielded for many years with a whole host of 16-year-olds and Schoolboys getting their chance. Every so often at this age, they'll be inconsistent and get a spanking, I can live with that.

When I read the match report of how they played and, not for the first time this season, they come from behind to win a game it gladdens my heart. And our two goal scorers are both 16-year-olds, at the same age Simms was struggling to get into the U18s and improved immensely in his second year.

Same for Rhys Hughes, last season he couldn't break into the U18 midfield of Iversen, Carroll and Hunt, this season he's captain and looks a decent player.

My point is a simple one: this a young team who are third in their league, plenty of time for them to develop. Our Academy doesn't become suddenly bad if we lose a game or two. I would love to see Brands do what Pep has done at Man City, getting all their Academy teams from a young age playing the same style as the first team, but we can't do that until we have a stable manager and stable style of play.

Phill (5), yes I can accept that the younger lads can be inconsistent, however in that youth team game in the national cup at Derby, there didn’t seem the desire to win, that for me, is essential in players minds, at at any age, and it was a cup that every team should have shown that will to win.

In the U23’s I think Evans should have been close to moving up to the first team, he blows hot and cold, maybe it is the player and he doesn’t realise how good he can be and doesn’t push himself enough, he is very different to Gibson who is impatient to play in the first team,but being a centre back he might have to be more patient in that important position. Unfortunately I don’t think he has that patience and we could lose him in the near future although we will be well compensated having paid close to £1M for his transfer from Newcastle.

Dave you and I are sounding a bit like “old farts stuck records” re the Derby game with us both repeating our differing views ;-). It’s the “desire to win” bit that we most differ on. These kids have come back from behind to win at least three times this season, which is more than the U23s and 1st team put together, theirs I think is 0 !You only have to see the celebrations when Carroll scored a late winner to make it 4-3 recently to see their desire. I just don’t accept that they had no desire in the FA Youth Cup, it doesn’t make any kind of sense from the game I saw. Let’s just continue to differ!