Saints Academy Thread

Bugger, I stopped to see what Rich had posted so he beat me to it. Who does he think he is...Whiteley Saint.

 

No guarantee how well we will do, but that draw does prove why some League clubs were against academies entering. The EPL are putting money in to it, but does that compensate for possibly missing out on a good cup run for a lower league team. On the other hand they might think 'Let's show 'em'.

 

Northern Group A: Everton, Bolton, Cheltenham, Blackpool.

Northern Group B: Wolves, Chesterfield, Crewe, Accrington.

Northern Group C: Stoke, Bradford, Morecambe, Bury.

Northern Group D: Blackburn, Fleetwood, Carlisle, Oldham.

Northern Group E: Derby, Port Vale, Doncaster, Mansfield.

Northern Group F: Sunderland, Rochdale, Hartlepool, Notts County.

Northern Group G: Middlesbrough, Scunthorpe, Cambridge, Shrewsbury.

Northern Group H: Leicester, Sheffield United, Grimsby, Walsall.

Southern Group A: Reading, Bristol Rovers, Portsmouth, Yeovil.

Southern Group B: Swansea, AFC Wimbledon, Newport, Plymouth.

Southern Group C: Chelsea, Swindon, Exeter, Oxford.

Southern Group D: West Ham, Coventry, Wycombe, Northampton.

Southern Group E: Southampton, Charlton, Colchester, Crawley.

Southern Group F: Norwich, Peterborough, Barnet, MK Dons.

Southern Group G: Brighton, Southend, Stevenage, Leyton Orient.

Southern Group H: West Brom, Millwall, Luton, Gillingham.

 

I think most of us here would concur with Simon Peach on that subject. In fact several, including me, have already written on this subject in similar vein.

 

Remains to be seen, and could be proven wrong, but I would be surprised if a PL/champ youth team won the competition

 

Same - I think the only ones who might go far in this are Chelsea, expecting a lot of the others to be knocked out pretty early on.

Particularly as it sounds like games coincide with International breaks, so the 'better' youth players will be away playing for U21, U20, U19 etc. international sides

 

This is a really terrible decision.

 

Don't know what the fuss is about, I am totally in favour of it, I reckon it will be good for our lads and good experience for the lower Clubs. Only one team can win it and that will be the best in the competition, what is not to like?

 

This whole farce is horse excrement tbh.

Yes, but if even one academy gets through the group stage, that is one League 1 or League 2 team denied a place in the next round and denied, ultimately, a trip out to Wembley. I'm glad you guys are mostly not in favour of this joke. I for one one will boycott any game Portsmouth play against an academy. Reading's academy can **** right off.

 

More likely you won't go because you will almost certainly lose?

 

I've been to plenty of matches where we will would have almost certainly lost (and usually did), that I don't mind.

 

I suppose it is possible that it could increase interest in the L1 and L2 teams involved. Be interesting to see if it improves attendance at matches when the Academy teams are involved. Even if other teams are against it, fans might turn up hoping to see their teams put Academy teams in their place.

 

Haven't we all, but sometimes we win when it is least expected.

 

It has been strange for Saints fans in recent seasons....we don't expect to lose any more. We may lose, but there is not the air of near certainty that we had in our pre-Leihberr days.

 

Well even if we make the final I will point blank refuse to attend if it's against an academy side.

 

Pompey in a final at Wembley and you wouldn't attend! Cutting off your nose to spite your face. Saints could play the Devil Incarnate's Eleven and I'd still be there.

 

Meh, some things are more important imo... like taking a stand against completely ridiculous situations. You can bring this post back up if ever we do make the final against an academy team (not that we will because we'll be fielding our academy in the group stage and so will be knocked out early)

And tbh, if Portsmouth were playing Chelsea's first team, I'd be there as well.

 

When are the fixtures announced? Would imaigne the Saints players are hoping to avoid the away trip to Colchester!

 

The dates (well, the weeks) have been known for a while, but here's Saints latest announcement:
http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/arti...efl-trophy-group-stage-opponents-3209553.aspx