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Latics to retain youth academy
Reporter: MATTHEW CHAMBERS
Date online: 06 February 2013
ATHLETIC will NOT be scrapping its youth team — a move that will please the majority of supporters.
The system has produced a host of first team players in recent years.
The club says the academy has been preserved after what is described as “an extensive internal and external consultation process.” Tony Philliskirk will continue to run the side.
One fans’ poll showed that only 12-per-cent backed the idea of binning the under-18s set-up to save money.
“We have a proven track record for developing our own players,” said chief executive Neil Joy.
“Over the last month or so we have been reviewing our plans for the future of the whole club. Fans should be assured we will continue to place great emphasis on young talent.”
The youth side costs the club around £20,000 a month
But of the matchday squad at Walsall recently, four players had come through the ranks at Boundary Park - and in the past seven years players developed and later sold by Athletic brought the club over £1.4million.
“This brings to an end a period of uncertainty in respect of the future of our Academy,” said Philliskirk.
“As a club, we can now move forward with our plans and I thank the board of directors for their continued support of the club’s youth programme.”
Athletic sunk into the relegation zone in League One last night as a result of Scunthorpe’s 2-1 home win over Portsmouth; the team is two points adrift of both the Iron and Colchester.
Chairman Simon Corney said last night he might not have a new manager in place for the visit of MK Dons on Saturday and might even consider a contract to run to the end of the season.
He revealed that current Premier League players are among the many applicants for the job.
Comments
A no-brainer. Whoever came up with the idea in the first place?
1. Whoever came up with the idea of binning the youth set up is an idiot and needs to be removed from Boundary Park immediately.
2. Why on EARTH would we offer a new manager a contract just to the end of the season!? How does that motivate anyone to keep us up?
I despair of the goings on at BP sometimes I really do...
I half expected a caretaker manager, in fact many managers would want a get out clause if we were relegated so it makes sense. Regarding this talk of Scholes, great player that he is/was, apart from bumping up the number of season tickets sold pre next season what would he bring to us. He has no managerial experience, he appears to be a very quiet type of guy and apart from a guarantee of getting United youth players, what contacts does he have for players at our level? Hope I'm wrong.
Gpbjuk / ammypam,
If you had read the notes on Latics website you should have understood how this suggestion came about. Reviewing the financial state of the club with dwindling attendance, the cost of the youth setup (£200k) had to be discussed to see if it was still viable given the Premier League 'deal' that let's them take football league youngsters for a pittance.
The decision to keep it may be because of the cup run revenue offsets the cost for next season. Latics are not alone on this!,
Gpbjuk; I think your right about motivation being missing but that has been the case all season (FA cup apart).
Perhaps Simon Corney wants to see if new manager can make the changes required before committing to a season long agreement. Surely if the prospective manager believes he can sort things out and keep us in League 1 that should be motivation enough,
Paul Dickov resigned which probably means the club don't have to pay the 12 months remaining of his contract. Once bitten twice shy!
...also, Crewe [presently above us in the table] were cited as exmaples of a club who have disbanded with their youth setup... ergo, evidentially it can work...!
Personally, I'd rather keep what we have... however, as a business leader... it would be remiss fo me not to consider all my options...!?!?
Have Your Say
Nice sneeky comment at the end there. That'll keep the scholesy wishers happy!! of which I am undoubtedly one but given our precarious position would prefer Grayson, maybe with scholes as No.2
By leighton_76 @ 06/02/2013 14:57:04