Teenage kicks

WHERE IT ALL STARTED: Dale Stephens pictured on his Athletic debut, challenging Norwich City’s Korey Smith.

THE LAST time an Athletic side visited Norwich, a silver lining emerged from the darkest of clouds.

Not that the team won — or even came away with much credit from an insipid showing two years ago, in which the Canaries, on an upward curve, dominated from start to finish to win by three unanswered goals.

Frustrated travelling supporters resorted to the gallows humour of the chant “let’s pretend we scored a goal”, which was followed by raucous pseudo-celebrations.

Shot-shy Athletic had at that stage of the campaign managed the lowest goals total in the division and were plunging towards the relegation zone.

But one stroke of true inspiration from manager Dave Penney showed itself at Carrow Road.

It is up for debate how far the crippling injury list persuaded him to field a 19-year-old Dale Stephens, hooked from the wilderness to make his first start for the club since signing from Bury.

There is no doubt, though, that the midfielder’s string of impressive shows from that day on secured a promising future in football. After leaving for a fee of more than £350,000, Stephens is currently on the sidelines at promotion-chasing Charlton after ankle surgery.

Had he not been picked by Penney at Norwich, though who knows how his career would have played out? Stephens could be hacking away in the Conference or worse right now. Talent or no talent, players need breaks.

Which brings us back to the present day — and current manager Paul Dickov, who hasn’t been backward is ushering forward the club’s under-18s since taking charge at Boundary Park in June of last year.

David Mellor, recalled to the starting line-up in a big show of faith by his boss against Burton, is the latest in a staggeringly long line of players to have graduated to the first team under Dickov in only one-and-a-half-seasons in the job.

The others are the now-departed Andy Crompton, ultimately binned due to concerns over his attitude, DJ Bembo, Carl Winchester, James Tarkowski, Ryan Burns and Phil McGrath. To add to that, Connor Hughes and Luke Simpson have been unused substitutes.

Mellor has already attracted a significant bid from Fulham, turned down with the not-unreasonable expectation that superior offers will arrive in January or beyond.

Logic suggests the value of those others — 17-year-old Simpson apart, all of whom are tied down to professional deals — will also increase alongside the accumulated minutes they spend on the field.

And perhaps even further as-yet unknown teenage kicks will emerge this season from Tony Philliskirk’s squad, who will hope to themselves experience a trip to Norfolk’s premier club in the FA Youth Cup.

To get there, Athletic first have to overcome Macclesfield at Boundary Park on Wednesday, November 23 (7pm kick-off).

Dickov will keep a close eye on their progress, as ever. The Scot has already shown that if he considers the talent to be there, he doesn't need the excuse of a torrent of injuries before using it.

“Tony and his team have done a fantastic job here,” said the Athletic manager.

“There are a host of players who have come through from the youth ranks to make first-team debuts since I have taken the job.

“As well as the first team doing well in cup competitions, the under-18s are involved on two fronts (the Lancashire Youth Cup and FA Youth Cup).

“It isn’t just about results in the youth team, of course. But they have been doing well recently, which is pleasing.”

In total, of 30 Athletic players listed with a first-team squad number, 12 have emerged through the system at Boundary Park.

That number rises by one if you go as far as to include goalkeeping coach Paul Gerrard, who started his career at the club in the heady Premier League days of the early 1990s. Outlandish penalty saves notwithstanding, veteran Gerrard isn’t heading for the top flight. The same can’t be said with any confidence about the club’s current crop of teen tyros.