Reserves to Return to Competitive Football Next Season
Monday, 23rd Apr 2012 23:30

TWTD understands that Town’s decision to opt for Category Two academy status means that the reserves will return to competitive action next season. This year the second string have played only occasional ad hoc friendlies having withdrawn from the Football Combination last summer.

Last week striker Nathan Ellington expressed his frustration at the lack of reserve games in which to maintain a level of fitness, while youngsters on the fringes of the first team squad, such as Luke Hyam, Jack Ainsley, Joe Whight, Cormac Burke and Cody Cropper, have had few chances to impress the club’s management in a match environment.

From next season clubs applying for Category Two academy status in the Elite Player Performance Programme (EPPP) reorganisation of youth football will be obliged to enter a new national U21 league with regular home and away fixtures.

As with most aspects of the EPPP, the details are still sketchy but it’s understood two or three overage players will be allowed to play alongside the younger players.

Photo: Action Images

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fredbarber added 23:40 - Apr 23 Thats good news. Would be nice to have a return to some games being played at PR occasionally
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tractorblue99 added 23:48 - Apr 23 'As with most aspects of the EPPP, the details are still sketchy' Sketchy for FL clubs, the Prem must know everying of course.
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PJ_Needs_Duncan added 23:52 - Apr 23

Why release Cropper et al if we are going back into the reserves league? I am baffled, its not like these youngsters are on that much that we can't afford them surely? Whats even more confusing is that Jewell is willing to keep on someone like Bowyer and get rid of the majority of our youngsters. So much for a long term plan eh Jewellio! Absolute disgrace.

Jewell Out

Big_Foot_Blue added 00:04 - Apr 24

PJ Needs Duncan,

If PJ signs no body from now til the start of the season then your comment is perfectly justified and no one will argue otherwise.

However

If he signs a permanent no. 1, a young back up keeper to challenge ALB, a centre back, a Centre Mid, a Striker and perhaps less essential players but still required long term in the mould of a winger and left/right back then you're commet is null and void.

My point is that the summer is just beginning, PJ has a clear plan with ME and obviously due to cut back and players being let go, a new budget is which he is realising he can have no dead wood meaning all non essential players are going. If we can keep a core and add the above players, we will have a decent squad next season which should get top half and if we can play like we did from 31st Jan till 1st April for the whole season then that squad could well get to the play-offs.

Bowyer is a useful player to help guide the youth players next year seeing as other old heads are being let go i.e. Sonko so its important to have some experience assuming he takes a MASSIVE pay cut.

Bottom line, at least give PJ a transfer window to show you his plan. He would not release the players he has over the course of this season without a plan. If when the summer is over, the plan hasn't worked then I will back your claims for him to go, until then, do what town fans are used to, wait for news, and hope this time we sign who we want.

bedsitfc added 06:36 - Apr 24 pj needs duncan so you think we should keep players on even if the club thinks they wont make it here, to me that sounds like a waste of the budget.
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GavTWTD added 07:27 - Apr 24 This sounds good news to me as I think we've suffered from a lack of competitive second string football. However, not sure how you'd keep a whole reserve team happy with only 2/3 overage players allowed, but a step in the right direction.
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brian_a_mul added 09:16 - Apr 24

Well said big_foot_blue.

From what i can gather the club are continuously scouting potential players at all levels. Time will tell if PJ can get the players he wants this summer. Its tough as every club is interested in the same players, particularily on free transfers.

A competitive reserve league is a real big step in right direction, why they bined it in the first place is baffling.??!? It used to be a good scouting ground in it own right, we can see the oppositions best young players playing against our best young lads. A great barometer to judging our lads. Its also a brilliant opportunity to show off our facilities to visiting players!

newboy added 09:40 - Apr 24 Way to go Ipswich Town sorry but fool jewell forces the under 21's out the door and then enters a league shows what a shower they have become there won't be enough under 21's left there to field a side because of him
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up_the_town4 added 09:46 - Apr 24 The resserves will be full of old age dead wood Jewell has brung in so this is pointless really.
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tellitasiseeit added 18:43 - Apr 24

Newboy you hit the nail on the head, Also up the Town4 you have also realise'd what will happen.The young player's needed this all year, But most of the youth got no playing time ? Only training and kick about's? probably set Ipswich back years to come . Most of the Academy players ,some who were very good player's have gone and others will not stay. Who can blame them after being let down so badly.

PJ_Needs_Duncan added 19:30 - Apr 24 @ bedsitfc - So would you rather get rid of most of our youngsters in order to pay for the likes of Bowyer or Bullard? Do we even have an academy team anymore? Only one or two players were kept on from this season and we've got 10 new academy players being inducted. Our reserve team should be filled with youngsters not has-beens
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