I share the obvious concern about the Academy, and the U21s in particular, but the disappearance of reserve team football has not helped. I fully appreciate the financial reasons, but was, I believe, a far better testing ground for young players to play with more senior pros than the other way round we have now. Remember though we had 3 players in the England U17 team that drew with Germsny recently, one of whom was the skipper.

Well we proved how strong our reserve team is by the defeat against Portsmouth as if we need reminding!!!!!!!

Whats happened to MALARKY...not even playing for under 21,s ?

I thought that after a policy review a couple of years back we were going to aim for 50% home-grown talent in the team. I wonder whether there isn't a clash of philosophies here. We have a genius in Klug, an Ipswich man through and through, who has produced endless talent for the club in the past, but none of it seems to be getting into the squad at the moment. Mick seems to go for battle-hardened, experienced players who have been around a bit, and seems loath to give the youngsters a chance, perhaps not willing to take the risk while there is still an (outside) possibility of a top-six finish. I'm not saying who's right or wrong, but I wonder if there is an agreed consistent policy on the way forward. If not, maybe we should change tack and give the yoofs a chance (Clarke, Emmanuel, Kenlock, to name three).

When we started the season with Emmanuel at RB, forced upon us admittedly, I thought yes positive stuff - I thought against a decent winger he did ok
Where is he now - oh yes ? the back 4 is best we can have
Clarke - surely he warrants a place on the bench vs the pole
Kennedy should be off loaded now - the academy supposedly is well funded? and yes the U17s have a couple of top players
Also at that age good coaching is key
I just hope we have the right coaches - I am not sure they will get much inspiration from the first team 'style' of football
I dream of a team with Dids Bish Sears Fraser AMN Bru all in it - but then what is the point if the ball will be sailing over their head into a channel or on the head of defender

The average age does concern me a bit. 'If' we did go up this year or next surely we would have to sign a lot of players to have a chance of staying up!

Perhaps if the U21's had some player continuity we might start to get some results, rather than having what seems like 11 strangers rocking up for each game with little knowledge or experience of how their teammates play.

No need to improve the squad then Mick, we have talent in abundance

Our know it all,I can do nothing wrong Manager has now said that he will not be seeking to strengthen in midfield.He did mention about Foley who I thought was primarily a fullback;but who he moved into midfield during Saturdays game;so it looks like he is going to once again put a square peg in a round hole.

Think under 21's have only won once in 12 games.At least first team doing better than that,and would hate to think the number of negative comments that a really bad run would create!

Seasider: Well I too initially thought Mr. Foley was a right back first ,last and always :-) .... but according to his Wikipedia page: "He is also able to operate in midfield". Hmmm. So mildly interested by this 'line' I decide to take a little deeper look at his Wiki page etc. all the while rummaging through my 'memory bank' ... and BINGO!!! suddenly I did actually remembered having seen him in midfield, and on several occasions, for Wolves during their latest PL stay! lol

Anyhow here is a real shortish career breakdown for those interested: After making his debut for Luton in april 2003 , he established himself as first choice RIGHT BACK at the club and was named Luton's Young Player of the Season. He also won this award the following season. At Wolverhampton he won the Wolves' Player of the Season Award for the 2008-2009 season. An early injury in the 2009-2010 PL season brought an end to his stranglehold on the RIGHT BACK position ... which in his absence was taken over impressively by an old acquaintance of ours, Richard Stearman. When Foley returned 4 months later his playing time was mostly in RIGHT-MIDFIELD and CENTRAL-MIDFIELD in a 4-5-1 formation.
Same thing i.e.. midfield mostly, back occasionally, apparently took place in the 2010-2011 season (Stearman played in 31 PL games , Foley 33) and again in 2011-2012 but here injuries reduced Foley's PL appearances to a mere 16. Since then things started to go really go continuously 'south' for Mr. Foley -- just as did for the majority of the Wolves players following the relegation from the PL btw -- as he appeared in a rather inconspicuous 26 games in the Championship in 2012-2013, and just 5!!! games in the 1 division in 2013-2014 (plus another 5 on loan at Blackpool). In the 2014-2015 season Foley didn't appear in a single game for Wolves, but enjoyed a "lofty" total of 9 games overall spit between a 2nd loan-spell with Blackpool and a little reunion with former Wolves manager "The Misfit" Solbakken, for just less than a handful of games at loan to FC Copenhagen. Before signing with ITFC he went completely unemployed as a footballer through the first half of the 2015-2016 season having failed to impress in trials at Shrewsbury and latter Reading.

As for our lately "hoof-inclined" U21 boyz .... well according to Soccerway we are now 2nd from bottom in the Southern Division (10 teams, with 11 teams in the Northern division) of the "U21 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE 2".
Record after 19 games: 4 wins 5 draws 10 losses. Goals: 17-32 .... and with the 2nd lowest point total among all 21 teams i.e.17 points .... Meaning a true "Juggernaut" like Crewe's U21 thus not only ahead of us on points but also with nearly 50% more goals scored?! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

Perhaps the clear out should start on here jettison the negative deadwood off yo go

I regularly watch both town and Colchester and whilst col u first team is pony the academy is streets ahead of towns gilbey could get in town side and bonne is a promising striker who chose to leave town don't think any of town academy would get in the bottom of league one side that's how bad I think towns academy is now