| Our best ever academy product? 21:22 - Mar 18 with 3848 views | Swansea_Blue |
I’ve been looking at that 2014-15 U14s side mentioned on the other thread to see who’s made it, and it’s not been easy to track people down. It looks like Harry Clarke is the best of that bunch. There’s an EADT article that runs through some of our biggest youth transfers around that time, with the biggest noise around Ben Knight if I remember rightly - https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/21326246.grass-proved-greener-towns-poached-academy- Charlie Brown was seen as a real prospect too with his move to Chelsea. Brown is now with Morecombe in L2, Knoght with Crewe also in L2 but on loan from City.
Got me thinking who our best ever academy product is. The Beat was my first thought, but then you’ve got Warky and Kieron Dyer who both played longer at the top level and had longer international careers. Depends how you define ‘best’ I suppose - best overall player, best career or best honours. Ted Phillips is another shout but well before my time. George Burley was great, but not in the Beat’s or Warky’s league, probably. [Post edited 18 Mar 2024 21:33]
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| Our best ever academy product? on 21:27 - Mar 18 with 3528 views | BondiBlue |
In my lifetime, Kieron Dyer. I'd be surprised and delighted if i see someone as good as him come through again. |  |
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| Our best ever academy product? on 21:32 - Mar 18 with 3503 views | Swansea_Blue |
| Our best ever academy product? on 21:27 - Mar 18 by BondiBlue |
In my lifetime, Kieron Dyer. I'd be surprised and delighted if i see someone as good as him come through again. |
Wark for me, but I’m struggling. Dyer was a lovely footballer. Just a shame he ended up in a team with Lee Bowyer. And then a shame Bowyer ended up here! [Post edited 18 Mar 2024 21:33]
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| Our best ever academy product? on 21:33 - Mar 18 with 3482 views | Cheltenham_Blue |
Just to say, Knight is at Stockport. (on loan) |  |
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| Our best ever academy product? on 21:39 - Mar 18 with 3451 views | Swansea_Blue |
| Our best ever academy product? on 21:33 - Mar 18 by Cheltenham_Blue |
Just to say, Knight is at Stockport. (on loan) |
Ah yes, lazy googling on my part. Looks like a missing season and a half between Crewe (only 6 appearances) and joining Stockport just last week.
He’s not getting much football. Only 21 still, but probably another one who’d have been better off staying where he was. | |
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| Our best ever academy product? on 21:45 - Mar 18 with 3410 views | Meadowlark |
Does Mick Mills count? |  | | |
| Our best ever academy product? on 21:49 - Mar 18 with 3387 views | Keno |
| Our best ever academy product? on 21:45 - Mar 18 by Meadowlark |
Does Mick Mills count? |
I’m sure he has good numeracy skills, they go with his great posture |  |
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| Our best ever academy product? on 21:49 - Mar 18 with 3386 views | Vic |
Not sure he was the best, but Titus wasn’t too shabby. Had a really good career in the top 2 leagues. |  |
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| Our best ever academy product? on 21:53 - Mar 18 with 3352 views | Illinoisblue |
| Our best ever academy product? on 21:49 - Mar 18 by Vic |
Not sure he was the best, but Titus wasn’t too shabby. Had a really good career in the top 2 leagues. |
Very solid career unfairly tarnished by a handful of high profile mistakes at Newcastle. |  |
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| Our best ever academy product? on 22:12 - Mar 18 with 3258 views | BarcaBlue |
I don't think you can say Beattie, Wark or Burley were academy products in any way really. Probably Dyer although Bramble had a decent career and was a very good player despite the nonsense written about him at the time. |  | | |
| Our best ever academy product? on 22:23 - Mar 18 with 3198 views | Churchman |
I think Burley was in that bracket. Because there were so many great players he is often overlooked. For me he was the complete full back. Best? Pre when football was invented (by Sky - Premier League) Beattie for me, but GB runs him close along with Wark, Butcher, Osman. Honourable mention for Whymark, Woods, Noddy Talbot.
Mills? Excluded because he was a portsmuff yoof nabbed when they got rid of their yoof system, if memory serves me right. Thunderboots Ted is excluded because he’s before my time and there are others like John Elsworthy I’d have to look up.
After PL came in, Kieron Dyer for me. |  | | |
| Our best ever academy product? on 22:27 - Mar 18 with 3178 views | catch74 |
Just had a Quick Look at how Marcelo Flores was getting in. Another one who got poached and seemed a decent prospect.
He got on the bench for 1 Arsenal game but has now moved to Mexico’s top league, I’m assuming that’s a decent standard. He’s playing regularly, at the age of 20, so clearly a prospect and scored twice in a win for Tigres UANl yesterday. |  |
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| Our best ever academy product? on 23:00 - Mar 18 with 3086 views | DJR |
I think Burley is up there with Wark and Beattie, but there are also people like Mills, Brazil, Gates, Butcher and Osman, who were all some players.
Indeed, since those times the only player who comes close to players such as them is Dyer. [Post edited 18 Mar 2024 23:03]
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| Our best ever academy product? on 23:25 - Mar 18 with 2999 views | _clive_baker_ |
Darren Bent deserves a mention, frighteningly good striker.
Would be great to see another forward come through, it’s been a while since anyone has properly stepped up from the academy (Woolfy aside). |  | | |
| Our best ever academy product? on 23:29 - Mar 18 with 2983 views | bournemouthblue |
| Our best ever academy product? on 22:27 - Mar 18 by catch74 |
Just had a Quick Look at how Marcelo Flores was getting in. Another one who got poached and seemed a decent prospect.
He got on the bench for 1 Arsenal game but has now moved to Mexico’s top league, I’m assuming that’s a decent standard. He’s playing regularly, at the age of 20, so clearly a prospect and scored twice in a win for Tigres UANl yesterday. |
He could come back to Europe I guess? |  |
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| Our best ever academy product? on 02:54 - Mar 19 with 2863 views | BondiBlue |
| Our best ever academy product? on 21:49 - Mar 18 by Vic |
Not sure he was the best, but Titus wasn’t too shabby. Had a really good career in the top 2 leagues. |
On his day, brilliant. Marked thierry henry out of the game at home to arsenal. And actually incredibly consistent for a young centre back in our first year in the prem. Only eidur gudjohnsen in the chelsea home game really got the better of him all season. | |
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| Our best ever academy product? on 05:48 - Mar 19 with 2761 views | suffolkpoker |
| Our best ever academy product? on 23:25 - Mar 18 by _clive_baker_ |
Darren Bent deserves a mention, frighteningly good striker.
Would be great to see another forward come through, it’s been a while since anyone has properly stepped up from the academy (Woolfy aside). |
I always thought Darren Ambrose was better than bent for us. |  |
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| Our best ever academy product? on 06:52 - Mar 19 with 2660 views | Westcountryblue |
| Our best ever academy product? on 05:48 - Mar 19 by suffolkpoker |
I always thought Darren Ambrose was better than bent for us. |
Only did it for half a season here though, albeit he was outstanding in that time. | | | |
| Our best ever academy product? on 07:30 - Mar 19 with 2543 views | ElephantintheRoom |
This raises an interesting point with school kids being hawked to the highest bidder for a dollop of cash. It’s still going on with a 14 year old being touted at present - so genuinely ‘top prospects’ will never come through the academy under the current system.
Going back a few years the more gifted youngsters like Ambrose and Bent, let alone Wickham were actually given game time for the club before moving on in their teens So it’s several decades since top players actually stayed with the club that nurtured them.
I suppose Pope is the most recent good player to slip through the net. Butcher or Wark possibly the best ever. | |
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| Our best ever academy product? on 11:37 - Mar 19 with 2276 views | catch74 |
| Our best ever academy product? on 23:29 - Mar 18 by bournemouthblue |
He could come back to Europe I guess? |
Think he plays for Mexico and has had first team time, so clearly strong ties to the country. | |
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| Our best ever academy product? on 12:46 - Mar 19 with 2101 views | jayessess |
When does it become "the academy" rather than just the youth team? Might be John Wark as the best pre-academy youth product and Kieron Dyer as best academy product.
What's our 21st-Century ranking look like?
1. Darren Bent
2. Darren Ambrose
3. Flynn Downes
4. Luke Woolfenden
5. Harry Clarke
(Not sure where you put someone like Connor Wickham, who hits higher heights than Downes but not for very long) |  |
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| Our best ever academy product? on 12:49 - Mar 19 with 2096 views | nodge_blue |
| Our best ever academy product? on 21:27 - Mar 18 by BondiBlue |
In my lifetime, Kieron Dyer. I'd be surprised and delighted if i see someone as good as him come through again. |
Dyer was outstanding. Peter Reid called him unplayable. He was in the form of his life and s he says didn't fulfil his potential after leaving. |  |
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| Our best ever academy product? on 12:54 - Mar 19 with 2074 views | chicoazul |
Terry Butcher. Captained England to a World Cup semi final. |  |
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| Our best ever academy product? on 14:17 - Mar 19 with 1948 views | Swansea_Blue |
| Our best ever academy product? on 12:46 - Mar 19 by jayessess |
When does it become "the academy" rather than just the youth team? Might be John Wark as the best pre-academy youth product and Kieron Dyer as best academy product.
What's our 21st-Century ranking look like?
1. Darren Bent
2. Darren Ambrose
3. Flynn Downes
4. Luke Woolfenden
5. Harry Clarke
(Not sure where you put someone like Connor Wickham, who hits higher heights than Downes but not for very long) |
Good question. I was going off anyone who'd featured for our youth setup, however long. Butcher's a good shout too, even though he was almost first team ready when he joined.
I've no idea what you'd do with Wickham either. He probably slots in around 3-4 on your 21st C list, but could have been higher if he'd lived up to his potential. Bent and Ambrose are well ahead of anyone else this century. | |
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| Our best ever academy product? on 15:07 - Mar 19 with 1888 views | Heathlander |
Shout out for Dalian Atkinson. Should have been a great. Such a talent. |  | | |
| Our best ever academy product? on 15:36 - Mar 19 with 1840 views | withyblue |
| Our best ever academy product? on 15:07 - Mar 19 by Heathlander |
Shout out for Dalian Atkinson. Should have been a great. Such a talent. |
It's not implausible that Nick Pope could one day be a World Cup winner! | | | |
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