Through financial choice I guess.so why aren’t we involved in a reserve type league?
Through financial choice I guess.so why aren’t we involved in a reserve type league?
I don't think attendances of the PJT games are going to be a turn off for the Cat 1 teams. In fact they look good compared to academy attendances.When Tier 5 of English football is averaging nearly 2,500 attendance, as it is this season, then it should tell Guardiola and the like why the introduction of Premier League B teams into the pyramid is absolutely unnecessary. And unlike in Spain and Germany, where the best attendances for lower League sides are against Barcelona and Real Madrid B, the opposite would happen in England. Argyle would get far more for a home League game v Cheltenham than against Chelsea B, as is evidenced by the truly awful Trophy competition currently. And that's not just because of the boycott.
A lot of people got very excited when we held Liverpool at Anfield. Whilst I'm sure the 9000 there had a wonderful day out, we were effectively playing Liverpool's 3rds on the day. You could argue that lower league fans should be boycotting the other cup competitions too..
The point was more that lower league clubs don't want or need it, but are already being force-fed it by watered-down Premier League and Championship teams in the FA and League cup competitions and now U21s in the Trophy. All of which I find entirely abhorrent.I don't think attendances of the PJT games are going to be a turn off for the Cat 1 teams. In fact they look good compared to academy attendances.
The average attendance for all matches in PL2 1st Division so far this season (the highest academy league in the country) is only 495 and the highest attendance is just 1,643 for Chelsea v Man United. When Arsenal U21's went to Swindon there were 2,500 there.
But if we want to develop a first class academy don’t we need to be able to test our better youth prospects against better opposition?Through financial choice I guess.
I‘m surprised this issue doesn‘t get raised more often. It seems to me that a series of competitive reserve fixtures would really benefit fringe players and those recovering from injury. Surely Exeter, Torquay, Yeovil, Truro, Tiverton etc would be interested too ?so why aren’t we involved in a reserve type league?
After the big announcement about the Academy 'hubs' in Cornwall and considering the links/loans we have with Truro Parkway etc. I'm a bit surprised that there is nothing formal set up. If you could get a good competitive league for youngsters, triallists etc. set up, ideally a level where players like Mayor could get a run out when recovering from injury that would surely benefit SW football?I‘m surprised this issue doesn‘t get raised more often. It seems to me that a series of competitive reserve fixtures would really benefit fringe players and those recovering from injury. Surely Exeter, Torquay, Yeovil, Truro, Tiverton etc would be interested too ?
Of course but it comes down to cost. If Argyle were to have plans for their youth players to regularly compete with elite kids at the top academies then a few bags of sand from PASOTI now and again wont go very far. Palace for instance recently laid a new show pitch for the U23's and U18's to play their matches on at a cost of a million quid. To take the academy to even Cat 2, the costs are colossal.But if we want to develop a first class academy don’t we need to be able to test our better youth prospects against better opposition?