Cameron Coxe released.....

[Tuerto]

That a lot more players come through the system when we were in the lower leagues and didn’t have a pot to piss in. The 3 you mention. Gareth Abraham and Lee Baddeley also. Steve Williams the keeper. Scott Young, Lee Jarman, Lee Phillips, Nathan Wigg, Simon Howarth, Andy Evans. All see a fair bit of first team action within the space of a few years.

Also, it was a 2 year YTS in those days and you were either cut loose when you are 18 or you joined the first team. This under 23 nonsense is a hinderence to the young lads rather than an advantage imo.

Now the boys who would normally be told they didn’t have a future at 18 are being strung along until they are 21/22.

So it's the system and level we perform at that is a contributory factor in a lack of youth development? I completely agree with you about the U23s, although joining the first team at 18 wouldn't have been easy although it could enhance a players chances as well.

[J R Hartley]

So it's the system and level we perform at that is a contributory factor in a lack of youth development? I completely agree with you about the U23s, although joining the first team at 18 wouldn't have been easy although it could enhance a players chances as well.

In my opinion yes. As a championship club without cat A status we haven’t the got the very best 18,19,20 year olds in the game and as a football club we’ve gone with signing ready made senior pros.

Had we been a League 2 club without the transfer budget we’ve enjoyed for the best part of a decade I have no doubt more lads would have been given more of a chance. After all, there’s quite a few ex Cardiff lads plying their trade in the lower leagues.