Quote Originally Posted by the other bob wilson View Post
While I agree that loaning youngsters out rather than having them stagnate, like so many others have done in the Under 23s, is a good idea in theory, it would be nice to see examples where playing first team football elsewhere has aided in the progress of a youngster into our senior side because without that, it's as broad as it's long as far as staying with the Development team or being loaned out goes - either way, you're not going to get into our first team.

As far as Sion Spence, and our other youngsters loaned to Welsh Premier League clubs, goes, I think a lot depends on what sort of standard that league is compared to the English pyramid structure. I'd say that we have a few in last season's title winning Academy side who are good enough to play whatever the Conference is called these days standard football. Judging by the little I see of the Welsh Premier League and the record of its clubs in Europe and that competition they play with Scottish and Irish clubs, my guess would be that standards are similar with the top clubs, but some way below that level with the majority of them.

Several of those loaned out this season, including Spence, are still young enough to play in the Academy team's league this season, but I feel they have moved on from that level now and so, I'd say playing first team football against men elsewhere is a preferable option, but, given what our Development team has become in recent years, playing for them when they return to City would be something of a downward step.
I'd say Joe Ralls benefited from his loan spell at Yeovil, Kadeem Harris and Rhys Healey only appeared for the first team after loan spells. We'll never know how Oshilaja and Ajayi would've progressed here if they'd been given a chance after successful loan spells, both Championship players now.

I'm clutching at straws there, I know, but I'd say that the chances are better after some time away from our increasingly futile under-23s. Saying that, if Bolger or Coxe can progress from there it would surely give a huge boost to the whole youth section, and some meaning to under-23 games.