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I regularly see lads from the academy coming out of the ground and I always think how many of them are there, and more to the point how many actually make it. It would seem not very many at any club. I used to work with young people and in Sheffield there was a Wednesday fan but he was at our academy. He told me that although Wednesdays academy was a lot bigger it was harder to get into, hence him being with us.
It has always been difficult to succeed in pro football but academies don’t seem to have made it any easier. Have we had even one player who has been a success from our academy? I know there have been a few who had potential which didn’t seem to be fulfilled. Wasn’t Rowley one?
As I said it’s always been hard to make it in the game. I was at primary school with a lad whose birthday was the same day as mine. To my young eyes he seemed brilliant. I once played against him in a one v one in the park, the pair of us kicking into one goal. I never got a touch, not only was he more skilful than me but much bigger. We went to different secondary schools and I only saw him occasionally but heard he was still a good footballer who’d had trials with different clubs WBA and even Arsenal were rumoured But he ended up working on a building site. Similarly a mate of my dad’s in the 50’s played for England schoolboys and had a trial for Man Utd but ended up down the pit. I read that of all those kids who played for England school boys when games used to be on television only one, that Thomas guy who I think played for Palace went on to represent England at senior level and most,despite playing for their country at fifteen, didn’t even make it professionally.
It seems despite all the academies there is probably a less than 5 % chance they are going to enjoy a professional career.

Time to decide what to do with the considerable number of over thirties we have. Don’t know who is or isn’t in contract but here goes. And remember at their age none of them are likely to improve.

Fadz.Still think he seems overrated and at nearer 40 than 30 he isn’t going to improve. Let go.
Fleck. Just have to accept others that he was a good player as I never watched the Blunts, but assume he must have been to play for so long at a high level. But all I see currently is a small chunky bloke who looks more like a park player than a professional. Seems slow and often caught in possession. Maybe injuries and age have done for him, but definitely let go.
Donacian. Seems irrelevant if he’s any good or not when injuries prevent him playing. Let go.
Madden. ultimately very disappointing considering the rep he came with. Let go.
Grimes. Has been a good servant and captain and very unfairly maligned by many. Also not injury prone compared to so many others, but reluctantly time to let go.
Banks, Naylor, Palmer, really 50 50 on these three, probably keep but all three would preferably be squad players rather than first choices.
Grigg. Keep but needs better support otherwise he will become increasingly ineffective.
This leaves Dunkley and Williams who remain unknown quantities owing to injuries but will probably need to be offloaded. Pity in the case of Williams who like Grimes has been decent and often unfairly maligned
This should free up some space. Whilst experience can be valuable having too many crocks in decline isn’t the way forward and we mustn’t repeat the situation.
A good old un can be useful but a good young un will always be much better as Walsall have shown us.

Having pointed out Fleck’s deficiencies in the match thread I also feel the need to comment on the euphoria over Mcfadz too. Again I can’t see what all the fuss is about. As I have said elsewhere I can’t see he’s that much an improvement on Jamie. He lacks pace, only to be expected at his age, commits a lot of fouls which some people might approve of but I don’t, and that long inaccurate diagonal ball he plays is abysmal, invariably going out of play.
He’s certainly not a long or even short term solution for me.

We need to build a side around these two next season and hope neither gets injured. Be nice if we could add Metcalfe and Sparkes and even Markanday too but wouldn’t bank on any of them. As for the rest, particularly the over thirty brigade I don’t know. Grigg, Naylor and Banks might do a job (the latter more as a squad player), but we need more youth and energy.
And the defence still desperately needs sorting out.

Hope I’m wrong but I sense fun and games on Monday as like Hull (who we haven’t played that frequently) Bradford often seem to cause trouble. Remember the big punch up with stewards at the front of the north stand. Was that the last time they came in the league?
.Also going back many years - must have been between 70.- 72 as my dad stopped going in 70 and I was standing with a mate on the kop, we were about 12 or 13 and were surprised to see loads of Bradford fans on the kop. Suddenly even more town fans appeared and chased them right round to Cross Street, some of them brandishing Bradford scarves like captured flags as they returne.I thought the barriers on Compton Street were there by the early 70’s but at that game you could freely move around all three terraces. I was disturbed to see a Bradford lad actually with his parents standing near me crying and holding his neck, obviously hurt in the melee.
I expect they could have sold more than three times their allocation as not only are they riding high but are far and away the best supported club in the division. Wonder if many will come without tickets?