BTID

Kind of a follow on from the long thread on the future of junior football and how the west Region is behind the times, I feel our youth setup is likewise. We have loads of great well run clubs with their development squad (if you want to call it that / U21 team) playing the same time and day as the first team. Surely that doesn’t make any sense? Basically young players making the step up often have to sit on a bench and not play at all? Moreover at this level here, one week you play at a cracking junior ground, the next your on a awful public park. Surely in order to develop good footballers for our clubs we need to have a proper ambitious structure in place for ambitious clubs and look at a similar model to the lowland/eos Friday night Development league. With more clubs transforming into floodlit AstroTurf - potentially we could have a great league. At the moment we as a club have to finish at U19 which is a shame as we might lose good players who need more time to develop. At the moment we no fixtures to plan ahead. We have played Friday night Sunday afternoon and now Saturday morning this weekend in the past 3 games. It’s just not ideal at all for continuity. How good would it be to see the likes of Largs, Rutherglen, Rossvale, Cumnock, Kilwinning, Gartcairn, Renfrew, Petershill etc playing at proper venues every week plus I’m sure a host of top junior clubs could find a suitable venue if their ground doesn’t have floodlights. Any clubs have thoughts on this?

At Clydebank we are a very new academy, growing from 0 players in 2015 to around 250 from Development squad age right down to U8. Every academy player gets in for free when they were their tracksuit. I think a strong academy is key to the healthy future of clubs at our level. For all our players, playing for Clydebank is a very realistic ambition. Think it’s important that they value the club they are at, that it means something. Our goal is that every academy player understands the meaning of the club badge and our key values by the end of this year. We won’t really see how successful the project is for a good few years until the younger generation grow up, but so far attendance from the academy teams has been great at the new Holm Park. Long make it continue, and we keep progressing players through from the development squad into the first team.

Agreed with that, both fullbacks were excellent defensively but also offered going forward. We played with freedom for the first time this season, suddenly the two horror goals we lost didn’t seem to matter that much. Really impressed with the front 4 they will hurt a lot of teams this season. 4 wins from 5 and suddendly we have some breathing space to look up than down.

Just catching up with this. I was hugely disappointed with the quality and commitment at u21s. Growing up, anyone my age who played at that level was doing well, it was the place to be. It was the place to go to make that transition from youth to adult. The past few years the league went from 4 divisions to 2. They’ve done 3 this year but it’s essentially the same number of teams with a east west split. Can see that being problematic as a bottom division will always have its strugglers so a league of 10 could fast become 6/7. I tried to gauge interest for a Friday night league. In principle many were for it, but few committed due to the lack of facilities. My own opinion is we have enough committed, talented players at this age group if the west replicated the east Development at u20. There are many great junior clubs who would benefit from a proper structure and develop into semi professional football. I won’t be returning to 21s unfortunately as I don’t see it being a progressive environment which matches my clubs need to develop players to our first team. Hopefully something will change as I have many excellent players who are too old for 19s with no where to go next year.

Sorry to perhaps have skipped a lot of what has been covered - but how long do west junior teams hold off before seeking applications to a wosl should the juniors dig their heels in again regarding the east region issue? I think clubs just have to take the leap and make it happen. Can’t understand why the west just seems to accept being left behind whilst east clubs take the lead. The lack of leadership to just go out and get a league sorted is beyond me.

Pretty sad state of affairs on mcbookies odds 26/30 favourites for the Scottish junior cup are from the west region. Wish the west situation would just get a move on and decide one way or another every year is a hinderance. Ive currently got no where to take my 19s team next season with their development finishing there due to the incompatibility of West 21s. A West u20s could be so exciting, especially with so many great setups in the east. A proper u20 Scottish cup. A west-east champion of champions playoff? Makes so much sense.

If we were going to defend deep (which is fine) then we really needed to be brave on the ball in centre midfield and be careful in possession to build an attack. We literally just kicked the ball away today need to have a purpose in attack. Rowan I think was suppose to be protecting the back 4, but all it really done was invite pressure onto us and struggled to create any sort of control of the game. As mentioned Glens had an off day and our defenders done really well - we took advantage of a howling mistake and that was enough

Matt and JD defended excellently, Waters also made a few great saves early on. On the ball really poor tbh a lot of work needed and the shape had us camped in but no outball when we won possession. Tough place to come get 3pts though!

I’d rather have a young ambitious manager who has a clear philosophy of playing it on the deck more and is good at bringing through young players which *should* be a priority given our budget.

We were very poor first half. 2nd half better but just not enough quality in the final 3rd. Credit to Largs they had a lot of young lads in their team I noticed from their 21s side last year. Looked sharp and moved it about well early on. Looked shaky defensively at the end.

I think that was a tongue and cheek comment Bill but I’m happy to take credit for the two wins if ross wants to suggest that. We were just happy to help out at the time raise the spirits of the team plus give gordon any advice on things should he have needed it. Hopefully the new man is in place ASAP. I have to say Moff was great with our young lads when here as a player. For me, any appointment must take the academy project seriously as part of the job. The board should make it a priority for whoever it is has to be invested in it.

Thanks mate, I did email the lowland league twice last year and in May. I got no response both times through your link. I will persevere to find out how I can get a response, but the bsc gm who is also the LL chairman said we can’t apply. This was the response: Hi, the only way they could get in is if they were part of one of the Pyramid leagues, or an SPFL senior team.

BSC

I enquired at the end of last season to the league and got blanked. I also contacted a club within the league who said I couldnt apply? Not sure what the deal is?

Could be as many as seven academy graduates signed in the first team squad this season. For such a young academy this would be fantastic news!

It’s out now. Our Clydebank u19 played Cumbernauld U20s tonight was not there but were 3 up finished 3-3 sounded like a really good game. We play Penicuik next Friday at their place, I think they are new to the league? Been good testing ourselves against Development opposition, wonder how much longer the West clubs will sit back and do nothing to progress the game here

That is interesting as I was told this couldn’t happen because we weren’t part of the pyramid. I tried to get a fri night league setup at 21s but although teams were up for it not many could get a fri let. I know kilwinning Gartcairn and Clyde were all really keen. Wonder how we can make this happen in time for next season. Plenty good junior clubs out there.

Question for all the followers of this league and beyond - how is it possible that the West has got itself in such a bad position both with senior and missing the boat with this Development league. I cant really figure out but why does the west not have a similar setup that the eos and sos has? Seems to be a real fragmented system here at 21s. The Scottish cup is 1 League. As is the regional. Games played same day as many teams first team. Where’s the Development in that? Surely we need a few ambitious junior clubs to lead on creating a new pathway. Imagine if we had 20 odd West sides at u20. How competitive and great the competition could be with east vs west.

Seen Ryan McLaren growing up from 13s and was always a very good all round keeper. Dan Crawley is one of my favourite players I’ve coached. Such a great attitude, will to win and dedicated. Really took our team on to the next level when we won the Scottish.

Totally agree, the whole situation is a farce. Need a few teams to take the initiative and breakaway.

First game watching u20 football. Very impressed standard from both was very good. Clearly coached well, good technical players and game played in the right manner. Well done both sides.

Not sure where to start so will keep as brief as possible: 1. This generation has been dealt a particularly tough hand in football. Academy level has been squeezed to a few elite teams and so grassroots will pick up the pieces. Problem is, it’s run by volunteers and the good will of local people. Who face increasingly brutal financial costs and time consuming admin. What is required is significant investment in creating a more professional environment at this level. Full time coaching, affordable facilities with clubs who can use football to build a strong culture and good citizens. I do believe though there is so much going on still at the very young ages - we have a lot of talented technical players. I’ve worked in the US and Australia and they aren’t any better. What I feel the difference is that the transition from being taken to football and *choosing* football we lose sight. There is such little focus on lifelong participation in the game. It shouldn’t matter if a player doesn’t make it at the highest level they should have a pathway at a club to find it. The drop off at U19 and frighteningly U21 is alarming. The U21 league this year was 30 odd clubs in the west region. There is a fragmented setup and having coached at this age a real lack of commitment, resilience, emotional control and communication. The world is full of choice now, football must learn to manage that and make it an attractive sport to compete in at all levels. A real push for lifelong participation, what’s the point in teaching all these values and talk about health and well-being when there aren’t the proper opportunities and culture to deliver that into adulthood?

Can’t believe it’s now March and we’re still in the dark about whats happening with the juniors next year. Farcical from those running our game disgraceful.

Seen that HJ, which makes a mockery of the Scottish which is basically a west cup now.

I think we would be interested in moving our 19s into the Development league next season sounds like it’s really taken off. Friday nights are a great idea. The death of 21s football perhaps