u21/RESSIES

[KES80]

Wasn't advocating the club creating anything in termsof the ressies........think someone else from outside will set something up....... unlikely to be in competition with the club as the levels are quite distinct and in any case there have always been alternatives for young lynn players...they haven't all found themselves in the reserves...lots of local teams to choose from.....and btw no need for this to turn into a them and us situation with people feeling bitter for eons........ surely people can see where the club is coming from...it has to pull its limited resources together and adjust to survive.... hopefully any new set up for reserve level players will be on good terms with the club. IMO a bit sad that people seem not to be able to appreciate that...really hope people are not going to remain bitter and squabble about this long term......... it's atime for people to rally around and stay positive

[Blueboy]

Everything is probably fine as things stand at the moment  but what happens if the club suffers a massive fall and gets a double relegation? Obviously we/I hope they don't, but stranger things have happened.

[Blue_and_Gold]

Wasn't advocating the club creating anything in termsof the ressies........think someone else from outside will set something up....... unlikely to be in competition with the club as the levels are quite distinct.

I didn't think that you were advocating the Club does something. What I meant is if someone did set up another Club, it would have come about due to the Club deciding they didn't want a Reserve team.

Any football played locally is in competition with Lynn, irrespective of the different levels. If one person decides he would like to go to Heacham rather than Lynn, that's £20 plus that Lynn don't receive. With the Reserves following over the years, combined with other matters, I think you could be looking at nearer the 100 figure initially if a another Club was formed. Depending on success that figure could increase. That's serious money.

I wouldn't worry about it too much though...............I can't see it happening any time soon.

[KES80]

Thanks for the clarification B & G.

My personal take on it is this.

The Walks facility cannot now really support a reserves team.

As the first team progress, the club will hopefully attract many new fans and lose a few.

Hopefully people will get behind the Academy side.

If people would prefer to go to watch a rehashed Lynn reserves away from The Walks, then that is their prerogative.

Lost revenue......100at say £10 times 20 matches is £20,000 less salary costs, travel to away matches, kit costs etc...... personally don't think that's a huge financial loss for a successful NL side to bear. If you compare that, to say, the costs already spent on the pitch

[Blue_and_Gold]

Lost revenue......100at say £10 times 20 matches is £20,000 less salary costs, travel to away matches, kit costs etc...... personally don't think that's a huge financial loss for a successful NL side to bear.

Just to clarify this. I meant if they went to see another team instead of Lynn's first team, so we would be talking well over twice the amount you mention.

[KES80]

If they are going to see another team instead of KLTFC, all because Lynn suddenly have no reserves, then that seems a strange logic to me......but if they would rather not watch arguably the best side Lynn have had, in the best league they have been in, managed by the best manager Lynn have had, against the best sides in non league, watched by the biggest crowds (Covid permitting) at The Walks for a generation, then again that's their choice.

[Mallard]

I’m sorry for appearing to be thick, but how goes a lad plying his trade in the academy make the overnight leap to Non League Step one.  Surely if the gap between the Reserves to the first time is massive ( it is). Then does the same not apply to gap between the academy and the first team or am I missing something ?

It seems a lot of clubs work with an U23’s as a bridge between the two.  Are Lynn looking to follow this MO ?

[TonyM]

I’m sorry for appearing to be thick, but how goes a lad plying his trade in the academy make the overnight leap to Non League Step one.  Surely if the gap between the Reserves to the first time is massive ( it is). Then does the same not apply to gap between the academy and the first team or am I missing something ?

It seems a lot of clubs work with an U23’s as a bridge between the two.  Are Lynn looking to follow this MO ?

I don't think anyone is suggesting players will be able to bridge that gap overnight, I assume that if a lad shows enough about them that the club could sign them for an additional year after the academy and then loan them out to (say) a step 3 to gain more experience and then take a view on them twelve months down the line.  I guess this would only be a maximum of a couple of lads per year and would have the benefit to the player of playing at a higher level than if they were to stay and play in the reserves @ step 6 and the club would only be investing in those that it thought had the potential to develop with the club longer term.  I think an u23s would be an expensive option for a step 1/2 club, fine for Norwich as they are starting with players 'more likely to turn pro' but even they tend to loan out players as part of their development.

[Mallard]

Let’s hope this latest idea produces the goods it’s supposed to.   Can’t help thinking young players development would be helped by playing in ‘Men’s’ football. 
 Like you say Tone, Clubs like Norwich loan out even their U23’s to gain valuable experience  that they seemingly cannot get within age group football.

I hope the Academy set up is not being used as a fund raiser for the First team as some are suggesting.

The old saying the proof of the pudding is in the eating let’s see what starts to roll of the production.  Or not, as the case maybe.

[TonyM]

Let’s hope this latest idea produces the goods it’s supposed to.   Can’t help thinking young players development would be helped by playing in ‘Men’s’ football. 
 Like you say Tone, Clubs like Norwich loan out even their U23’s to gain valuable experience  that they seemingly cannot get within age group football.

I hope the Academy set up is not being used as a fund raiser for the First team as some are suggesting.

The old saying the proof of the pudding is in the eating let’s see what starts to roll of the production.  Or not, as the case maybe.

I think the issue is that the landscape has completely changed for player development in the past decade.  The bigger professional teams now hoover up far more players than they did previously but given that there is still a finite (and maybe reducing) number of professional contracts on offer there is a fairly high attrition rate at 16, 18 and 23.  By this measure Lynn are very unlikely to have a crop of players who are destined for the professional game but an academy for 16-18 can work as Dereham have shown - brings in a bit of cash for the club, allows players to develop and train for a career (although not necessarily as a professional football player) and might bring in a player or two into the first team.  To my mind that is a win-win situation between player and club but anyone hoping for a Norwich style academy with loads of players going professional (step 1 or EFL) football is probably going to be disappointed

[Mallard]

There lies the issue Tone.  Big Clubs like Norwich, Peterborough are hoovering up 100’s of kids from area, age 9 onwards.   They have so much to offer facility wide and ‘dream’wise.

Why would a ‘Reserve’ side trading under another name not be able to self finance and push up through Non League Football closer to the first team step one and maybe work on the principle of an ‘older’ age type academy.   Something along the lines of what Glenn Hoddle ran in Spain.   In fact I think a certain George Thompson came through from there.

Just throwing that into the mix, as something that might have more advantage to the first team playing at Step 1

[KES80]

Where do you envisage this team that are going to rise through the steps playing tho Mall, when there isn't "room" at The Walks. I am not personally aware of any team that has played at The Walks having been self financing, even with the cheap deal on the ground (though I am willing to be proved wrong).

Going back to the Academy set up, I believe there is greater opportunity for youngsters to develop than with the old reserve set up. Playing against other Academy sides (some stronger, some weaker) gives an opportunity for lads to assess their progress against others of a similar age and also gives the opportunity for" lateral movement" between clubs at the end of The Academy term.

[Gordon Chilvers]

Everything is probably fine as things stand at the moment  but what happens if the club suffers a massive fall and gets a double relegation? Obviously we/I hope they don't, but stranger things have happened.

the rise and fall of Boston United and Lowestoft Town are clear examples

[Gordon Chilvers]

Thanks for the clarification B & G.

My personal take on it is this.

The Walks facility cannot now really support a reserves team.

As the first team progress, the club will hopefully attract many new fans and lose a few.

Hopefully people will get behind the Academy side.

If people would prefer to go to watch a rehashed Lynn reserves away from The Walks, then that is their prerogative.

Lost revenue......100at say £10 times 20 matches is £20,000 less salary costs, travel to away matches, kit costs etc...... personally don't think that's a huge financial loss for a successful NL side to bear. If you compare that, to say, the costs already spent on the pitch

For one Kes kit cost does not come into it. FREE kit is normally part of the kit deals (matchday kit, training kit, travel kit, management, coaches, kitman etc included with the likes of Kappa, O'Neills, DEFINITELY Joma from my time as the go between. Yours eyes would water if you new how much those deals came to. Then had the gaul to demand more free kit to sell at retail in the clubshop and online.
I still have a copy of the JOMA contract! Very interesting reading.

[Gordon Chilvers]

Where do you envisage this team that are going to rise through the steps playing tho Mall, when there isn't "room" at The Walks. I am not personally aware of any team that has played at The Walks having been self financing, even with the cheap deal on the ground (though I am willing to be proved wrong).

Going back to the Academy set up, I believe there is greater opportunity for youngsters to develop than with the old reserve set up. Playing against other Academy sides (some stronger, some weaker) gives an opportunity for lads to assess their progress against others of a similar age and also gives the opportunity for" lateral movement" between clubs at the end of The Academy term.

The reserves in Busters time were self funding even having to pay to use the pitch and extra when floodlights were required. They were the most successful team (Reserves) for many seasons thanks to a great bunch of parents/volunteers/ sponsors and of course players.