Torquay u18s

link - And it stays that way as we win the Gary Else memorial league cup. Two trophies in less than 24 hours for Torquay United teams.

link - I was away all day yesterday in Cardiff and then Somerset so was unable to keep a eye on how this went but many congratulations to the under 18s who have emulated the women by winning the FACounty Cup Final and in doing so completed the treble with a comprehensive six nil win over Tavistock. Do not think I can ever recall our youth team being so successful but sure there are others on this site that can prove me wrong.

I would imagine it is decision time for the club as to whether any of the squad, who are of the right age, will qualify as first-year professionals in the new season and will keep an eye out.

Jon makes some good valid points, what is a successful youth team with a professional club? I think I would argue that it is how many go on to be professional footballers. If that is not the objective then what is the point?

We will of course have to wait and see with this present crop, who are racking up trophies all over the place, but as Jon points out at what level?

Although it is over 50 years ago the youth team I played in produced 5 players who went on to play in the Football League. Two of them Ian Twitchin and Phil Sandercock clocked up over 750 appearances between them. Another was arguably the most successful, who having returned to Ireland to play for Shelbourne, became a full international and went on to play for Manchester United.

We won no trophies, but then again we only entered the FA Youth Cup. We didn't even enter the Devon County Youth Cup although Torquay players did play for Newton Abbot Spurs in that (and won it a couple of times). Most of the games were friendlies against teams like Devon Youth, Cornwall Youth, St Lukes College, Bodmin Town, Bideford.

The better players played every week for the reserves in the Western League while the rest played sometimes for the reserves but most of the time played in the South Western League.

There is a tremendous difference between youth football and adult football, and although youth development is far more sophisticated and scientific these days, I think playing with and against adults most of the time is going to develop the better players quicker.

After all, isn't that why Phil Sandercock and Ian Twitchin were able to jump seamlessly from the Western League direct to what is now League 1 (and of course at that time we were one of the better teams in it)?

Anyway back to the present day, well done to the youngsters on a successful season, and I would love it if some of them came through into the first team. I am getting fed up of looking enviously at Exeter City! 😉⚽️

Chris Todd leaves to pursue first team football. Hearing rumours that he may pitch up at Yeovil.

link - Robbie Herrera comes back to the club to take over as head of youth and I’m sure he’ll do a good job there.

Merse gives a very good response to this on BTPIR - pointing out that National League clubs do not run academies in the same way that EFL clubs do. How much money do National League clubs invest in their youth players? It's different for each club of course, but some clubs invest very little.

I'm not going to link to it, if you want to go there you will find it very easily. But suffice to say that the situation is not as straightforward as Dave Thomas suggests.

link - update on the under 18s, some of whom have been involved in our pre-season campaign.