Playing first team football at 16 and 17 is still very rare tbf
and there aren't that many 18/19 year olds playing in the Champ. We've played Schwartau and Wright at 18/19 regularly, and Mahovo and McConville were a similar age when playing.
EMS is 19.
Tavares played first team in pre-season at 15.
It's probably just that our home-grown youngsters generally aren't good enough.
Posted By: jamesward on March 17th 2026 at 10:06:53
Message Thread
- Youth-ready or not (NCFC) - Molmans Custard, Mar 17, 10:01:27
- It all makes sense (NCFC) - Molmans Custard, Mar 17, 11:09:21
- England have argueably their greatest ever group of players, especially attacking (NCFC) - Knitted Jesus, Mar 17, 14:44:28
- Look at Nwaneri and Lewis Skelly, they had a nibble but (NCFC) - strap_on sally, Mar 17, 10:11:21
- Playing first team football at 16 and 17 is still very rare tbf (NCFC) - jamesward, Mar 17, 10:06:53
- The big clubs have massive academies.... (NCFC) - MORDENCANARY, Mar 17, 12:01:22
- For every one that makes it at a big academy hundreds don't (n/m) (NCFC) - strap_on sally, Mar 17, 13:24:06
- Yes but even with low odds the big ones will produce a few. (NCFC) - MORDENCANARY, Mar 17, 15:10:24
- For every one that makes it at a big academy hundreds don't (n/m) (NCFC) - strap_on sally, Mar 17, 13:24:06
- Also fairly common for careers to disappoint after being rushed in too early (NCFC) - Legacy Fan, Mar 17, 10:37:41
- And Dowman and Ngumoha are being very carefully managed (NCFC) - jamesward, Mar 17, 10:46:46
- The big clubs have massive academies.... (NCFC) - MORDENCANARY, Mar 17, 12:01:22
- Our 19 year olds not as talent as elite prem clubs most talented 16’s… (NCFC) - loz, Mar 17, 10:04:31
- It all makes sense (NCFC) - Molmans Custard, Mar 17, 11:09:21
Reply to Message
In order to add a post to the WotB Message Board you must be a registered WotB user.
If you are not yet registered then please visit the registration page. You should ensure that their browser is setup to accept cookies.