Mick Harford

That’s why there are so many clubs struggling for money in the EFL - we haven’t paid money for transfers in a long time 

Who knows. But they don’t care. They will come back down with enough money to build their new stadium - their owners have said just that. 
What I find amazing is the Mpanzu guy. West Ham reject loaned out to none league Luton and now he’s a premier league player. Talk about personal belief and vindication or alternatively just doing things the hard way ! That is a top man 

I know I posted this in the 22/23 thread but I thought I'd post it again in the Academy Thread 23/24 for reference. I'm working on the U21 appearances and goals and will post that as well when I've finished it.
U18s - appearances and goals 2022/23 Season
Based on soccerway, cross-referenced with the Official Derby County website (where there was an U18 match report), these are the U18 appearances and goals stats for the 2022/23 Season as far as I can tell:

Following the failure to ensure that an amount equal to 125% of the Club’s forecast monthly wage bill was deposited in a designated Club account by Wednesday 24 May, as per the order of an Independent Disciplinary Commission, Wigan Athletic Football Club has been deducted a further four points and will now start the 2023/24 season on minus eight points (-8).
 
This follows a previous sanction of four points after failing to pay its players’ wages on time in March 2023 and May 2023.
The EFL has spent the past 48 hours in dialogue with the Club in an attempt to find a positive outcome to the issue but as of 9am Friday morning the required funds have not been deposited.
 
The decision by the Independent Disciplinary Commission can be viewed here.
 
https://www.efl.com/news/2023/may/wigan-athletic-efl-statement/

The one people talk of was the video, I was at the other game and Shilts' wasn't as impressive.
People oft forget Shiltons games though, end of the season we finished 5th Shilton came 5th in the ballon d'or , and this when English clubs did not play in Europe

If Man City win the Champions League this season, he will equal Maldini's record of longest time between first and last CL win (18 years)

There are a few factors
1. It's weighted by division rather than pure numbers.
2. They split the points between the number of academies they've been in (not sure on age cut off)
3. Only English players are counted. This also excludes players who have switched allegiances. 
4. It ignores players who have moved abroad, even if playing in the Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga, etc
Perhaps the biggest factor is the rankings are based on all player ages (even those in their 40s). However, our academy is immature in terms of production line. Between Huddlestone coming through 20 years ago and Vernam (now 26), I believe there was only Mutch (a few games for Crawley) and Hughes (Palace) who count.
Since then, we produced a high number of lower league ENGLISH players. In order of age since Vernam, Guy, Rawson, Bennett, Kellan Gordon, Lowe.
We're then into our promising group of graduates who ar emore likely to play PL football: Bird, Buchanan, Whittaker, Sibley, Delap, Gordon, etc.
It takes 10 years for a player to make it through the academy system, then another 15 years a club's productivity ranking to be fully mature. We have at least another 10 years to go to reach that stage.

Yeah quite surprised by that. Only one premier league player. Presumably Hughes. Then Hendrick, Whittaker, Bennett in the Championship? Not sure of the fourth.
In fairness, I’d expect us to go up that list once the U18 generation from 2019 come into their prime. It’s not out of the realms of possibility a lot of them will play the majority of their careers in the Prem/Champo. With Ebosele, Buchanan also playing in top leagues abroad. 
 
Sadly, it currently appears that generation may have been a one-off but hopefully we can continue to produce and the academy sides will be galvanised this summer 

Found this interesting, obviously you can debate he methodology and the results are not set in stone, but we do not rank as highly as I would have expected finishing 39th, with only Burnley and Stoke the other Cat 1 clubs below us.
 
https://trainingground.guru/articles/2021/22-academy-productivity-rankings-chelsea-top-for-first-time

 

I bought two of the original Turnstiles from the old Normanton End, which was originally built and called Catchem’s Corner when it was a Baseball Ground before it became a football ground. My friend had one of them and I’ve still got the other one in my garden - I had mine refurbished 20yrs ago and it stands in my garden and I live it. I think there were only 10 of the original Turnstiles and they are a thing of beauty - I think mine had about 20+ layers of paint on it and when properly stripped it revealed such lovely intricate casting with lots of detailed. Mine has over 800k on the counter which is pretty amazing to think of each and every person that passed through the Turnstile that sits in my garden. Then you times the number on mine by all the other Turnstile’s around the old BBG and that total number added up must be several million - truly remarkable for what was a regional industrial town !! 🐏🤗

That sounds pretty sour to me. Luton are a small club but with fiercely loyal fans who have been through the biggest grinder ever being points deducted season after season and fighting their way back from none league. If the go up they will be the only club to have gone top to bottom to top. That isn’t “two bob” 

The one people talk of was the video, I was at the other game and Shilts' wasn't as impressive.
People oft forget Shiltons games though, end of the season we finished 5th Shilton came 5th in the ballon d'or , and this when English clubs did not play in Europe

The one people talk of was the video, I was at the other game and Shilts' wasn't as impressive.
People oft forget Shiltons games though, end of the season we finished 5th Shilton came 5th in the ballon d'or , and this when English clubs did not play in Europe

Well we've done our bit we've survived.
I've followed you all season and sincerely hope you join us, especially if you knock the Owls out.
Best wishes 

Like Wanderers you have lots of players out of contract that you could either keep or replace. Of course it depends on which division you’re in as to who might come. If we’re both still in L1 then it should be easier to attract good players with the facilities we both have, although we can’t match the wages you can as at Bolton our budget is smaller. Competition in the Championship would be much harder, especially if transfer fees can’t be paid, so would it be better to miss out and build a better, more youthful squad for another push next year? There isn’t much point going up if you’re just going to come straight back down again as there is a pretty big gulf between L1 and the Championship. I think we’re slightly further ahead than you on that as we’ve been out of our restrictions this year so have brought in some youth which is starting to show but I’m still not sure we have enough to be competitive if we did make it up. Still a lot to do for both yet and tough away games tomorrow so it’s anybody’s guess for the remaining games. Can’t wish you luck obviously but I still think you’re better than Posh and will pip them to the play offs as theyve still got Ipswich and Barnsley yet!!

Here are more examples of situations where the EFL has been criticized for its approach to punishments and perceived inconsistencies:
Bolton Wanderers: Bolton faced a winding-up order in 2019 due to unpaid debts, which led to a 12-point deduction and a transfer embargo. However, critics argue that the EFL should have intervened earlier and provided more support to the club, which was in a dire financial situation.
Bury FC: Bury was expelled from the EFL in 2019 after failing to provide financial guarantees, leaving many fans angry and disappointed. Critics argue that the EFL's handling of the situation was too harsh and that more could have been done to help the club avoid expulsion.
Wigan Athletic: Wigan entered administration in 2020 and faced a 12-point deduction. Some critics believe that the EFL should have shown more leniency given the exceptional circumstances surrounding the club's ownership change and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on football finances.
Sheffield Wednesday: Sheffield Wednesday received a 12-point deduction (later reduced to 6 points on appeal) in the 2020-21 season for breaching financial rules, specifically for the sale of their stadium to their owner. Critics argue that other clubs have engaged in similar practices without facing the same level of punishment.
Charlton Athletic: Charlton faced a transfer embargo and points deduction in 2020 for failing to provide the EFL with sufficient evidence of their financial stability. However, some critics argue that this punishment was harsher than those imposed on other clubs for similar breaches.
Blackpool FC: Blackpool faced financial and ownership issues under the Oyston family, leading to fan protests and legal battles. Critics argue that the EFL failed to properly monitor the situation and impose appropriate sanctions to prevent the decline of the club.
Leeds United: In the 2018-19 season, Leeds United faced criticism for the "Spygate" incident, in which they were caught spying on Derby County's training session ahead of a match. The EFL imposed a £200,000 fine on the club, but some argued that the punishment was too lenient and did not serve as a deterrent against similar behavior in the future.
Coventry City: In 2019, Coventry City faced a potential expulsion from the EFL due to an ongoing dispute regarding their stadium, the Ricoh Arena. Critics argued that the EFL did not do enough to mediate the situation or find a solution that would allow the club to remain in the league. Ultimately, Coventry reached a temporary ground-sharing agreement with Birmingham City, which prevented expulsion.
Luton Town: In 2008, Luton Town was deducted 30 points for financial irregularities, which ultimately led to their relegation from the Football League. Some critics argued that the punishment was overly harsh and that the EFL did not take into account the club's efforts to address the issues and cooperate with the authorities.
Portsmouth FC: Portsmouth faced financial difficulties and multiple ownership changes in the early 2010s, which led to points deductions and relegations. Critics argued that the EFL could have done more to monitor the club's financial situation and ensure proper governance, which might have prevented the club's decline.
QPR: Queens Park Rangers faced a fine of £41.965 million in 2018 for breaching Financial Fair Play rules during the 2013-14 season. Some argued that the EFL's decision was delayed, causing uncertainty for the club and its supporters. Others felt that the punishment was too severe compared to similar breaches by other clubs.
Birmingham City received a nine-point deduction in 2019 for breaching financial fair play rules, while Derby County faced a smaller points deduction for similar breaches. This inconsistency can create confusion and frustration among clubs and fans.
Some believe that the EFL has treated certain clubs more favorably than others, particularly those with connections to the league. Middlesbrough's owner, Steve Gibson, has reportedly had close links with the EFL. While there is no concrete evidence of favoritism, critics argue that Middlesbrough's punishments for financial breaches have been relatively lenient compared to clubs like Derby County, which has faced more severe penalties.
The EFL has been criticized for its inability to effectively enforce regulations and impose meaningful sanctions. In some cases, clubs have been found guilty of breaching rules, yet the penalties imposed seem insufficient, such as a transfer embargo or a minimal points deduction. Critics argue that these lenient punishments do little to deter clubs from violating the rules.
The EFL has faced criticism for not being transparent in its decision-making processes, which can lead to confusion and speculation about the fairness of penalties. This lack of transparency can fuel the belief that the league is not fit for purpose and that it favors certain clubs over others.
These examples highlight the perceived inconsistencies and failings of the EFL in applying punishments and managing club issues. Critics argue that these cases demonstrate the need for reform and improvement in the EFL's governance and decision-making processes.

Feel like we have to go and get a few today. Goal difference might be important come the end of the season with there being three teams chasing two spots.

I'll just leave this here, starts to get weird 24 seconds in.
 
 

Another loss today
 
 
 

Another loss today