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[Albion] New Albion scholars 2020-21 - Player profiles
- Thread starter AZ Gull
- Start date
ifightbears
Well-known member
Twitter rumours stating 21st April is the date. Final would be against Middlesborough who beat Blackburn 5-2 in the other semi-final yesterday. Have to think that perhaps a final would get some coverage from the club??
ifightbears
Well-known member
Wonder if Tommy Reid will get his debut for the u18s on Saturday (against Reading) as Talley hasn't been involved in the last 8 games (injured?) and Bull presumably suspended for his red card against Norwich in the last game.
ifightbears
Well-known member
Indeed its a debut for Tommy Reid in the u18s today. Slightly surprisingly Hinshelwood keeping Sturge out of the team again. Everett/ Peupion returning to the starting line up.
Team for those interested;
Reid
Nilsson
Jackson
Offiah
Hinshelwood
Collyer
Chouchane
Everett
Moran
Peupion
Emmerson
Subs:
Fisher
Jenkins
Sturge
Ifill
Qureshi
ifightbears
Well-known member
5-2 win for the boys, only surprise being that Emmerson wasn't on the scoresheet. Moran joins him on 11 for the season.
Goals: Everitt, Moran, Qureshi, Chouchane, Ifill
Assists: Everitt, Peupion, Emmerson
Next up, u17s play for a place in the final of the u17 premier league cup on Wednesday (21st).
Goals: Everitt, Moran, Qureshi, Chouchane, Ifill
Assists: Everitt, Peupion, Emmerson
Next up, u17s play for a place in the final of the u17 premier league cup on Wednesday (21st).
ifightbears
Well-known member
Hi AZ Gull, can you tell me, is Evan Ferguson (Oct 2004) technically in the age group below the likes of Sturge (June 2004) and Emmerson (August 2004)? Or is it done on Calendar year rather than Academic year when you talk about first year and second year scholars?
AZ Gull
@SeagullsAcademy Threads: @bhafcacademy
- Thread starter
- #88
Domestically, in terms of a football "year" for age group purposes, the period runs from September 1st to August 31st (mimicking the school year).
A lad born between Sep 1 2003 and Aug 31 2004 would be a 1st-year scholar this season (which is the same thing as an U-17, although that term has little significance in English football).
A lad in the age group one year above, born between Sep 1 2002 and Aug 31 2003, would be a 2nd-year scholar this season (also known as an U-18).
Therefore, our "youth team", more accurately known as the U-18s, is made up of a mixture of 1st- and 2nd- year scholars (supplemented by U-16 schoolboys and an occasional U-15 schoolboy). They compete in the PL U-18s league.
Age groups U-16 and younger are known as schoolboys because they are, of course, still at school full-time. At U-17 level (1st-year scholar) they are taken on full-time by the club.
A club cannot sign a scholar as a professional before his 17th birthday at the earliest.
To answer your question - Evan Ferguson is still an U-16 schoolboy this season, he will become a 1st-year scholar in the summer. Zak's Sturge and Emmerson are already 1st-year scholars.
ifightbears
Well-known member
Thank you such a complete answer, much appreciated. Would be fascinating to see if those born in August are more/ less successful than those born in September just for essentially having that 11 months extra development.
As Ferguson has two years left eligibility with the u18s but Emmerson only has one year remaining, they might of figured they had more time to play with Ferguson so have tried using him for the u23s this season. Hopefully they both reach their huge potential despite their different paths (for Brighton!).
AZ Gull
@SeagullsAcademy Threads: @bhafcacademy
- Thread starter
- #90
That is a big subject in its own right - known as the "Relative age effect".
Simply, the earlier in the 12-month period that you are born, the greater your chance of success (at international level the calendar runs from January 1 to December 31, which is why the graphs shown in the Wikipedia article run from Jan - Dec).
If I get chance, I might sometime do an analysis on the month birth dates of either first-team players at Albion, or those coming through the academy system - I think the results would be eye-opening.
AZ Gull
@SeagullsAcademy Threads: @bhafcacademy
- Thread starter
- #91
As an aside - if you have a few spare minutes, have a read of this article about James Lawrence. There can't be many players these days who, at the age of 26, get named in an international squad and essentially nobody has a clue who they are. It is a fascinating tale in its own right, but also focuses on the relative age effect (which his father utterly believes significantly hindered his son's career).
ifightbears
Well-known member
A compelling story, here's hoping Emmerson and Sturge talent will see them beat the odds.
Very noticeable that the six u18s who will be with the u23s next year (Turns, Talley, Peupion, Miller, Everitt, Offiah) - all born in September and October!
ifightbears
Well-known member
More questions sorry... back at the start of March you said that 'Matt Everitt, Odel Offiah and Ed Turns have been offered pro deals. Goalkeeper Toby Bull has been offered a third scholar year'
How does it work with a third scholar year? Notice that Bull is as young as it gets for his age group (27th August) so it does seem fair! Would he be ineligible for u18s next year?
Also, do you know if Everitt, Offiah and Turns have signed?
An interesting aside is as I understand it European countries do their age groups by birth year rather than school year. Which means when UK clubs go abroad to play in tournaments there can be quite a disparity in birth dates (especially if under 9s/under 10s). And yes clubs do send teams in those age groups abroad to compete in tournaments.
schmunk
"Members"
Very interesting, thank you, including some Albion links:
"The next year he joined Ajax’s under-18s, as one half of the central defensive duo with current international Joël Veltman."
"In 2018, Steve got a rejection – "please-go-away-letter", as he puts it – from the English FA technical director, Dan Ashworth. "Being honest with you, I don’t see Jamie being ahead of the players we have in a similar position and similar age at this time.""
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AZ Gull
@SeagullsAcademy Threads: @bhafcacademy
- Thread starter
- #96
A scholarship is normally two years, covering the player's U-17 and U-18 seasons. At the end of that period the club will usually know whether they wish to offer the player a professional contract or release them. Of course, if the club wishes to sign the player as a professional, they don't have to wait until the end of the two-year scholarship; they can offer a professional contract as soon as the player's 17th birthday, as previously mentioned. Chelsea, for one, typically sign their scholars on professional contracts as soon as they turn 17; many other clubs, including Albion, will wait until the end of the scholarship. It is also not uncommon these days, particularly when clubs have brought in lads from overseas or from other clubs to join as a scholar, that the deal will include a professional contract automatically (say, a one-year scholarship followed by a two-year professional contract, making a three-year deal in total).
Unfortunately some scholars will suffer some sort of disruption during the two-year scheme (typically through injury, or perhaps serious illness). In those circumstances the club might extend the scholarship to a third season. Bull suffered a fracture of his ulna and radius bones playing in a tournament in Riga in February 2020 (it was mainly an U-16/U-15 Albion squad) and he didn't return to action until October. As a goalkeeper, he can still play for the U-18s next season (there is dispensation for an overage 'keeper to play in PL U-18 matches).
It is somewhat unusual for Albion to offer a third scholar year, but it has happened in the past: Leon Redwood was given an extension at the end of 2009-10 due to a cruciate knee ligament injury; the following season all of George Hayward, Josh James and Calum Sherriff were given third years and in 2011-12 Jack Shonk was given another year after making only one appearance due to a couple of knee surgeries.
I don't know for sure whether Everitt, Offiah and Turns have signed their deals but it is extremely unusual that players don't.
ifightbears
Well-known member
Debuts for Teddy Jenks brother, Elliot and appearances for albion youth players Bailey Smith and Joshua Duffus following Moran & Emmerson inclusion in the u23s today.
https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/match/61888#line ups
https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/match/61888#line ups
ifightbears
Well-known member
Just noticed it is only listing 10 players, points to the person who can work out who the 11th player is!
ifightbears
Well-known member
New name for me - S. Peck. Anyone know anything about him?