Prepared to have my head bitten off..

[Gritt23]

In the main, I think the scouting systems pick up players at a younger age these days, and the best of the local talent then comes up through the age groups.

Players of 20+ tend not to make a jump into the second tier of football. Of course there are late developers, and some who slip through the net, Ian Wright and Steve Claridge being excellent examples of those coming to the game late. They are the exceptions though. I doubt there would be many who could come from non-league and make an impact at this level. Just look how good players going the other way appear to be when they drop out of the league to clubs like Crawley or Gravesend.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

If there's a '50mile' rule, won't that mean that all of the london clubs can take players from Sussex?

As for Charlton having an academy in East Grinstead... I assume it's within the 50 mile thing but they're beginning to piss me off now. What with their coaches from Sussex to the Valley, and now nabbing our Southdown under 8's too!

I haven't checked the exact mileage but I'd guess Brighton isn't that much closer to East Grinstead than Charlton, or Millwall and Palarse come to think of it.

Anyway would we want anyone from East Grinstead, it's a horrid place.

 

[Brovion]

Re: Re: Re: Prepared to have my head bitten off..

Absolute rubbish!

I used to play against and for people who were picked up by Charlton, Chelsea, Tottenham, Millwall, Bournemouth.

Aston Villa obviously kept an eye on the youngsters round here as well.

Regardless of the geography, if a club hears about someone who is good enough then they WILL scout them.

There is a lad from Horsham who is off to play for Real Madrid..albeit because his family are moving there.

There are three youngsters in West Sussex who go to the Weald School who are in the England Under 14s team.

Typical journalist! Rushing into print without checking his facts first!

To be totally accurate it isn't actually called the '50 mile rule', that's just a rough rule-of-thumb. The actual rules are: Up to the age of 12 a player must live within one hour's travelling time from the Academy. From 13-16 this time is increased to an hour and a half. It's been like that since 1998 when the Academy system started.

So basically you're wrong - for youngsters geographical location IS important, clubs can't just sign who they like. I thought it was common knowledge, apparently not.