Why are some fans desperate to start youth players when we're playing crap?

Aaron Bentley is slow, inexperienced and naive.

Tyler Harvey is weaker than a diluted glass of piss and rarely has a positive impact on a match considering his opportunities.

We've got a "well rated" Prem CB on loan and he even looks shaky and nervous.

The England U21 GK in goal who doesn't seem to be commanding his back line too effectively.

Purrington is nowhere near as good aerially or defensively as Sawyer and weighs about 9 stone.

Let alone Hannah, Rooney, Lane who have never made a first team appearance.


Seriously, why do fans really believe replacing the likes of Sawyer with Purrington, or Tanner with Harvey, or Croll with Bentley (or sometimes all three at once) is really going to bring top of the league form back to Home Park?

Are they real leaders of men in the dressing room? Do they command respect when they walk into the room, let alone the starting line up, the way Roy Keane described Eric Cantona andhis infectious self-confidence on the pitch?

Whenever Argyle go through a bad spell, as all teams suffer (certainly ones with season changing injuries), why is it always the instinct for some to criticise the poorer players and then the manager for not dropping them (or subbing them off at half time) for an 18 year old?

Back in 1973 Argyle were going through a dodgy early season patch (hard to believe, I know). The old sweats just weren't cutting it anymore. It was time to do something or else a relegation to the old Div 4 (completely unthinkable at the time given that it had never happened in the club's entire history) loomed.

Three youngsters, I think, made a simultaneous debut in a midweek home game: Mariner, Johnson, Rogers. The newly invigorated Argyle gubbed Rochdale 5-0 and the shackles were off.

Now admittedly Mariner was very, very special and the other two proved to be useful even if nowhere near Mariner's class but giving young players a go can work - and does more often than you might think.

If they are good enough, of course.

The question that really needs asking is are the kids better than those they might replace? I think Tyler Harvey could be, and to be honest Threlkeld hasn't really impressed so why not swap them?, but haven't seen enough of the other two to pass judgement either way. I wouldn't have thought the Bentley was much worse than Krull though - not that we need to risk him right now with Hartley being back - and Purrington is an obvious benchwarmer while Sawyer is fit.

The real question is which ones are under-performing and can we do better?

Because football clubs are supposed to represent their community, local youngsters are the lifes blood of a football team, we have lost that.

Your club nearly died from paying a fortune for journeymen to satisfy an urge to be something you are not, blood your young'uns and suck it up when they struggle a it, in the long term it is the only way forward for a scabby little club at the arse end of nowhere.

ejh, I swear in the past you were one of the main promoters on here of the idea that youth should be given more of a chance. Now you're completely scoffing the idea.

Equally, on some threads you're sticking up for Brent's budget saying it's perfectly good enough and on others you're saying austerity Brent is the reason we're failing this season.

I'm half-convinced you say it all for a wind-up to get each side of the various arguments to bite in turn.

GreenSam wrote:

ejh, I swear in the past you were one of the main promoters on here of the idea that youth should be given more of a chance. Now you're completely scoffing the idea.

Equally, on some threads you're sticking up for Brent's budget saying it's perfectly good enough and on others you're saying austerity Brent is the reason we're failing this season.

I'm half-convinced you say it all for a wind-up to get each side of the various arguments to bite in turn.

And the other half of you agrees with him

GreenSam wrote:

ejh, I swear in the past you were one of the main promoters on here of the idea that youth should be given more of a chance. Now you're completely scoffing the idea.

Equally, on some threads you're sticking up for Brent's budget saying it's perfectly good enough and on others you're saying austerity Brent is the reason we're failing this season.

I'm half-convinced you say it all for a wind-up to get each side of the various arguments to bite in turn.

I was about to say the samething Sam, His tune changes like the wind.

Lord Tisdale wrote:

it is the only way forward for a scabby little club at the arse end of nowhere.

Good for the goose, good for the gander?

GreenSam wrote:

ejh, I swear in the past you were one of the main promoters on here of the idea that youth should be given more of a chance. Now you're completely scoffing the idea.

Equally, on some threads you're sticking up for Brent's budget saying it's perfectly good enough and on others you're saying austerity Brent is the reason we're failing this season.

I'm half-convinced you say it all for a wind-up to get each side of the various arguments to bite in turn.

Exactly. He spent just about the entire season slagging Sheridan off and spouting emotional schlock about how the "kids" were being misused and maltreated by the manager-he wasn't alone in that by any means but it's truly staggering to see him turn the issue on it's head. You could be onto something about the WUM possibility but probably not-just a case of highly selective memory methinks.

When I first went to Argyle in 1956 I was upset that there was criticism and booing of the team. Have since realised that a sizeable minority (majority?) only go to grumble and criticise, suspect its because they are not allowed to say anything at home/work.

Well, the thinking behind is fairly obvious. If your assessment of the players is accurate (although one could be excused for thinking that the harshness is partly there to serve your argument) then one way of improving would be to play. Some supporters feel that there has been a lack of desire/effort by some players; logically the young'uns would be full of effort and willingness and playing them may just give any dropped players a kick up the backside. This is especially true given the small squad, creating competition for places is generally seen as a good thing.

Furthermore, a young player who makes a mark could become a valuable asset - worked pretty well for Exeter this summer. And if the loan players are unconvincing then you may as well bring in your own youth players even if they are unconvincing as well because at least you can gain in the long-term.

Those are some of the reasons behind the thinking, although I'm not saying that the thinking is necessarily correct.

charleymouse wrote:

logically the young'uns would be full of effort and willingness

You'd certainly think so, with the exception of Tyler Harvey who always looks like he'd rather be doing something else.

Les Miserable wrote:

charleymouse wrote:

logically the young'uns would be full of effort and willingness

You'd certainly think so, with the exception of Tyler Harvey who always looks like he'd rather be doing something else.

True, if he showed the effort that Brunt does he might have a chance of making it as a league footballer.

harvey has to go in jan

Hugh Watt wrote:

Lord Tisdale wrote:

it is the only way forward for a scabby little club at the arse end of nowhere.

Good for the goose, good for the gander?

It's "sauce for the goose", moron, and we are still in the FA youth cup, only got knocked out of the U21s by a full West Ham team and have a raft of decent young'uns, including the next Grimesinho coming through, we got nearly $2 million for the last one, how have you done recently selling on your own?

We are of course still a scabby little club, but not quite the arse end of nowhere,

Lord Tisdale wrote:

Hugh Watt wrote:

Lord Tisdale wrote:

it is the only way forward for a scabby little club at the arse end of nowhere.

Good for the goose, good for the gander?

It's "sauce for the goose", moron, and we are still in the FA youth cup, only got knocked out of the U21s by a full West Ham team and have a raft of decent young'uns, including the next Grimesinho coming through, we got nearly $2 million for the last one, how have you done recently selling on your own?

We are of course still a scabby little club, but not quite the arse end of nowhere,

Actually its a derivative and completely interchangeable, it was quoted in a song you dullard .

However good your "young' uns" are and were, they havent really helped you beyond the middle reaches of the basement have they? As you have admitted yourself passim you got lucky with Grimes. But then that was when you were having your periodic, everything is shit rants.

bentley, purrington, harvey, rooney and hall are not going to get any better or move on with their development if they arent playing regularly or even at all.

Which again Brent needs to have a word with himself or be visited by 3 ghosts on christmas eve and invest in del bhey and allow him to have a proper squad so we can send these kids out on loan till may so they at least have a chance to show their worth and earn a new contract for next season.

I do believe Harvey is a spent cause having been involved with the first team set up under 3 different managers and still no nearer being a regular or even looking bothered by the fact he isnt, Bentley i dont know what to say about him. Purrington i believe could be a regular but needs games and with Sawyer being out of sorts i would play him now tbh. i'm not going to rate rooney or hall as i have never seen them play so it would be unfair too do that.

with all that said Tony Pulis was right about our setup all those years ago an still is now.

The only way out of this pickle is investment ..and some experience players be brought in asap the youth thats on the bench is simply not good enough

Lord Tisdale wrote:

Hugh Watt wrote:

Lord Tisdale wrote:

it is the only way forward for a scabby little club at the arse end of nowhere.

Good for the goose, good for the gander?

It's "sauce for the goose", moron, and we are still in the FA youth cup, only got knocked out of the U21s by a full West Ham team and have a raft of decent young'uns, including the next Grimesinho coming through, we got nearly $2 million for the last one, how have you done recently selling on your own?

We are of course still a scabby little club, but not quite the arse end of nowhere,

And then of course we have Sean Goss (who's little bro is with us too) currently being talked about as a potential superstar at United and apparently a source of yet more future income from the ECFC youth juggernaut if he matches up to the hype.

BTW if you're thinking of the same individual then the word is that he is even better than Grimes - very, very special indeed in fact. The only worry is if we can keep him long enough to get the maximum amount of money.

Happy days.

jabba the gut ecfc wrote:

Lord Tisdale wrote:

Hugh Watt wrote:

Lord Tisdale wrote:

it is the only way forward for a scabby little club at the arse end of nowhere.

Good for the goose, good for the gander?

It's "sauce for the goose", moron, and we are still in the FA youth cup, only got knocked out of the U21s by a full West Ham team and have a raft of decent young'uns, including the next Grimesinho coming through, we got nearly $2 million for the last one, how have you done recently selling on your own?

We are of course still a scabby little club, but not quite the arse end of nowhere,

And then of course we have Sean Goss (who's little bro is with us too) currently being talked about as a potential superstar at United and apparently a source of yet more future income from the ECFC youth juggernaut if he matches up to the hype.

BTW if you're thinking of the same individual then the word is that he is even better than Grimes  - very, very special indeed in fact. The only worry is if we can keep him long enough to get the maximum amount of money.

Happy days.

lol i Recall david fox went for peanuts to utd despite the protests they got a good fee from him

jabba the gut ecfc wrote:

Lord Tisdale wrote:

Hugh Watt wrote:

Lord Tisdale wrote:

it is the only way forward for a scabby little club at the arse end of nowhere.

Good for the goose, good for the gander?

It's "sauce for the goose", moron, and we are still in the FA youth cup, only got knocked out of the U21s by a full West Ham team and have a raft of decent young'uns, including the next Grimesinho coming through, we got nearly $2 million for the last one, how have you done recently selling on your own?

We are of course still a scabby little club, but not quite the arse end of nowhere,

And then of course we have Sean Goss (who's little bro is with us too) currently being talked about as a potential superstar at United and apparently a source of yet more future income from the ECFC youth juggernaut if he matches up to the hype.

BTW if you're thinking of the same individual then the word is that he is even better than Grimes  - very, very special indeed in fact. The only worry is if we can keep him long enough to get the maximum amount of money.

Happy days.

It's good you have a good youth policy, as your clubs ambition is L1 at the most on piss poor crowds of 3.5k, so you need to produce and sell a player or 2 to maintain your level of ambition, so well done with that

Graiser wrote:

It's good you have a good youth policy, as your clubs ambition is L1 at the most on piss poor crowds of 3.5k, so you need to produce and sell a player or 2 to maintain your level of ambition, so well done with that

Is that an attempt at patronising an Exeter fan ?
Are you seriously suggesting Brent's Argyle are that well bunced, and that forward looking to beyond L1, that PAFC doesn't need a youth policy, "like what Exeter do" ? I think you are infering just that. Gettagrip. Talk reality.

The pasoti immigre class of 2015 to ATD, are all a bit disappointing. You all hung on over there until the last possible moment, until you were turfed off by a control freak. Bleddy Clingons.
You are a pale imitation of the ATD founding fathers and mothers. It's affecting the level of debate on here. I think you yourself need a personal youth policy. Start growing younger, and be quick about it.

They're on exeweb too you know, you can't beat a bit of 'banter'. A hairy eyebrow could be in order

Hugh Watt wrote:

Actually its a derivative and completely interchangeable, it was quoted in a song you dullard .

Nah, you just got it wrong, dullard.

RegGreen wrote:

The only way out of this pickle is investment ..and some experience players be brought in asap the youth thats on the bench is simply not good enough

"investment", isn't that the process by which football clubs spend loads of money on crap players?

How did Taribo West do for you?

jabba the gut ecfc wrote:

Lord Tisdale wrote:

Hugh Watt wrote:

Lord Tisdale wrote:

it is the only way forward for a scabby little club at the arse end of nowhere.

Good for the goose, good for the gander?

It's "sauce for the goose", moron, and we are still in the FA youth cup, only got knocked out of the U21s by a full West Ham team and have a raft of decent young'uns, including the next Grimesinho coming through, we got nearly $2 million for the last one, how have you done recently selling on your own?

We are of course still a scabby little club, but not quite the arse end of nowhere,

And then of course we have Sean Goss (who's little bro is with us too) currently being talked about as a potential superstar at United and apparently a source of yet more future income from the ECFC youth juggernaut if he matches up to the hype.

BTW if you're thinking of the same individual then the word is that he is even better than Grimes  - very, very special indeed in fact. The only worry is if we can keep him long enough to get the maximum amount of money.

Happy days.

Due deference Jab, but happy days don't start until Tisdale moves on and we actually get into the Championship.

Yeah I know, probably not in my lifetime.