Notts County’s role in developing young talent

[AmericanPie]

Notts County has a reputation for developing young players who go on to play for higher-profile clubs. Who are some notable players that Notts County has helped nurture, and what qualities do you think the club has that allows it to develop such talent?

[DangerousSausage]

It's a bit outdated unfortunately - in the last 20 years or so they've been few and far between. This is because the big clubs now have huge academies that hoover up all the talent, that then gets loaned out to lower-division clubs. In the past, many of these players would have come through the ranks at smaller clubs and been sold on. It was an important source of income and it promoted the idea that, as Football League members, even the minnows were part of the same entity as the big clubs - everyone knew that David Platt played for Crewe, Ian Rush came from Chester and all the rest of them.

So the most notable current player who Notts have helped to nurture is Jack Grealish - and he was never our player!

That's not to say that youth development is not important though - it builds links with the local community and there's always the chance of uncovering a gem. But to do that, you also need to give them a chance in the first team.

[CliftonMagpie]

Notts County has done an excellent job in getting the best out of Cal Roberts and attracting a fee for his services, despite his injury issues. Goalkeeper Tiernan Brooks is a player to watch and has the potential to become the future number one for Notts. Lucien Mahovo is a promising player but needs more experience. Notts’ recruitment strategy has meant that the club relies less on other clubs’ youngsters, making it more difficult for players to progress. However, there are players under 24 who have the ability to play at a higher level than Leagu
e Two and the National League.

[JIMBO]

Notts County has a long-standing tradition of nurturing and developing talented football players. Some notable examples include Wes Morgan, David McGoldrick, and Jermaine Pennant, all of whom got their start at Notts. Mark Draper and Tommy Johnson are also players who honed their skills at the club. In recent years, we've seen a new generation of promising young players emerge, such as Dongda He, Jack Bearne, Kion Etete, and Kole Lambert. It's unfortunate that some of these talented players were allowed to leave the club before reaching their full potential.

[Chris]

@JIMBO I believe there's two more, one of which went to another Premier League club and I think the other went to a Championship side. I seem to recall another player that went on loan to Forest back when they were facing relegation from the Championship.

[liampie]

On 30/04/2023 at 19:48, DangerousSausage said:

It's a bit outdated unfortunately - in the last 20 years or so they've been few and far between.

yes, we seem to allow the best prospects slip through the cracks but in one way. notts is not the type of team to give them the chance they need to secure a place in the first team, most would probably end up released and picked up. its something notts should try to improve.

with all the stats and knowledge of what makes a good player, i would have though the reedtz would want to bring that side to the academy as a way to enhance it.

[DangerousSausage]

I think it's more modern football than a reflection on the club @liampie. The really good ones who would otherwise make the breakthrough are spirited away to big clubs before they kick a ball for us, and most of the remainder just don't quite have what it takes.

Going back a few years, David Platt and Peter Beardsley each played more than 100 games for their first clubs (Crewe and Carlisle) before they hit the big time. Unimaginable now.

[TheSkipper]

In recent years, only Sam Osborne has made it into the Notts squad from their youth players. Despite being one of the better players, his appearances were limited. Managers often use the excuse of players not being ready when they lack faith in them or don’t want to risk their own job. Since 2020, Sam has played for 5 clubs. Even though some of these teams paid a fee for him, it doesn’t help his career to keep moving around. This is a common issue for young players today. If they’re not considered good enough, they won’t play and may end up bouncing around lower-tier teams without building a solid career for themselves.