It was interesting to hear at the club forum that the level of the academy dropped in terms of quality during our spell in the NL as we lost a lot of talented youngsters. Looks like we've been able to keep a few though! A very well taken goal, hopefully he stays around and makes the step up in the near future.

@menzinho ah often complained about the funds being dropped before we were sold.

the academy has all the things in place to produce good talent, we just need to give players more time to establish themselves into the squad. it will take seasons to make them fully integrate but we tend to give up. sam osborne had me excited, he was showing great signs of progress but he was compared to experienced players by the manager. which is wrong in my eyes, we need to make allowances for youngsters to get to the level we need, without holding them back because they are no better than what we already have. the fact for me, osborne showed some real grit and energy when he came into the squad. he would score and look unpredictable. 

i hope james sanderson gets more game time in the future, we dont need to rush this but we do need to ensure our young players get first team minutes.

It was a good shot, but Notts fans should let him play at his own pace without putting too much pressure on him. We all want a player who came up through our youth system and has had a successful career with us.

It reminded me of one of Jack Grealish's goals for us; he responded very quickly and placed it well. The keeper perhaps could have done better, but there's no pressure on him. I just hope he gets time in future games and until then takes everything in his stride.

He had a great debut, performed well and his strike was truly impressive. I hope he gets more playing time in the future, as there’s so much to learn from being on the pitch and being part of the squad. He’s definitely a promising talent and if we can develop him to contribute more consistently, that would be fantastic.

However, for those fans who see this clip and start comparing him to Messi, it’s important to remember not to set unrealistic expectations.

Let’s just cheer him on and support him, shall we?

It was a fantastic strike, he acted on instinct and placed the ball well. I am pleased for him, as all this attention will be a good thing but I do hope he's around wise people who will keep him grounded too.

He doesn't need any pressure at this age, he just needs to enjoy his football.

James Sanderson, the future Jack Grealish of Notts County. I wish him all the best as he strives to improve and get ready for the first team.

If he stays focused after that goal and puts in the effort, he could be a valuable player in a few seasons. We need to start giving young players the opportunity to thrive on the pitch. They won’t reach their potential or improve by playing non-competitive football. I sincerely hope we don’t consider loaning him out to an inferior team but instead, aim to fully integrate him over time.

Good goal and a good start.  I hope he continues to grow and become the best he can.  We seem to have one or two youngsters on the fringes, which given where our Academy is currently, is pretty good.

Edited December 5, 20231 yr by Ohh Tommy Johnson

Great prospect, it’s very exciting with the number of young players we seem to have close to the first team. They do need to play and gain experience at our level and within our team.

As a kid, you dream of playing in the FA Cup and scoring on your debut. To do both is truly impressive. I’m not worried about things getting to him. I’m sure there are plenty of people around who will keep him grounded and working hard. For him to break into our team, he still has a lot to do. Who would he push out of the team? Nobody right now, but hopefully in the future, he can compete more closely. His goal is to be good enough to be named on the bench. That’s where he’ll gain experience coming on as a sub.

It's great to see so many youngsters coming through at the same time and it's easy to get carried away but so much can happen at that age. Luke Williams said in an interview early this season something to the effect that Munakandafa needed to learn how to refuel and what being a professional footballer means. Maybe he thought the contract meant the work was done? Cisse excites me, he seems to have no fear and puts in a decent ball that Nemane could learn from. There's a lot he needs to do yet - perfect example being how Nemane works so hard to defend - but it was great to hear that intake of breath around the ground when he got the ball as a sub against Newport (I think it was?).

Giving kids a chance can only be beneficial when looking to persuade others to come to our academy as well.

It’s encouraging to hold high expectations for our young players. I was quite taken with their performances in the pre-season. I extend my best wishes to James Sanderson. His debut is something he won’t easily forget.

I’m looking forward to seeing what James Sanderson can do, as everyone speaks so highly of him. However, we do have other promising talent on the brink. We need to ensure they are mentally ready and well-supported, and then give them game time. I hope we can do that.

He does seem promising, but if he wants to be the young player who becomes a regular in the first team, he’ll need to work hard and prove himself to Luke Williams. I think we’re a long way off from having a young player do this, but we live in hope.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if one of these young players, especially James Sanderson, became the future of Notts? He has a keen eye for goal and reacts well to his instincts. I wish him all the best. If he performs well and avoids being sold, then perhaps we can have higher hopes of integrating young players into the squad.

He did brilliantly to spot the gap and seize the opportunity to strike. I can’t comment on his overall performance as I didn’t see much of him, but it will be interesting to see how he progresses.

Many moons ago, I recall talking with Dick Bate at Notts who offered the opinion that many youngsters who "win" a professional contract, think they have made it. The ages 16-19 , are the telling point of whether they are going to make it..and whether the club can support these youngsters

He’s already made a mark with that goal. Our fans simply want to see a young player succeed, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m excited about our youth prospects, but we need to ensure they’re ready for the first team.