Aston Villa Reserves/Academy games & information

[Legion]

Aston Villa U-12s 3 Leicester City U-12s 3

Shockingly poor match. Villa eventually went 3-2 up and defended like our first team for the last couple of minutes. The ref missed a handball seconds before they equalised with the last kick of the game.

[Larry Duff]

Villa U18s 6-1 Man City U18s

Went to Bodymore yesterday to watch the last Academy home game of the season.
What a start.
2 mins Penalty to Villa, missed by Jerell Sellars
3 mins 1-0 - Sellars
5 mins 2-0 - Abdo Khalid
10 mins 3-0 - Jack Grealish
15 mins 4-0 - Sellars Penalty
25 mins Penalty to Villa, missed by Grealish
30 mins 5-0 - Sellars (hat-trick)
40 mins 6-0 - Henry Cowans.

We went easy on them second half including taking Grealish off.  We also missed a string of chances.
They couldn't cope with Sellars pace up front and Grealish was George Best for the day.

[Salsa Party Animal]

Henry Cowans - Any relation to Sid ?

[Legion]

His son.

[Somniloquism]

Henry Cowans - Any relation to Sid ?

Is this going to be the next Barry/penalty question in the coming years.

[Mazrim]

The elite league of super best friends losing 6 - 1?

[OCD]

Henry Cowans - Any relation to Sid ?

Is this going to be the next Barry/penalty question in the coming years.

Yep.

Good result but looks like they need to work on their penalties.

[Hoppo]

A question or 2 to Larry Duff/ Mazrim. Any suprises in the released players yet? Grealish worth putting on bench? Any others worth keeping an eye on and finally has Crowley gone to The Arse yet? Thanks in advance.

[Legion]

Aston Villa U-12s 3 Nottingham Forest U-12s 0 (Game 1)
Aston Villa U-12s 2 Nottingham Forest U-12s 0 (Game 2)

[Larry Duff]

In answer to Hoppo. I was surprised that we let Malcolm Melvin go. He had been captain of the saturday morning team most of the season and played in the next gen side as well.  I haven't seen Watkins Clarke, the big blond centre back around either. He may be injured but I have a feeling he has gone too.  Same with Daniel Devine.

Grealish has the makings of a great player. He was several classes above a very poor Man City team yesterday.  He is still an U18 player next season and I am sure if we were in a better position they would be tempted to have a look at him in the first team.

Dan Crowley hasn't gone yet but there are strong rumours. He started last week in the reserve/U21 game against Fulham. He is still at school and only 15 so he can move if he wants to, with us probably getting a small fee in compensation.  I think it would be a bad move for him as he has a much better chance of making it with us.  I would be gutted as he could be the real deal as well.
It is a big step up to the first team though.

[Mazrim]

To be honest, I keep in touch with the general goings on with what's what but I haven't the time any more like I used to with regards to the academy. I do know that our teams tend to be higher rated the younger they get ATM. Our youth teams at u19 u18 and so on are excellent but I'm hearing the youngsters below them, the 10-15 year olds and so on are frighteningly good.

Lots of encouraging signs for the future.

[Steve R]

Is that just the way it has gone or has there been a significant change in the amount we invest or the way we scout/recruit at youth levels over the last 6 years or so?

[Mazrim]

We've been a great academy for some time but in the last 5 years or so we have really been pulling out all the stops to be the best. If we get a reputation for not only developing young players but also offering them a genuine route to first team football at a young age we will have our pick of the best players in my opinion, even above the so called heavy hitters.

[Hoppo]

Thanks Larry and Maz.

[AV82EC]

And let's not forget that it's taken about 25 years for us to get to this point as weren't the foundations for all of this laid during the Sir GT part 1 era? If there's one thing I have noticed throughout my time supporting the club since 1990 it's been a focus on the Youth academy and its importance.