Dan Crowley

[sonlyme]

if this wasn't getting press coverage, no one would give a shit. happens all the time. he may go onto be a brilliant player, he may join the likes of dean parrett, michael woods and tom taiwo. teenagers who were hyped up, attracted bitter disputes over compensation and ultimately ended up doing fuck all in the lower leagues.

You may be right given some of the comments on the matter but I give a shit cos I follow our youth and academy sides - and I would like to know why such a promising player is leaving.  The kid is mustard - which is I know no guarantee of future success but ffs - surely we want to keep our best?  I seem to be alone in giving a shit.

As Arsene might say - C'est la vie.

[FourOaksVillan]

Although the kid may be mustard I hear on the grapevine he has a massive chip on his shoulder and disruptive with the other academy players and coaches. Apparently they cant wait to get rid as he has been playing Villa off against other clubs all season.

[not3bad]

Although the kid may be mustard I hear on the grapevine he has a massive chip on his shoulder and disruptive with the other academy players and coaches. Apparently they cant wait to get rid as he has been playing Villa off against other clubs all season.

If that's true it is best we got rid.

[Handsworth Wood Villa]

[Karl Bridges]

I can't bring myself to support a club.

You can admit to supporting Arsenal you know. No-one really cares.

[Rudy65]

The problem is the contracts, or lack of them given to the youngsters. They have freedom to move. Ultimately like any player, if he wants to leave, then let him go. As others have said he will probably be lost in amongst all the foreign youngsters at Arse who will probably be far better and stronger than him.

He will likely join the vast majority of promising 15 year olds who disappear into non league footy or altogether

[Jenks]

I can't bring myself to support a club.

You can admit to supporting Arsenal you know. No-one really cares.

I don't support Arsenal. I haven't said anything to suggest that I do, and I wouldn't be worried about saying I did if I did.

[mozza]

Although the kid may be mustard I hear on the grapevine he has a massive chip on his shoulder and disruptive with the other academy players and coaches. Apparently they cant wait to get rid as he has been playing Villa off against other clubs all season.

Spot on................heard similar 12 months ago - a special talent ? maybe but only time will tell   

[OCD]

Many a special talent have come to nothing because of a poor attitude. I hope for his sake that isn't the case here.

[Ads]

I wager we will never hear this name again.

[ozzjim]

I still have a fundamental issue with youth team players leaving for peanuts. I don't think initial fees should be large, but maybe % of sell on fees should go to the original club. Something to properly compensate sides bringing players through for others to steal. Like we do.

[Jenks]

I still have a fundamental issue with youth team players leaving for peanuts. I don't think initial fees should be large, but maybe % of sell on fees should go to the original club. Something to properly compensate sides bringing players through for others to steal. Like we do.

You get £150,000 for every 10 first team appearances he makes in the Premier League up to 60 appearances. After that you get £100,000 for every 10 appearances up to 100. So basically £1.3m if he makes it, plus the initial fee, which is probably around £160,000 assuming he's been with the academy since 12 at least. It depends what the % is of course, but I doubt academies would make more money through transfer fees that than the system they've already put in place. Fair enough if it's 10% on £20m or something, but the vast majority of transfers are going to be much more modest figures.

[Toronto Villa]

fucking hell 11 pages on a kid that before page one most of us had never heard of. You'd think he was moving to the champions of Europe not from them.

[cheltenhamlion]

Is he still going on? Fuck it, they can have him. Lambert will sign a better version in Belguim.

[paul_e]

I wager we will never hear this name again.

I doubt that very much.  He might not make it, no player at that age is guaranteed unless they're already pushing on a first team place, which is very rare.  However one of the most highly rated youngsters in the country who is already playing 3 years above his level is probably a safe bet to make a career, how high up that career takes him is dependent on his attitude more than anything else, the ability is there, in a raw form.

Are we that bothered that a 15 year old has left?  A little but if we keep on this path we'll be stealing kids like this from other people far more than they walk away from us.