Reserve & Youth Teams Thread

[sooth_stander]

4-1 FT. 
Really gritty display in that 2nd half, after Hamilton came out of the blocks in the 2nd half. Matched their opponents physically and 3 quick goals and it was game over

[sooth_stander]

7 minutes ago, RAZOR said:

How's the lad Enem (please stand up) looking?

On the bench a lot lately.

I like him, he’s definitely got a chance

But, as I said 2weeks ago after the United mauling, he shouldn’t be here, he should be playing Highland league for 6 months, come back in the summer and see where we are.

[RDS]

2 minutes ago, sooth_stander said:

4-1 FT. 
Really gritty display in that 2nd half, after Hamilton came out of the blocks in the 2nd half. Matched their opponents physically and 3 quick goals and it was game over

Thanks for the updates and great result for them and league chances.

As an aside was our graham alone or was his newly announced fiance/Milf Helen keeping him company and has he the Dave Cormack smile with his new falsers?

[Helmet]

29 minutes ago, RDS said:

Can't see allowing players u21 to freely move back and forth between parent and loan teams is going to massively change things and will lower league teams really want the hassle of not knowing which weeks those players could be available and disruption to managers plans and their season

Creating a better no age limit reserve league or even changing u18s to allow a set number of overage players up to age 21 would be better change

Allow two players up to 20 in a match days squad for an u18 game might help a little but it’s not going to stretch those over age players much.

As you say. The reserve league needs to be sorted out and those clubs who refused to join should be required to get on with it instead of fucking everyone else up with a selfish colts approach.

[sooth_stander]

11 minutes ago, RDS said:

Thanks for the updates and great result for them and league chances.

As an aside was our graham alone or was his newly announced fiance/Milf Helen keeping him company and has he the Dave Cormack smile with his new falsers?

Graham was mostly on his own, conversing with anyone in his vicinity. 

Interesting style of footwear, let’s leave it at that.

[RabidGiraffe]

1 hour ago, RDS said:

Can't see allowing players u21 to freely move back and forth between parent and loan teams is going to massively change things and will lower league teams really want the hassle of not knowing which weeks those players could be available and disruption to managers plans and their season

Creating a better no age limit reserve league or even changing u18s to allow a set number of overage players up to age 21 would be better change

I guess it depends how frequent the moves are.  For example, now we've recalled Emslie from Cove, if we play him in a couple of first team matches but decide he's not quite ready, is it better to keep him on our bench or send him back to Cove for the rest of the season? 

Group stages for the Challenge cup is an interesting idea because it gets the youngsters more competitive games against older players, but I wonder if the lower league teams are up for the increased number of games.

For reasons I'm not going to go into here I don't see a reserve league happening, but your suggestion of allowing a set number of overage players into u18s games is an interesting one.

Paul Hartley has been singing the praises of our loan players and the relationship with Aberdeen.  Likewise Bavidge and Stewart are doing well at ICT.  Rather than a reserve league, is there more to be gained from having close ties/an agreement with one or two clubs where they take a batch of young loanees each season?  better to have 2, 3 or more of our youngsters playing together at the same lower league club than six or seven all out on loan at different clubs?

[DD1903]

On 2/13/2025 at 8:07 AM, Don_Corleone said:

I was thinking about Chiesa and Thuram as well. 

Kluivert is doing alright too.

Shaun Wright Philips had a decent career.

Shaun wright-Phillips was adopted by Iain wright though...

[NEM]

4 hours ago, Granite95 said:

Carrol not in the squad at all, involved in the 1st team?

Hopefully bombed out - fuck him he’s away in May, rather we gave the minutes to a player who wants to be here. 

[King Street Loon]

2 hours ago, sooth_stander said:

Graham was mostly on his own, conversing with anyone in his vicinity. 

Interesting style of footwear, let’s leave it at that.

Helen and her big knockers with him?

[RDS]

3 hours ago, RabidGiraffe said:

I guess it depends how frequent the moves are.  For example, now we've recalled Emslie from Cove, if we play him in a couple of first team matches but decide he's not quite ready, is it better to keep him on our bench or send him back to Cove for the rest of the season? 

Group stages for the Challenge cup is an interesting idea because it gets the youngsters more competitive games against older players, but I wonder if the lower league teams are up for the increased number of games.

For reasons I'm not going to go into here I don't see a reserve league happening, but your suggestion of allowing a set number of overage players into u18s games is an interesting one.

Paul Hartley has been singing the praises of our loan players and the relationship with Aberdeen.  Likewise Bavidge and Stewart are doing well at ICT.  Rather than a reserve league, is there more to be gained from having close ties/an agreement with one or two clubs where they take a batch of young loanees each season?  better to have 2, 3 or more of our youngsters playing together at the same lower league club than six or seven all out on loan at different clubs?

Seems loan proposal is unlimited moves back and forth.

Lower clubs likely happy with a couple of players loaned from same club as sure many lower league  fans wouldn't want to become a feeder club with possibly more loans from us every year and we'll always  have players at differing levels so a couple at same team in Championship right down to Highland makes sense.

I also think return to old style Reserve League unlikely due to clubs requiring additional players. We might not need many more but other clubs would and don't even currently have all Premiership teams reaching Elite level for U18s albeit that's not based on Player numbers but on facilties, coaching qualifications etc

[RDS]

2 hours ago, King Street Loon said:

Helen and her big knockers with him?

I asked that and post you quoted was Sooths reply. Helen was not part of Helicopter Friday at Cormack but no doubt we'll get update from the man himself if there's been any other chopper action for him today

[sheepcrooky]

14 hours ago, torry_battery_ram said:

How do Hamilton manage to have such a good youth policy?

They were dead bottom of the U18 league. I appreciate even just being there is an achievement for them, but I’m not sure their youth policy is anything to write home about. 

[RUL]

Yeah I don't think Hamilton have had a good youth policy for a while. They are very happy to sell to England as soon as possible.

I believe AFC are aware of Boyd discontent at his lack of opportunities. Maybe they've lined up a loan as with 2-3 players still to return from injury id be dubious about his much game time he's going to get.

Enem surely similar, absolutely baffling he's playing against 15/16 year olds every week.

[RUL]

13 hours ago, RDS said:

No Boyd either so assuming he will be on bench tomorrow and doubt Carrol will be in first team squad with Dabbagh already added to last weeks match day 20

Both him and fletcher are with Scotland I think?

[Rico1903]

2 hours ago, RUL said:

Yeah I don't think Hamilton have had a good youth policy for a while. They are very happy to sell to England as soon as possible.

I believe AFC are aware of Boyd discontent at his lack of opportunities. Maybe they've lined up a loan as with 2-3 players still to return from injury id be dubious about his much game time he's going to get.

Enem surely similar, absolutely baffling he's playing against 15/16 year olds every week.

It’s a two way street though. Boyd needs to perform and keep improving in training. Jimmy said he’d seen that in him more recently and so gave him minutes at the weekend. 

[RDS]

Adam Emslie sent back to Cove on loan. Obviously didn't impress JT enough in training

[aberdeen1970]

The 3 lads at Cove have been getting rave reviews. 

Lobban has been playing at right back a fair bit apparently and doing well there. 

[TouzaniLeers]

So we are now short in attacking options? 
 

Youth players need better treatment than that. What was the need for the disruption for Emslie?

Fully aware that the youngsters have to be good enough but it is cause for concern that we’ve seen no new youngsters blooded since the end of last season with Boyd. 
 

Don’t like the direction we’ve taken on this in recent years. Maybe a result of expectations rising but what the hell is the point in having a set up if we don’t trust a single one? 

[RDS]

4 minutes ago, TouzaniLeers said:

So we are now short in attacking options? 
 

Youth players need better treatment than that. What was the need for the disruption for Emslie?

Fully aware that the youngsters have to be good enough but it is cause for concern that we’ve seen no new youngsters blooded since the end of last season with Boyd. 
 

Don’t like the direction we’ve taken on this in recent years. Maybe a result of expectations rising but what the hell is the point in having a set up if we don’t trust a single one? 

Never checked stats but I'd guess unless forced by injury there aren't many youngsters that have had first minutes until last few games of season for some time. Maybe Ramsay? Can't recall when Bavidge got his  minutes 

[aberdeen1970]

17 minutes ago, RDS said:

Never checked stats but I'd guess unless forced by injury there aren't many youngsters that have had first minutes until last few games of season for some time. Maybe Ramsay? Can't recall when Bavidge got his  minutes 

Ryan Duncan under Robson 

[TouzaniLeers]

24 minutes ago, RDS said:

Never checked stats but I'd guess unless forced by injury there aren't many youngsters that have had first minutes until last few games of season for some time. Maybe Ramsay? Can't recall when Bavidge got his  minutes 

Towards the end of Goodwins first half season. Mackenzie also got plenty minutes at the start of the Glass reign. Boyd with Leven, and Duncan in and out with Goodwin and Robson. 
 

It’s not looking good from that POV. Milne has been very steady member of squad but out with that who? Barron in the last two years? 
 

Don’t want us to turn into the Huns or Tims and just overlook the youth for new shiny foreign youngsters. 
 

Need a blend of both. 

[RDS]

53 minutes ago, TouzaniLeers said:

Towards the end of Goodwins first half season. Mackenzie also got plenty minutes at the start of the Glass reign. Boyd with Leven, and Duncan in and out with Goodwin and Robson. 
 

It’s not looking good from that POV. Milne has been very steady member of squad but out with that who? Barron in the last two years? 
 

Don’t want us to turn into the Huns or Tims and just overlook the youth for new shiny foreign youngsters. 
 

Need a blend of both. 

Boyd was in last games of season when you expect some youths to get minutes in dead rubber games and Mackenzie was late in season under Sheerin I think. I was referring to guys making debut at early point in season or even around now  and staying in team rest of season

[Footballs coming Rome]

We’ve had some of talent hoovered up by the teams down south. Not saying they would have been first team regulars but maybe more likely to break into our first team than some of the ones we have. 
Possible recall option on Emslie if we get injuries? Who knows. 

[Sheeptastic]

We can point to Ramsay, MacKenzie, Duncan, Boyd and whoever else last few seasons but there's no doubt we've had nowhere near enough academy players coming through and breaking into the first 11. Whether it's down to the best ones being poached, them not being ready or us not being willing to give them a chance, it's a problem for me. 

[RDS]

3 hours ago, Footballs coming Rome said:

We’ve had some of talent hoovered up by the teams down south. Not saying they would have been first team regulars but maybe more likely to break into our first team than some of the ones we have. 
Possible recall option on Emslie if we get injuries? Who knows. 

Statement is he's there until end of season

[RDS]

3 hours ago, Sheeptastic said:

We can point to Ramsay, MacKenzie, Duncan, Boyd and whoever else last few seasons but there's no doubt we've had nowhere near enough academy players coming through and breaking into the first 11. Whether it's down to the best ones being poached, them not being ready or us not being willing to give them a chance, it's a problem for me. 

Nobody poached who'd likely be pushing for place just now other than maybe Pirie but if Huns takeover happens Leeds might send him to their new feeder club

[Footballs coming Rome]

2 minutes ago, RDS said:

Nobody poached who'd likely be pushing for place just now other than maybe Pirie but if Huns takeover happens Leeds might send him to their new feeder club

There was a loon that went to wolves as well. Defender maybe. 
Pirie was definitely highly thought of. 
If they are good enough they will get a game. If they are not up to scratch for the being in the first team we need to have a look at our youth coaching. 

[RDS]

24 minutes ago, Footballs coming Rome said:

There was a loon that went to wolves as well. Defender maybe. 
Pirie was definitely highly thought of. 
If they are good enough they will get a game. If they are not up to scratch for the being in the first team we need to have a look at our youth coaching. 

That was Terry Taylor (mid) who went Wolves then on to Burton and now Charlton. He must be about 24 now as was around ages with fellow leaver GK Archie Mair. They both jumped ship before first pro deals.

Then had Seb Ross and Ethan that signed deals but now at Peterhead and Falkirk and Dean Campbell doing OK at Barrow from that 2 year age groups with Ramsay 2-3 years below as a 2003 birth year. Other 2003s Lyall Booth and Jack Maciver are at Elgin and one of the Danganas at Huntly (was Elgin) and Logan Watt at Fraserburgh so thats level many reach

Doesn't seem that Brendan Hamilton done much at Locos (possibly injured) or Cammy Wilson at Keith so they'll likely be away come Summer

[Footballs coming Rome]

12 minutes ago, RDS said:

That was Terry Taylor (mid) who went Wolves then on to Burton and now Charlton. He must be about 24 now as was around ages with fellow leaver GK Archie Mair. They both jumped ship before first pro deals.

Then had Seb Ross and Ethan that signed deals but now at Peterhead and Falkirk

Yeah he was in the Jack Mackenzie class of Aberdeen youth players. 
Given the players that have come through it’s only been Ramsay I’ve been excited about seeing. His career path has taken a dive. 

[RUL]

5 hours ago, RDS said:

That was Terry Taylor (mid) who went Wolves then on to Burton and now Charlton. He must be about 24 now as was around ages with fellow leaver GK Archie Mair. They both jumped ship before first pro deals.

Then had Seb Ross and Ethan that signed deals but now at Peterhead and Falkirk and Dean Campbell doing OK at Barrow from that 2 year age groups with Ramsay 2-3 years below as a 2003 birth year. Other 2003s Lyall Booth and Jack Maciver are at Elgin and one of the Danganas at Huntly (was Elgin) and Logan Watt at Fraserburgh so thats level many reach

Doesn't seem that Brendan Hamilton done much at Locos (possibly injured) or Cammy Wilson at Keith so they'll likely be away come Summer

Brendan has left Aberdeen I think. Went home for Christmas and never came back.