It's a bit worrying in it..

[sheffielder]

Blackwell would often rather have empty seats on the bench than put a youngster there.

You can add Wilson to that. Harry had already made his debut so he didn't have much choice with that one.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

But this doesn't cover my point, why this almost compulsive trend of midfield players, any other position in the team seem coincidental.
Oh you'll get mid field players who can cover at full back or on the wing and even up front but they still consider them selves either attacking or defending midfielders
Like goalkeeping goal scoring is a specialist job and you wouldn't think of sticking a midfield player in goal on a permanent basis would you, so why do it at center forward ?
And why when they do sign a goal scorer do they stick him on the wing ?

Sorry Sandy. I would say because they are so difficult to pick. The best goal scorers in youth football just tend to be the quickest lads not the best finishers. This in my opinion is due to kids playing on pitches too big for them with loads of space in behind the defence. This is all well and good upto the 17+ where all these kids have learnt is to hang on the last defender a beat a small keeper in full size goals. I still think pace is probably the most important ability for any top goalscorer however it's something that coaching won't improve drastically. Finishing, positioning, intelligent movement off the ball, control all can be dramatically improve by coaching from a young age but we don't seem to bother because it's not needed, look at Slew for an example.
It's just another symptom of kids playing on pitches that are too big.
The question is how many of the young forwards at any academy have developed more to their game rather than accept the plaudits of being lauded a "natural" goalscorer when they're just quick.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

Blackwell would often rather have empty seats on the bench than put a youngster there.

There's a lot a could say about Blackwell and the academy but I got quite a few down there in bother last time I did. I can say the guy was a twat and was generally disliked because his attitude to the kids and backroom staff which was very arrogant and dismissive. The not putting kids on the bench was him proving a point.
Utter tool of the highest order.

 

[metty]

He's delighted to have his place in the team yes, however, we can do soooo much better in that position. I doubt that he would get into the first eleven of most teams in this division.
UTB & FTP

The Doyle of old wouldn't get a game in League 2, but the way that he's been playing I think he would walk into most sides in this division except perhaps Wolves and Brentford.

 

[Pinchy]

Blackwell would often rather have empty seats on the bench than put a youngster there.

Well, I'd have rather had an empty seat on the bench than one occupied by Blackwell!