No reserves next year...

[Foxy]

Looks like the rumour regarding our Reserve teams may be true...

COVE Rangers forward David Smith will not be signing for English Premier League hopefuls Sheffield United, but the experience gained with the Bramall Lane club has whetted his appetite for full-time football.

The 22-year-old Aberdeen University law student, who returned from Sheffield in time for Cove’s successful trip to Forres Mechanics at the weekend, said: “I had a great time at United. Everyone was really good to me and I learned a lot.

“The first couple of days especially were very tiring because when you haven’t been training full-time for five or six hours a day it takes time to adjust. But I really enjoyed the experience.

“I had a chat with the reserve team manager and he told me the door is open for me to go back down, use the facilities and train with them, which is great. But he also told me next season they will not be running a reserve team, they will only have a first team and use their academy for the reserves.

“At 22, I would have to be fast-tracked in to what will probably be a Premier League club’s first-team squad, which is probably too much of a step from part-time football.

“I am not sure what is going to happen now. I am encouraged they told me that I have the potential to develop into a first-team player, but at this stage I am probably not quite ready for it.

“I still want to be a full-time professional footballer. I graduate in law this summer and, hopefully, things can move forward.”

Formartine United are preparing for life in the Highland League next season.

The Pitmedden club’s chairman Atholl Cadger said: “All the planning permissions we have applied for have already been granted and the work is now forging ahead.

“The foundations for both the grandstand and enclosure at North Lodge Park are being put in.

“As they are already on site, all that needs to be done after that is for them to be bolted down.

“Everything is proceeding as planned.

“We have also lodged a planning application to build a sponsors’ lounge accommodating between 50 and 60 people, so hopefully it will go through without too much of a problem.”

 

[SotonBlade]

certainly sounds so. credit crunch again??

 

[dingledog]

If true, there is going to be a lot of professional footballers out of work come the summer.

 

[Linz]

Where exactly are players returning from injury going to get back up to match fitness?

I know in the past we've had massive squads, but there's also rumours about all the second year academy graduates being told to find clubs.

There's a massive gap between u18 academy players and first team football.

 

[matth]

In the reserve matches.

From what I can see there, all we're saying is that we're not going to have a reserve team that's like the one we've got at the moment - that is, at least 16 players between the academy and the first team.

If a player gets injured, they'll be able to make their comeback in the reserve team that will consist mainly of academy players.

I think it's a good idea - we won't have a bloated, massive squad of players who 'might' make it. It'll mean that the older academy lads get regular games against teams who aren't just academy players, and that the older players who are making their comebacks should be able to slot right in.

 

[Linz]

So what's this then?

http://www.sufc.co.uk/page/ReservesFixtures/0,,10418~1721102,00.html

United's reserve team fixtures for the 2009/10 Central League Central Division campaign have been announced and the Blades will begin at home against Walsall at the end of August.

All United's home matches are pencilled in at Sheffield FC, the Bright Finance Stadium in Dronfield, with 7pm starts.

The first second string Steel City derby will be at Hillsborough on Tuesday 22nd September, with the return in January - weather permitting.