We managed without it for decades, and even when we had it, most of the best players that came "through" it were 14 year Olds who'd been booted out other teams youth set up. Which begs the question why we were spending so much in the first place. We now should be keeping an eye for those cast offs and developing them. f**k spending a fortune so we can develop our own guys, when they always turn out to be a Shep or O'Hara.