ardeerultra Posted November 7, 2016 Share Posted November 7, 2016 In less than a year Irvine Meadow have got youth teams from 2001 to 2010s, I think 2002 only age group we haven't got. Think also going to be adding an under 19 team if not already and looking to add other teams - ladies team etc if possible. Great way to get local kids interested in Junior team and have pathway for them to go into Junior team or at least more likely to go and watch local Junior team when older. Your 2004 team has been going 3-4 years as my Ardeer 04s played them. Good wee team Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamesabogey Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 I know Kilwinning Rangers had an U19s team until recently but that seems to have fallen by the wayside don't know if they have plans to get more involved with youth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattmc Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 On 06/11/2016 at 21:05, Troon Portland said: Troon F.C. have an Under-19 team, as well as a 2006 and 2010 team with a hope to expand that naturally over the next few years. Last summer Ross McCrea, Morgan Brown & Ben Wilson came up through our Under-19s and this year we've brought Mark Curragh through as well. If you're good enough, you're old enough! Is Mark Curragh now with Stranraer Under 20's? Very encouraging to see clubs actively promoting youth football. Hopefully benefit the game at all levels in years to come, be it in a playing capacity, supporters, volunteers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ONeils40yarder Posted November 9, 2016 Share Posted November 9, 2016 Bellshill Athletic have an amateur, under 16, under 14 and under 13 team attached to the Club and hope to have an under 19 team for start of next season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Stuart. Posted November 9, 2016 Share Posted November 9, 2016 It is a great way of encouraging young and new supporters! I think junior teams should look to have teams at as many age groups as they can. Rob Roy only started having youth teams in the last 5/6 years and it was with Cumbernauld based JBM (Jim Baxter Memorial) agreeing to merge in. Not all age groups though a few stayed as JBM.Some young boys though don't understand the juniors that well though. At our cup final I heard a boy who played for Rob Roy under 14s I think saying "imagine supporting a junior team" then laughing. Because the games aren't played in 50'000 all seated stadiums or have players costing millions of £ some of them think the juniors as being another version of amateurs I generally get that all the time not just from young folk. Constantly asked who my big team is by folk living in ayrshire that support Liverpool, Man City etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 9, 2016 Share Posted November 9, 2016 Whitletts started a two teams last season. One is now playing at 19s and the other is playing in the WoS 21s. Think there's only one other team from Ayrshire playing 21s, so given the lack of choice there should be plenty of decent players about. We've had boys from the 19s and 21s playing most weeks, due to injuries and not one of them has looked out of place in the juniors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeKRR1878 Posted November 9, 2016 Share Posted November 9, 2016 I generally get that all the time not just from young folk. Constantly asked who my big team is by folk living in ayrshire that support Liverpool, Man City etc. I get it too. I work at a few different areas where it's mainly Rangers/Celtic and an occasional other SPFL team, it's almost as if they don't know the juniors even exist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brycie73 Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 EK thistle have just set up a 19's academy think.it will.take a bit of time.to.bear fruit with regards to the first team tho as it's only been this season but it's a great way of getting the boys involved even at training and bounce games Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitburn exile Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 I believe we have linked in with some of the kids teams but don't know the ins and outs. Person all would love us to do more and help the long term future of the club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattmc Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 7 hours ago, Brycie73 said: EK thistle have just set up a 19's academy think.it will.take a bit of time.to.bear fruit with regards to the first team tho as it's only been this season but it's a great way of getting the boys involved even at training and bounce games I'm not too up to date on EK but, know they did have a 19's round about 2008 when Colin Mitchell was in charge. There was a bit of involvement with first team training. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footiedaft Posted November 11, 2016 Author Share Posted November 11, 2016 I was talking yesterday to somebody who watches Kilwinning Rangers regularly and he was telling me that they did have an U19 team for a year but then gave the project up despite using half a dozen of the youngsters during their promotion campaign. Maybe they didn't think the boys would be good enough going up a league but as a fan he said he was enjoying watching the U19s play and that it felt like a real extension of the club. He had thought the plan was to have U17 U19 and U21 which is on the face of it a good idea he's hoping they try again because the locals had embraced the younger team and were going to watch them in home games in healthy numbers on a Sunday. So much of junior football is about engaging with the community. It's heartening to read so many clubs are buying into that and hopefully through the youth many more junior players will emerge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PastyMan Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 I absolutely agree with the point made by several folks on this thread that the age group teams are a good thing for a club in engaging with local community and growing an association with youngsters and their junior club. An observation I'd make from watching my son playing age group football is that 21s was not a step up after watching 19s football. My son played amateur for nearly 2 seasons after U19s and that experience of playing adult football for saturday and sunday teams was the preparation he needed to play juniors. Maybe Junior teams would be better having an amateur team in their umbrella to give the 17-21 age group players match time to develop them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wee toon Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 Lanark united have an under 19s team play in the West Lothian league Sunday's few other junior clubs from the east also play in the same league Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrappy Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 There should be a junior u21 league. It would give boys a bit more time to develop. Would be a very competitive league as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 There should be a junior u21 league. It would give boys a bit more time to develop. Would be a very competitive league as well Decent idea thats been quoted before, but where does teams get the cash to start a 21s. Plenty of teams struggling just to keep the Junior team going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footiedaft Posted November 11, 2016 Author Share Posted November 11, 2016 2 minutes ago, Terry Tibbs said: Decent idea thats been quoted before, but where does teams get the cash to start a 21s. Plenty of teams struggling just to keep the Junior team going. Surely each group can be self sufficient with the advantage of using the First Team as the lure to get players on board. Every boys club or amateur team in the country provide for themselves so surely a little coordination with a small committee responsible for fundraising for the younger groups would alleviate this problem. The upside is pretty big from my perspective and all it takes is thought and commitment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayrbluebrazil Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 Cumnock now have Cumnock Amateurs (formerly known as West Kirk Thistle) linked to the community set up CJCE. We(19s) are part of CJCE which is linking with the juniors to provide a pathway through to juniors. Next season I believe the rules allowing youths/amateurs/juniors is slightly changing regarding dual contracts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginola97 Posted November 30, 2016 Share Posted November 30, 2016 Decent idea thats been quoted before, but where does teams get the cash to start a 21s. Plenty of teams struggling just to keep the Junior team going. Too true pal... thought about this a few years ago but financially a no go... although still think if there is a way to do it ( and I am forever looking ) its definitely the way forward for community clubs ...The key is getting the community onboard for support and fundraising... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.