Academy & U21s

[arbitro]

The under 21 team was well beaten by Man City today. City moved the ball around really well whilst we were often ponderous in possession which inevitably led to lots of turnovers in play. That said we were only one down for a long period and did have a couple of chances to equalise. Two quick City goals later in the game out paid to any hopes of getting something from the game although we did pull a goal back with a smart finish from Bell. I didn't think there was any outstanding performers in the day but, as you would expect City had lots quality all over the pitch.

Nobody can have any complaints about the score today as City were superior pretty much all over the pitch.

Rovers under 16's were playing on an adjacent pitch against Villa in what I was told was a cup quarter final. The final score was 3-2 to us I think (trying to watch two games at once is difficult) but the Rovers celebrations at the end confirmed the win.

[MB Rover]

Hello all, just wondered if anyone else had heard the whispers regarding a downgrade of the academy ahead of next season to remove Cat A status? Seems a few of us have heard the same things, wondered if anyone else had heard similar? 

[bluebruce]

  On 08/02/2025 at 12:17, KentExile said:

U18s hammered Newcastle 5-1 (who included Finneran in their starting lineup) at their place

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That's gratifying. I hope he felt like an idiot.

[Penwortham Blue]

  On 10/02/2025 at 14:49, bluebruce said:

That's gratifying. I hope he felt like an idiot.

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He did us over, at least Phillips had the decency to gave us a little bit back. 

[KentExile]

  On 10/02/2025 at 14:49, bluebruce said:

That's gratifying. I hope he felt like an idiot.

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I'm sure his big fat pay cheque will soothe his ego

[bluebruce]

  On 10/02/2025 at 15:01, KentExile said:

I'm sure his big fat pay cheque will soothe his ego

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If his career goes nowhere because he made the wrong choice, that won't soothe for long.

[KentExile]

For what it is worth

U21s beat QPR 1-0 to progress to the knockout stages of the PL Cup.  Boggan with a late winner

Tyjon & Gilsenan still injured

 

Edited February 10 by KentExile

[bluebruce]

  On 10/02/2025 at 18:11, KentExile said:

For what it is worth

U21s team to play QPR this eve.  Tyjon & Gilsenan still injured

 

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Tyjon is starting to look injury prone. 8 appearances all season, including his 1 minute cameo for the first team. 16 year olds don't usually spend all that much time injured, and the ones who do seem to me to spend a lot of their later career getting more injuries.

[KentExile]

  On 10/02/2025 at 19:23, bluebruce said:

Tyjon is starting to look injury prone. 8 appearances all season, including his 1 minute cameo for the first team. 16 year olds don't usually spend all that much time injured, and the ones who do seem to me to spend a lot of their later career getting more injuries.

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hard to say yet, might be "growing pains" or similar, may be one injury which just needs time rather than being him being injury prone

having not seen the injuries but having heard he had a "calf injury", in December, and then again in January, it may just be that he came back too soon?

Remember that he missed out on a lot of game time for the U21s earlier in the season when he was travelling with the first team as the "21st man" just in case of injuries

Edited February 10 by KentExile

[bluebruce]

Joe Boggan, 89th minute winner, 1-0.

[1874]

If Sunderland win and Stockport win by more than 4 goals tomorrow I think we don't qualify

[KentExile]

  On 10/02/2025 at 22:23, 1874 said:

If Sunderland win and Stockport win by more than 4 goals tomorrow I think we don't qualify

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The competition rules (might be outdated I suppose) state that the top 2 teams in each group quality for the knockouts,

Rovers finished 2nd in their group and so based on the above would therefore qualify for the knockouts

However, Wikipedia states that its the best 7 runner ups that quality and has a runner up table which would make you right.  Rovers seem to think they have qualified, but would it really surprise us at this stage if Rovers were not aware of the rules of the competition?

Stockport apparently play at 1pm, and Sunderland this evening.  As you state, it would seem that both Sunderland would have to win and Stockport would need to win by at least 5 goals for Rovers not to qualify.

Match report for anyone who wants a read

 

 

Edited February 11 by KentExile

[arbitro]

What an excellent diversion from Fred Karno's circus last night. We saw a wholly committed performance from our youngsters who gave their all. The first half didn't really get going but in the second half Rovers drove forward almost constantly and some of the football was first class. In truth the game should have been out to bed much earlier but to their credit they kept going, kept creating chances and finally got an 89th minute winner which they absolutely deserved.

Once again Matty Litherland was outstanding. His forays with the ball into the oppositions final third are something you rarely see in the modern game. I truly believe he is first team material right now. I liked the look of Patrik Farkas too. Some of his set play deliveries were too notch.

It was really pleasing in so many respects but what pleased me most was that they never gave up, never stopped believing and each and everyone of them deserved the applause at the final whistle.

And then my mind returned to the laughing stock we have become...........

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

  On 11/02/2025 at 07:57, arbitro said:

What an excellent diversion from Fred Karno's circus last night. We saw a wholly committed performance from our youngsters who gave their all. The first half didn't really get going but in the second half Rovers drove forward almost constantly and some of the football was first class. In truth the game should have been out to bed much earlier but to their credit they kept going, kept creating chances and finally got an 89th minute winner which they absolutely deserved.

Once again Matty Litherland was outstanding. His forays with the ball into the oppositions final third are something you rarely see in the modern game. I truly believe he is first team material right now. I liked the look of Patrik Farkas too. Some of his set play deliveries were too notch.

It was really pleasing in so many respects but what pleased me most was that they never gave up, never stopped believing and each and everyone of them deserved the applause at the final whistle.

And then my mind returned to the laughing stock we have become...........

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I liked what I saw with Litherland previously. As I said to my grandson - a poor man’s Franz Beckenbauer in the making.

[1874]

We are through now after Stockport only managed a 4-1 win. Will be interesting to see if Stockport. Sunderland and Bromley are in the next draw.

[bluebruce]

  On 11/02/2025 at 06:17, KentExile said:

The competition rules (might be outdated I suppose) state that the top 2 teams in each group quality for the knockouts,

Rovers finished 2nd in their group and so based on the above would therefore qualify for the knockouts

However, Wikipedia states that its the best 7 runner ups that quality and has a runner up table which would make you right.  Rovers seem to think they have qualified, but would it really surprise us at this stage if Rovers were not aware of the rules of the competition?

Stockport apparently play at 1pm, and Sunderland this evening.  As you state, it would seem that both Sunderland would have to win and Stockport would need to win by at least 5 goals for Rovers not to qualify.

Match report for anyone who wants a read

 

 

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Sounds most likely the Wikipedia is out of date, and it used to be like that, than the competition's own page giving the rules would be out of date. Especially if the club also think we're through (I know, I know!).

[KentExile]

  On 11/02/2025 at 17:10, bluebruce said:

Sounds most likely the Wikipedia is out of date, and it used to be like that, than the competition's own page giving the rules would be out of date. Especially if the club also think we're through (I know, I know!).

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Either way, it matters not at this stage, Stockport only won 4-1 so Rovers are through no matter which set of rules was correct

Edited February 11 by KentExile

[had.e.nuff]

  On 10/02/2025 at 19:23, bluebruce said:

Tyjon is starting to look injury prone. 8 appearances all season, including his 1 minute cameo for the first team. 16 year olds don't usually spend all that much time injured, and the ones who do seem to me to spend a lot of their later career getting more injuries.

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Gilsenan seems to be taking an age to get fit as well he was rumored to be nearing fitness before Christmas then nothing since  .

[had.e.nuff]

  On 11/02/2025 at 07:57, arbitro said:

What an excellent diversion from Fred Karno's circus last night. We saw a wholly committed performance from our youngsters who gave their all. The first half didn't really get going but in the second half Rovers drove forward almost constantly and some of the football was first class. In truth the game should have been out to bed much earlier but to their credit they kept going, kept creating chances and finally got an 89th minute winner which they absolutely deserved.

Once again Matty Litherland was outstanding. His forays with the ball into the oppositions final third are something you rarely see in the modern game. I truly believe he is first team material right now. I liked the look of Patrik Farkas too. Some of his set play deliveries were too notch.

It was really pleasing in so many respects but what pleased me most was that they never gave up, never stopped believing and each and everyone of them deserved the applause at the final whistle.

And then my mind returned to the laughing stock we have become...........

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I thought it was a very entertaining game with a late winner not your normal rovers fayre .

[arbitro]

  On 11/02/2025 at 18:59, had.e.nuff said:

I thought it was a very entertaining game with a late winner not your normal rovers fayre .

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But hugely satisfying 😂

[riverholmes]

  On 11/02/2025 at 18:59, had.e.nuff said:

I thought it was a very entertaining game with a late winner not your normal rovers fayre .

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Not having so many players going through revolving doors on loan and back again must make a difference. Makes sense to loan out players to gain experience but not everyone at the same time and preferably longer-term to actually gain meaningful experience.

 

[bluebruce]

  On 11/02/2025 at 18:55, had.e.nuff said:

Gilsenan seems to be taking an age to get fit as well he was rumored to be nearing fitness before Christmas then nothing since  .

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I've given up on Gilsenan ever making it into our first team squad, as in establishing himself properly. Nearly every youth player with this level of injury trouble by his age has never made it and been released. The only exception is JRC, who tbf I'd written off too. But even he is constantly getting more knocks and almost never fully fit, that one patch aside where he was excellent. I think Gilsenan's best case scenario is being a JRC (who may have been released if he wasn't capable of playing several positions). But more likely he's a Butterworth or Whitehall I think. The next year will decide his fate.

[bluebruce]

  On 11/02/2025 at 19:07, riverholmes said:

Not having so many players going through revolving doors on loan and back again must make a difference. Makes sense to loan out players to gain experience but not everyone at the same time and preferably longer-term to actually gain meaningful experience.

 

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I'd prioritise loaning the ones who have genuine promise, and the ones who are old enough that we know they won't make it, so they need a chance to earn deals elsewhere by getting senior games under their belt, plus clearing a path for younger players to play and develop.

I'd say we have loaned out at least twice as many, maybe three times as many players as we should have, and the approach has been hugely scattergun.

[RoverCanada]

  On 11/02/2025 at 18:55, had.e.nuff said:

Gilsenan seems to be taking an age to get fit as well he was rumored to be nearing fitness before Christmas then nothing since  .

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One odd tidbit from one of Jacksons' recent Eustace stories was something about a 'break down in communication' / miscommunication about the health of an u21 player. Jackson makes a point of not naming who the player was... but would have to think Gilsenan is a candidate. Just strange (and feel sorry for the lad as he does seem to have enough talent for a decent look at some point).

Edited February 12 by RoverCanada

[oneandycrawford]

  On 11/02/2025 at 10:09, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I liked what I saw with Litherland previously. As I said to my grandson - a poor man’s Franz Beckenbauer in the making.

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I'd settle for a poor man's Beckenbauer tbh. Fantastic player and would likely have excelled in the modern game.