No Under-21 side this season

[The Red Baron]

http://m.thornegazette.co.uk/sport/local-sport/doncaster-rovers-darren-ferguson-explains-decision-to-ditch-under-21s-team-1-8004553

Not a huge surprise, but I think it may be a retrograde step.

[Alan Southstand]

If we havn't got the numbers, though, then as Fergie says, it becomes a waste of time. If we have some good U21's at this level, they ought to be in the first team.

The U21's team will not get us promoted.

[The Red Baron]

Mixed feelings. On the one hand there needs to be some sort of conduit between the Academy and the first team. And I'm not convinced friendlies are the answer. It didn't work very well when SO'D was manager.

On the other, the FTDL is a poor league with irregular fixtures. If we could play in a better competition it would be far more beneficial.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Well it did not work having it either, it's a tough one really.

[The Red Baron]

Well it did not work having it either, it's a tough one really.

I think that's a fair comment, but that's because the standard of the league isn't really good enough to push players on.

I must check whether the new loan regulations apply below the FL. It might be that we can still loan out our players on one - three month deals to non-League sides. If that's the case, it could be a way forward.

[godlike1]

short term I agree with this, but I would suggest they need a long term plan starting next season otherwise we will be left further behind our local rivals 

[glosterred]

The U21's team will not get us promoted.

You don't win owt with kids, now where have I heard that before?

COYR

[RedJ]

Not really what he's saying though, is it?

[keith79]

It was a waste of money

[The Red Baron]

You may well be right, Rigo. Thinking about it only one of the second year lads (Joe Pugh) was kept on. So in fact they don't have much of a development squad.

The next cohort looks a bit more promising.

[RoversAlias]

It seems the intention to rejoin in a year or two. Plus, didn't it say there that we barely had an U21 team anyway and constantly had to plug the squad with U18s? If that is the case then this won't make much difference at all, and since most of the squad was binned off at the end of last season we aren't going to be afflicting anyone's development. The likes of Pugh and Longbottom will probably get a bit more time with the first team which should be of great benefit to them.

[IDM]

I think we should have a full-on reserve team - not necessarily under 21 nor a development team, but an old fashioned reserve team combining young players with squad pros....

[steve@dcfd]

Will Longbottom and Reece Fielding who have been with the first team to Scotland will still play in the youth team, they only signed last year so have another year left at youth level.

Joe Pugh is the only one that was a second year to have step up.

[Sammy Chung was King]

There are plusses and minuses, something has to give dropping a league. The minus is players not getting games, a few of them will have to be loaned out.
I see it as a temporary decision, that will be re-started if we can get promoted. It's a strange one though, because the idea was bringing our own through, to lighten the boards outlay a bit.

It is a big jump to go from youth straight into the first team anyway, who knows it might help for them to get experience, playing against men lower down the leagues, while shaving a bit off the costs of running the under 21's.
The amateur league's aren't cheap to have a team in, it must cost a lot to run the under 21's.

[IDM]

Maybe our reserves/u21s should be allowed to play in the evo stick league or conference north?

There's a thought