The Need For A Reserve Side?

[GarySTFC]

Looks like three of last seasons U18 squad, Kyle Lucas, Ishmail Mohammed and Tony Mendy, currently playing for Maidenhead Reserves. Whilst it appears their progression of youth players into the first team is on a par with ourselves, it's disappointing to see these players playing for another side locally.

 

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/maidenheadunited/s/match-report-6425.html?fixture_id=745208&official=0

 

Hopefully something we'll be able to address properly upon our return back to Slough.

[Martin]

That is particularly disappointing. Mendy has huge potential if he can knuckle down and work hard and Ishmail grew into the game against SYCOB last season - 2nd half he looked solid and could have been a good squad player in future. But yes until we get back into Slough this is a problem we are going to suffer. We need to have a team to bridge the gap as frankly the under 18s are too naive to step straight up to the first team (which is entirely understandable for 17 year olds).

[Mr Rebel]

unfortunately whatever the level it seems teams that are struggling more in their league will be more willing to play the youth players in hope it pays of partly or because they have nothing to lose a such

 

defintely would aid us greatly if we could form a reserve team but its not just the problem of having somewhere to play there would be all sorts of behind the scenes costs as there are with the youth team.

[GarySTFC]

Mendy would be the ideal for the fourth striker at the moment IMO to have as backup to the other three and slowly bring into this level of football.

[chris sliski]

Finance is also a big problem ..reserve sides still cost money to run .

[manimal]

St Neots recently got rid of their reserve side

[3spirit]

Finance is also a big problem ..reserve sides still cost money to run .

 

Just wondering why we couldn't have kept Tony Mendy and Ishmail Mohammed and then sent them out on season long loans to clubs like Holyport,Flackwell Heath, Bracknell etc.. So they would still play at a competive level most weeks and it would build their confidence. That way you wouldn't have to pay for them and could get by without the costs of a reserve team but they would still be under Slough Town control. They would also come back stronger players.

[Cookham Rebel]

I believe it wasn't a case of not wanting to keep them but a case of Tony Mendy in particular having a chip on his shoulder and not turning up to 1st team games when selected in the squad!

 

If that is true then good riddance!

[Tom]

I think there is some issue regarding loans that they have to be on a contract to do so. Pretty sure Gary can clear that one up.

[GarySTFC]

Finance is also a big problem ..reserve sides still cost money to run .

 

Perhaps the trust could help as they have done for the youth setup? It is frustrating to see all these good young players coming through and then moving on to other sides.

 

Cookham - I don't think that is the whole story

[GarySTFC]

I think there is some issue regarding loans that they have to be on a contract to do so. Pretty sure Gary can clear that one up.

On contract - Loan

Non-contract - dual reg with another league, like we did this season for Ben Sturgess.

[Cookham Rebel]

Agree Gary, always 2 sides to every story...

 

All this falls to insignificance after the news about Gary Speed this morning!

[rjtyrell]

Funny enough we Holyport Res played against Tony Mendy on Saturday. He was playing for Alpha Arms Academicals F.C and was playing under another name!

 

Like you say seems a shame that Slough are losing their good young players and would have been better to 'loan' him to Maidenhead Res.

[Martin]

The problem is of course you can't make players play for you or be dual registered unless they agree to it and I suspect that is part of the issue with some of the younger ones. The two I think are big losses are Tony and Mo Shariff but I am not sure what more we could have done to keep them. Bear in mind Maidenhead are also two divisions above us now and wth a manager who has a track record of developing players for league football so maybe Tony has had his head turned. At this level you also have players wanting to hook up with people they know which definitely aids team spirit but in a roundabout way can also lead to players moving on if circumstances change.

[Don Juan DeMarcus]

Hope he got reported for playing under another name! I was playing at Farnham Park on sunday and it was so nice to see so many little uns in slough shirts that it really is depressing that we have no bridge between under 18's and 1st team. I absolutely belive that a reserve team should be an essential if we want to improve fringe players and also bring in youngsters... also the capital league is really light relief if bored midweek!!

[GarySTFC]

Mendy added two more to his tally in a 5-1 win last night. An impressive start for the lad.

[Nathan]

I don't know if this is true or not, but have just heard a rumour that Tony Mendy has joined Hayes & Yeading.

[chris sliski]

He had his chance to play for Slough this season ...was to be a part of the set up ..but decided he could not get on with the manager ..or maybe it was the other way round too ! but I am more than disappointed in Tony's lack of wanting to play for Slough as he had been supported and encouraged by the youth team manager and all involved with the youth side last season !

 

and was looked after well ...

 

chris sliski - personally