Youth Progression ?

[Bill in USA]

Wonder what type of signing he is on? I am on the understanding a player under 18 cannot be "signed" on - our Tom Chapman comes to mind

[Guernsey Tom]

we have a newly formed under 21 side and numerous other boys and girls sides from 5 years of age all with qualified coaches, hat more do you need !!!!!!!!

[the go between]

we have a newly formed under 21 side and numerous other boys and girls sides from 5 years of age all with qualified coaches, hat more do you need !!!!!!!!

yes thats great GT but we are talking about progression to have a chance of making the first team or at least being considered 

[Guernsey Tom]

I have every confidence that if you are good enough you will be noticed, natural progression surely means, through the youth system into consideration of first team, perhaps you can tell me who we have missed from Margate in the last 10 years that are playing Ryman Premier or above ?

[Always Gate]

Very few locally based players have ever "made it" and as a club Margate have always imported players, even the teams of the 60's 70's and 80's had players from far and wide. Occasionally we have had good local players such as Mark Munday, Mark Harrop,Paul Lamb and a little further back the Fuscos,and possibly a good full back called Winkle !joking aside a lot of the problems with our local youth is attitude and bad advice from people who convince the boy he his better than he really is. By the way if half the local boys had Winkles determination and desire as a player and loyalty now he is a bit older then we may just find a good player or two.

[michael]

my knowledge of the local football scene is very limited-but am I correct that Leroy Lita was a margate resident in his youth.

 

Is he in fact the only local player who has gone to league level-I simply do not know ?

 

If lita was local-some may argue that MFC 'missed him'-that's probably harsh anyway,and there will be professional full time scouts looking for the one gem in a thousand.

 

Coud it be argued that the current set up of teams at various ages is now better set up to find the odd gem-not guaranteed .but probably a better chance now that previously ?

 

I do think though that all of us need to appreciate how very few and far between the really exceptional players are-and as posted above-even fewer younger people have the correct attitude/work rate today.

So many are used to having it easy-including the parents- who are bamboozled by all the hype and glamour of football as portrayed on sky-and don't realise that like most things-you have to be dedicated ,and the parents attitude rubs off on the children

Edited July 31, 2013 by michael

[dflman]

Margate wouldn't miss him that's for sure according to to tales I've heard - "Resident" could be the word used to describe his tenure in the town not "Gem"

[SteveB]

Different era but Gary Pallister was born locally and grew up in Hereson Road, Ramsgate.

[blueblood]

Have picked  up  Leroy Lita in my car a few times and always had good sensible conversations with him. As for the word Resident i am sure quite a few of our academy lads as well as those from the top premier club teams could be described in that way.