Balu Makumbi

[SloughFlyer]

EDS Vice Captain, CB, signs with the first team until the end of next season. Was announced on the pitch on Saturday before the game and on the website now. Been dual reg with Norrhwood this year.

I wonder if we will see anything of him for the rest of this season and if he makes the actual squad or is loaned out again next season.

Brilliant to see yet another EDS graduate into the first team squad though, hopefully he is as good as is said in the PR and can help the first team next year.

[Nathan]

I'm not sure what to make of this.

Not wishing to be a doom-monger, but this seems like a big gamble on a EDS player who's only experience of senior football (not counting the B&B cup match) has been 7 appearances (most recently on 18th January) for a Step 4 side who currently sit 2nd from bottom.

[GlenSTFC]

12 minutes ago, Nathan said:

I'm not sure what to make of this.

Not wishing to be a doom-monger, but this seems like a big gamble on a EDS player who's only experience of senior football (not counting the B&B cup match) has been 7 appearances (most recently on 18th January) for a Step 4 side who currently sit 2nd from bottom.

But how does any young player gain experience if not given the opportunity? He’s likely to get some further first team opportunities once we’re safe. He’ll no doubt be loaned out next season initially to see how he fares. 

Edited Tuesday at 18:00 by GlenSTFC

[Nathan]

20 minutes ago, GlenSTFC said:

He’s likely to get some further first team opportunities once we’re safe.

That's the intention according to Scott's interview.

Maybe I've jumped the gun and assumed that if a player gets a contract, then there's some imminent prospect of them becoming a first-team player. I'm just a bit perplexed as to why he hasn't appeared for Northwood at all for the past 9 games?

And I'd like to correct my previous statement (before somebody else does): he's actually made 13 league appearances for Northwood and not 7; I blame the contradictory information on their website (see here and here)!

[Curtis]

He’s 19 years old & has already been playing at Step 4, so in my opinion if he continues his development there is a good possibility he will be playing regular Step 2 football in two to three seasons.

So, I am very pleased we have put him on contract & another club hasn’t. This signing, and the development and signing of other similar age talented players on contract is planning for the future of our club.

[Reading Rebel]

It's a win win situation.

Putting the best of the EDS players on a contract safeguards us in the event of them being poached by bigger clubs without us having the liability of having to pay their wages.

 

[Reading Rebel]

17 hours ago, Nathan said:

I'm not sure what to make of this.

Not wishing to be a doom-monger, but this seems like a big gamble on a EDS player who's only experience of senior football (not counting the B&B cup match) has been 7 appearances (most recently on 18th January) for a Step 4 side who currently sit 2nd from bottom.

Why is it a gamble?

These players are full time students at A23 so presumably the cost to us is nothing?

Edited Wednesday at 11:07 by Reading Rebel

[GlenSTFC]

20 minutes ago, Reading Rebel said:

Why is it a gamble?

These players are full time students at A23 so the cost to us is nothing.

I’d be surprised if they weren’t now receiving wages as they’re on contract or at the very minimum a match fee.

24 minutes ago, Reading Rebel said:

It's a win win situation.

Putting the best of the EDS players on a contract safeguards us in the event of them being poached by bigger clubs without us having the liability of having to pay their wages.

 

Obviously we don’t want to fill the first team with too many youngsters but certainly if they’re deemed good enough with potential then yes it’s good business sense to get the best signed up.

[Reading Rebel]

My assumptions are based on players like Balu still being an A23 student.

If he is then presumably any money involved will be down to A23 where he's employed full time?

If he's no longer with A23 his wages will be down to the club and his contract details.

Edited Wednesday at 11:05 by Reading Rebel

[rocking rebel]

I thought A23 were the owners of stfc

[GlenSTFC]

13 minutes ago, rocking rebel said:

I thought A23 were the owners of stfc

Correct. Plus you don’t get paid to study!

[Reading Rebel]

3 hours ago, rocking rebel said:

I thought A23 were the owners of stfc

They are.

As far as I'm aware because A23 is a full time educational establishment it receives government grants and is run separately to STFC football club. 

[rocking rebel]

Slough town fc are owned by stfc(23) Ltd according to the programme  notes

[Irishadrian]

8 hours ago, rocking rebel said:

Slough town fc are owned by stfc(23) Ltd according to the programme  notes

Try A23 Football Group Ltd.

[Nathan]

On 26/03/2025 at 10:00, Reading Rebel said:

Why is it a gamble?

These players are full time students at A23 so presumably the cost to us is nothing?

Signing academy players with relatively little senior experience is always a gamble as we're banking on him coming good (as is of course the case with any player). If he does well he may be tempted next year by a club who can offer a lot more than we can (there's plenty of these), and leave for nothing. Unless we put him on another contract next year in the hopes of getting something for him?

If he doesn't do well and he spends most of the time out on loan then we're still committed to paying his wages.

[GlenSTFC]

16 minutes ago, Nathan said:

Signing academy players with relatively little senior experience is always a gamble as we're banking on him coming good (as is of course the case with any player). If he does well he may be tempted next year by a club who can offer a lot more than we can (there's plenty of these), and leave for nothing. Unless we put him on another contract next year in the hopes of getting something for him?

If he doesn't do well and he spends most of the time out on loan then we're still committed to paying his wages.

Any player whatever age or experience is a gamble when signing, step forward little Matt Miller!

[Curtis]

40 minutes ago, Nathan said:

Signing academy players with relatively little senior experience is always a gamble as we're banking on him coming good (as is of course the case with any player). If he does well he may be tempted next year by a club who can offer a lot more than we can (there's plenty of these), and leave for nothing.

You should look up the regulations on U23 players on contract.

[Nathan]

42 minutes ago, Curtis said:

You should look up the regulations on U23 players on contract.

Which bit?

If you're referring to the regulations regarding compensation for training costs, who is eligible for this depends on who trained the player and when; this is calculated between the ages of 12 and 23. So how much would go to the club (by which I mean STFC (23) Ltd) and how much to the A23 Football Group?

If you're referring to solidarity payments, as I read it these only apply if a players moves during a contract, not at the end.

Or were you referring to something else?

[Curtis]

My understanding is, if an U23 player is on a contract, and at the end the club offer a new contract on the same or better terms, then if the player rejects the contract & moves to a new club, then the new club has to pay a transfer fee.

 

[Nathan]

58 minutes ago, Curtis said:

My understanding is, if an U23 player is on a contract, and at the end the club offer a new contract on the same or better terms, then if the player rejects the contract & moves to a new club, then the new club has to pay a transfer fee.

As I understand it a Development Fee (also known as Training Compensation fee) is due to a players' training club when a player is first registered as a professional, regardless of contract. So you're you're right there. However this still leaves the question of how much and who would receive it.

It is worth mentioning that according to FIFA Regulations for Transfers Annexe 4 Article 2: Training compensation is not due if ... 2 ii) the player is transferred to a category 4 club" (see also: https://www.leathesprior.co.uk/news/training-compensation-the-category-4-loophole). So it would depend entirely on which club a player is joining as to whether or not this fee is due.

Apparently Category 4 relates to a club's academy (see https://football4football.com/football-training/uk-football-academy-system-intro), I wonder which one A23 falls into?

Edited Thursday at 19:34 by Nathan