News: Yoof.

[AFF]

On the back page of the St Albans Observer is a story concerning the Yoof and London Colney F.C.

 

St Albans City Youth have taken their Saints Midweek Yoof side to Cotlandswick for next season and they will play in the F.A. Yoof Cup from there. Quotes from Clive "disappointed to be leaving Clarence Park", "Writing on the wall with PASE set-up" etc. etc. The Mighty Saints will be represented at Youth level by the PASE side, apparently, managed by former City boss Steve Castle.

 

Nigel Tester along with the 'Dream Team' of Kevin Blande and Vince Buck, former supremos of the successful Saints Reserves side from two years ago, have been appointed to manage football affairs at London Colney for next season. Quotes from the chaps. Looking forward to the challenge ahead. Ryman league within 3 years. A place in Europe. No, not the last bit. I made that up.

 

Good luck from me.

[Electric ~soul~]

Up the Colney!

 

I hope we get Colney in the cup and they stuff us!

[Rob_the_Saint]

Traitor!

 

<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/boxing.gif" alt="" />

[Electric ~soul~]

Nah. Clive and Kev are my mates. The manager/chairman of St Albans aren't.

[AFF]

I read a posting from Buzz Lightyear on the Braintree web-site that the Learning & Skills Council are to withdraw funding from the PASE League thingy so the Braintree 'Academy' was frozen in the womb, if not at conception.

 

In other circumstances, that news should be checked but I'm sure that Steve Castle and Gibbo have their fingers on the pulse, as it were, and that all will be well.

 

There was a posting on here a few weeks ago to the effect that the club receives £500 for each student on the scheme as well as other 'expenses' or whatever. That's significant income, of course although secondary to the prime objectives of, firstly providing the Youth of this country with a rounded education based upon a combination of academic skills alongside the ability to become footballers of international class and, secondly, provide a breeding ground for the Mighty Saints of the future.

 

A picture formed in my mind then of a former PASE scholar rising to become Managing Director of 'Fitness First' who plays part-time for The Saints and scores the winning goal for England in the 2010 World Cup. Don't laugh, it could happen.

[Rob_the_Saint]

Hi AFF, I've been told PASE is no more. Try this instead.

[AFF]

That's very good, Rob. The way you get the hand thing to come up, I mean.

 

Two year course, eh? It doesn't have to take long to turn someone into a world-class footballer when you know what you're doing.

 

So. I wonder what Buzz Lightyear was on about, then. Perhaps he misquoted himself on his own web-site thingy. Perhaps someone should tell him that the BTEC/PASE/whatever Initiative appears to be properly funded and is going strong. Steve Castle will be relieved, too.

[AFF]

It's not easy to find Braintree's message board so I've just looked it up for you. Someone came on and asked when the 'Acadamy' was to be instituted, it having been previously mentioned as part of the plan, presumably.

 

Buzz replied saying "on hold after withdrawal of Learning & Skills Council funding for the Football Conference Youth League."

 

Strange that.

[Webbo MFI]

Quote:

Zealster ~soul~ said:
Nah. Clive and Kev are my mates. The manager/chairman of St Albans aren't.

are they??!!

[Electric ~soul~]

Indeed, I consider them both friends.

 

In fact, I'm going for a drink or three with Clive on Monday.

[The Caretaker]

Dissapointed is not the half of it ..... when we were told that our association was to be terminated it was thought that the (then) PASE team were going to fill our position in the midweek league. This was the case as put to me by the Chairman ....team needed to play in a higher standard, more games etc etc. as decreed by the manager of the side....heard it all before.

 

When it comes down to the nitty gritty and it becomes obvious that it is quite a big job to organise the team in this league and that there was no money to pay for the managers time **!!?? the mood changes somewhat and a decision has been taken not to enter the midweek league but just to carry on with the BTEC / PASE / Conference College league on a Wednesday afternoon.

 

So we could have still been involved as it happens. No word from the club however ??

 

As for this new course I notice its only 2 years not 3 as the original PASE course. So if they join this at 16 the players will not be only be 18 when leaving the course, Do the organisers have to find these lads a club to go to or are they just left to their own devices ?

 

Anyone know ? Anyone care ? I've asked this before with no response but its about time that those who proffess to care for "THE CLUB" started to take an interest outside of matchdays only.

 

Nothing will change unless you do !

 

As for the good wishes from certain quarters, thanks. It will be tough to start with but hopefully with time and patience things can work out.

[AFF]

So we will have a squad of 17 or 18 first team players, no reserve team and the wednesday afternoon BTEC/PASE/whatever side. No link with any Yoof set-up.

 

I saw in the Herts Advertiser that Killigrew School's Girls team, coached by Mrs Gibbo, won some local k.o. cup at t'Park the other week. Well done to her and to them.

 

Something to build on, perhaps.

[Iron Webbo]

So ... City Youth are to forge a long term partership with Colney.

 

Hmmmm ...

 

I always knew that they were 100% behind the parent Club.

[The Caretaker]

St Albans City Youth has, and always will be, totally independent of St Albans City and any other club for that matter.

 

City Youth was formed 34 years ago, completely indepently, and has continued with no support from the senior club outside of using the facilities for its Charity games.

 

The only time we have become involved is to represent the club in the FA Youth Cup, because the senior side had no youth set up of its own, and never will have one to speak of, and in midweek leagues when the senior club felt it was of benefit. Oh, and they did get one or two good players they could call on plus all these ventures were funded by City Youth not the senior club so it didn't really cost them anything either !!

 

St Albans City have never been our parent club and never will be.

 

As for Colney, it is only the midweek side which has moved to play there as we were told we were no longer able to represent St Albans City in midweek football.

 

All City Youth Sunday sides (31 next year) will carry on as normal with no link to any one other than representing City Youth.

 

In fact you should know all of this as it was you and I who sat down to start this latest midweek side with the proviso that it would be funded by City Youth. You also took half the sponsorship money in its second year for the "Parent Club" so please use the correct facts before passing further comment on this matter <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" />

[Iron Webbo]

You're entitled to your opinions, I'm entitled to mine.

 

Enjoy London Colney.

[The Caretaker]

No opinions from me .... just facts...... and I'm not going to London Colney. Quite happy where I am thank you.

[AFF]

So. Let me get this right, Caretaker.

 

St Albans City Youth FC, a Sunday morning yoof football club entirely separate administratively and in every other sense from St Albans City FC comes to an agreement with the then Chairman of The Mighty Saints that it will run, administer and fund an U18 mid-week side to play at Clarence Park.

 

Sponsorship monies are raised by the Youth club to fund that mid-week side and in its second season, the then Chairman of the senior club required that half of those funds are paid over to the senior club. Have I got that right?

 

Was it some sort of 'rent'? Contribution to 'expenses'? League subscription and administration fee?

 

Hmmnnnn.

[Iron Webbo]

A contribution towards expenses Peter.

[The Caretaker]

AFF we were only to pleased to support the "senior club" at that stage.....

 

Would like to know what the expenses really are though. Both past and present Chairmen have stated this as a factor in running the side but I know that the bar staff and tea bar staff costs were more than covered by their profits (I have the figures filed from the very start that prove this ....fact, not opinion) that can only leave the floodlights as nothing else was done for us. I regularly marked the pitch out if needed and so the only other factor would be pitch maintenance which the club would have to do in the course of a normal week anyway (and we always called games off if their was any likelyhood of damaging the playing surface).

 

A list please IW ?

 

In that year we played 15 home games, so the cheque I wrote personally for £1000 (to ensure the club would sign the forms in time for acceptance in the league) would be more than enough to cover the clubs costs, I would have thought (the sponsorship deal was completed some 3 months later so I did eventually get my money back by the way). Hope our contribution was put to good use.

 

In fact, apart from Steve Castle, no one from the senior club officials ever came to see a game let alone offer some help or encouragement.

 

That probably says it all ..... <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

[AFF]

£1,000 eh? Phew!

 

Someone once told me - and it might have been Buzz Lightyear so it should be checked - that the cost of electricity for the floodlights is £40 per match. Then there's the labour costs of switching them on. Executive, administrative as well as hands-on operational costs, don't forget. It all mounts up.

 

Another innovative Youth policy.

 

Still. You would have been able to reclaim the V.A.T. Caretaker. £148.94 by my calculation. You did receive a V.A.T. invoice from the club, presumably?