51 Academy players

[Zip]

Jack Stacey has made the EFL team of the season following an impressive season with Luton Town. He will be plying his trade in the Championship next season.

[tidus_mi2]

Jack Stacey has made the EFL team of the season following an impressive season with Luton Town. He will be plying his trade in the Championship next season.

Good for him, there was clearly talent in him but he had to drop to League Two to find his level then work his way up, it's completely understandable why he was let go.

[Greatwesternline]

Does Michael Antonio count?

[Snowflake Royal]

Always said Stacey was quality. Wish we'd given him more of a chance here rather than pissing money up the wall constantly on shite.

[URZZZZ]

Was never sure about Stacey but thought he'd go further than Fosu who seems to now find himself on the bench frequently for Charlton

Unfortunately for those two, the season they were upcoming is the season Clarke bought John and Hurtado, so we had around 6 wingers at the time

Interesting that Stacey has moved back from RM to RB though

[Jackson Corner]

Candidate for 'Worst post of the year'.

No making a valid point. The last few season Brentford have had more success why we will be in division one if not this season next. The academy is a huge financial investment which IMO with the odd exception has not produced enough quality players. Going back to the pre academy days, we had Adie Williams Scott Taylor, Archie Lovell ect Great players all local lads which shows you can still make it without the expense of having academy status.

[Jackson Corner]

Does Michael Antonio count?

Yes but we let him go for a snip. Charlie Austin and Alfie Mowsen were both let go by the academy.

[Hound]

Stacey a Big shout for Luton PotS as well apparently

I liked the little I saw of him - thought it was a mistake to let him go

[sandman]

We didn't "let Stacey go". He was offered a contract but chose to go elsewhere because he didn't think he'd get enough playing time when Stam was manager.

[sandman]

We didn't "let Stacey go". He was offered a contract but chose to go elsewhere because he didn't think he'd get enough playing time when Stam was manager.

[Snowflake Royal]

Candidate for 'Worst post of the year'.

No making a valid point. The last few season Brentford have had more success why we will be in division one if not this season next. The academy is a huge financial investment which IMO with the odd exception has not produced enough quality players. Going back to the pre academy days, we had Adie Williams Scott Taylor, Archie Lovell ect Great players all local lads which shows you can still make it without the expense of having academy status.

We've had literally hundreds of appearances from Academy players. We average about one a season establishing themselves in the first team. We've made multiple millions from selling Academy graduates multiple times.

If you think that's not enough your benchmark for success is ludicrously unrealistic.

The days of producing players like Williams etc without an Academy are dead and buried.

[Snowflake Royal]

We didn't "let Stacey go". He was offered a contract but chose to go elsewhere because he didn't think he'd get enough playing time when Stam was manager.

Pretty sure he'd have stayed if he actually got used and told he was part of first team plans. Could at the very least been on the bench every week and making regular sub appearances.

Not like we've been over burdened with strength in depth at right wing or right back in recent years.

[Stranded]

We didn't "let Stacey go". He was offered a contract but chose to go elsewhere because he didn't think he'd get enough playing time when Stam was manager.

Pretty sure he'd have stayed if he actually got used and told he was part of first team plans. Could at the very least been on the bench every week and making regular sub appearances.

Not like we've been over burdened with strength in depth at right wing or right back in recent years.

Stacey was a right winger whilst here and would have seen himself as such, we had options there at that time - now you could argue it was a weakness of the management structure not to see his potential further back but the question is was he good enough at that time to play regularly in the Championship - probably not and the fact that only a L2 club came in for him suggests other clubs at that level either thought so too or were unaware of his talents.

For a player like Stacey dropping down to a level where he was probably one of the better players (L2) gave him a chance to blossom in a new role esp as he was in a team that was winning - that has helped him become a player that will have a good career at Champ level, possibly even PL if he performs well next season.

[Snowflake Royal]

We didn't "let Stacey go". He was offered a contract but chose to go elsewhere because he didn't think he'd get enough playing time when Stam was manager.

Pretty sure he'd have stayed if he actually got used and told he was part of first team plans. Could at the very least been on the bench every week and making regular sub appearances.

Not like we've been over burdened with strength in depth at right wing or right back in recent years.

Stacey was a right winger whilst here and would have seen himself as such, we had options there at that time - now you could argue it was a weakness of the management structure not to see his potential further back but the question is was he good enough at that time to play regularly in the Championship - probably not and the fact that only a L2 club came in for him suggests other clubs at that level either thought so too or were unaware of his talents.

For a player like Stacey dropping down to a level where he was probably one of the better players (L2) gave him a chance to blossom in a new role esp as he was in a team that was winning - that has helped him become a player that will have a good career at Champ level, possibly even PL if he performs well next season.

Pretty sure Stacey stood in as a RB sometimes whilst here.

Plus it's not like we've got form converting young wingers to full backs

We've spent several years with essentially one Right back til now.

We could easily have used Stacey as 2nd / 3rd choice winger and RB cover rather than draft in some of the rubbish wingers we've had like John, Hurtado, Popa.

[Hendo]

Pretty sure he'd have stayed if he actually got used and told he was part of first team plans. Could at the very least been on the bench every week and making regular sub appearances.

Not like we've been over burdened with strength in depth at right wing or right back in recent years.

Stacey was a right winger whilst here and would have seen himself as such, we had options there at that time - now you could argue it was a weakness of the management structure not to see his potential further back but the question is was he good enough at that time to play regularly in the Championship - probably not and the fact that only a L2 club came in for him suggests other clubs at that level either thought so too or were unaware of his talents.

For a player like Stacey dropping down to a level where he was probably one of the better players (L2) gave him a chance to blossom in a new role esp as he was in a team that was winning - that has helped him become a player that will have a good career at Champ level, possibly even PL if he performs well next season.

Pretty sure Stacey stood in as a RB sometimes whilst here.

Plus it's not like we've got form converting young wingers to full backs

We've spent several years with essentially one Right back til now.

We could easily have used Stacey as 2nd / 3rd choice winger and RB cover rather than draft in some of the rubbish wingers we've had like John, Hurtado, Popa.

In his 6 appearances? Or are you meaning with the youth teams?

[NewCorkSeth]

Pretty sure he'd have stayed if he actually got used and told he was part of first team plans. Could at the very least been on the bench every week and making regular sub appearances.

Not like we've been over burdened with strength in depth at right wing or right back in recent years.

Stacey was a right winger whilst here and would have seen himself as such, we had options there at that time - now you could argue it was a weakness of the management structure not to see his potential further back but the question is was he good enough at that time to play regularly in the Championship - probably not and the fact that only a L2 club came in for him suggests other clubs at that level either thought so too or were unaware of his talents.

For a player like Stacey dropping down to a level where he was probably one of the better players (L2) gave him a chance to blossom in a new role esp as he was in a team that was winning - that has helped him become a player that will have a good career at Champ level, possibly even PL if he performs well next season.

Pretty sure Stacey stood in as a RB sometimes whilst here.

Plus it's not like we've got form converting young wingers to full backs

We've spent several years with essentially one Right back til now.

We could easily have used Stacey as 2nd / 3rd choice winger and RB cover rather than draft in some of the rubbish wingers we've had like John, Hurtado, Popa.

Struggling to see how any of this is disagreeable. Snowflake is correct.

Hindsight is great and all but the coaches should have been able to see this ability from him.

[Snowflake Royal]

Stacey was a right winger whilst here and would have seen himself as such, we had options there at that time - now you could argue it was a weakness of the management structure not to see his potential further back but the question is was he good enough at that time to play regularly in the Championship - probably not and the fact that only a L2 club came in for him suggests other clubs at that level either thought so too or were unaware of his talents.

For a player like Stacey dropping down to a level where he was probably one of the better players (L2) gave him a chance to blossom in a new role esp as he was in a team that was winning - that has helped him become a player that will have a good career at Champ level, possibly even PL if he performs well next season.

Pretty sure Stacey stood in as a RB sometimes whilst here.

Plus it's not like we've got form converting young wingers to full backs

We've spent several years with essentially one Right back til now.

We could easily have used Stacey as 2nd / 3rd choice winger and RB cover rather than draft in some of the rubbish wingers we've had like John, Hurtado, Popa.

In his 6 appearances? Or are you meaning with the youth teams?

I think he might have had a senior at RB, but more youth level, stepping up to U21 from U18 maybe?

[Brain Traysers]

Pretty sure he'd have stayed if he actually got used and told he was part of first team plans. Could at the very least been on the bench every week and making regular sub appearances.

Not like we've been over burdened with strength in depth at right wing or right back in recent years.

Stacey was a right winger whilst here and would have seen himself as such, we had options there at that time - now you could argue it was a weakness of the management structure not to see his potential further back but the question is was he good enough at that time to play regularly in the Championship - probably not and the fact that only a L2 club came in for him suggests other clubs at that level either thought so too or were unaware of his talents.

For a player like Stacey dropping down to a level where he was probably one of the better players (L2) gave him a chance to blossom in a new role esp as he was in a team that was winning - that has helped him become a player that will have a good career at Champ level, possibly even PL if he performs well next season.

Pretty sure Stacey stood in as a RB sometimes whilst here.

Plus it's not like we've got form converting young wingers to full backs

We've spent several years with essentially one Right back til now.

We could easily have used Stacey as 2nd / 3rd choice winger and RB cover rather than draft in some of the rubbish wingers we've had like John, Hurtado, Popa.

Not true - 2 of our 3 senior fullbacks who came through the academy have been converted from attacking players - Obita and Richards. Expect to see it more and more as genuine width is relied on from fullbacks/wingbacks while inverted wingers continue to cut inside.

[SCIAG]

Stacey was a right winger whilst here and would have seen himself as such, we had options there at that time - now you could argue it was a weakness of the management structure not to see his potential further back but the question is was he good enough at that time to play regularly in the Championship - probably not and the fact that only a L2 club came in for him suggests other clubs at that level either thought so too or were unaware of his talents.

For a player like Stacey dropping down to a level where he was probably one of the better players (L2) gave him a chance to blossom in a new role esp as he was in a team that was winning - that has helped him become a player that will have a good career at Champ level, possibly even PL if he performs well next season.

Pretty sure Stacey stood in as a RB sometimes whilst here.

Plus it's not like we've got form converting young wingers to full backs

We've spent several years with essentially one Right back til now.

We could easily have used Stacey as 2nd / 3rd choice winger and RB cover rather than draft in some of the rubbish wingers we've had like John, Hurtado, Popa.

Not true - 2 of our 3 senior fullbacks who came through the academy have been converted from attacking players - Obita and Richards. Expect to see it more and more as genuine width is relied on from fullbacks/wingbacks while inverted wingers continue to cut inside.

Think you've misinterpreted Ian's creative use of negatives there (though would argue Richards is more the other way around to Obita and Stacey - full back who has been tried on the wing).

But yeah letting Stacey go was a oxf*rd-up by Stam (which Clarke also contributed to), it was clear that he was good enough but we kept signing more back-up wingers. Ian's right to say that Stacey had already shown versatility and a willingness to play in several positions - think his last appearances for the U23s were in central midfield for example, while he was a right back in the U16s and often filled in there at U21/23.

[Brain Traysers]

Think you've misinterpreted Ian's creative use of negatives there (though would argue Richards is more the other way around to Obita and Stacey - full back who has been tried on the wing).

But yeah letting Stacey go was a oxf*rd by Stam (which Clarke also contributed to), it was clear that he was good enough but we kept signing more back-up wingers. Ian's right to say that Stacey had already shown versatility and a willingness to play in several positions - think his last appearances for the U23s were in central midfield for example, while he was a right back in the U16s and often filled in there at U21/23.

Ah I may well have misinterpreted...

But in his 'long read', Richards talks about being converted from a number 10/winger to a full back. It also reveals how entirely random it was:

I was a first-year scholar and the scholars didn’t have a left-back, David Dodds put me there for one game and it kind of worked – so I’ve been there ever since!

Given Obita first played left back when we were hit by an injury crisis (I seem to remember a very impressive away performance at Watford as his debut at LB?), again its likely it was an accidental conversion - I don't believe he played there for the academy/reserves. Perhaps Stacey didn't get a similar opportunity while here and it either happened accidentally, or by plan at Luton? There certainly seems to be an element of 'right place, right time' for an academy prospect to get an opportunity, which they then either take or they fail to take.

Either way, certainly one that got away, but equally possibly only because he got the first team move in the first place.