Monday Musings - Goodbye to the Reserves
Monday, 28th Apr 2008 17:58 by Paul Redfern

So the reserves are going to be scrapped for next year? I can't decide whether or not this is a good decision.

I had a quick look through some other Premiership websites – it seems that most clubs organise their playing squads into two segments, the first team squad and the academy. Manure and Chelsea seem to have three squads, first team, reserves and academy. I couldn't find any other clubs who were similarly organised. Although Liverpool have an astonishing number of players in their squad – I lost count after fifty – and could well have organised a reserve team squad.

I went to the Wigan website – where our manager used to work and they appear to be organised on the same lines – a first team squad and an Academy.

Where I think we have come unstuck this year (our reserves have only won one match all year), is that we have used our Academy players when probably most other clubs have used their first team squad players who are knocking on the door but yet to establish themselves. I looked at one Middlesbrough reserve team selection and nine were in the first team squad. I looked up Manure's reserve team squad and all the players were between 19 and 22.

When Reading beat our reserves 5-0, their squad had 12 members from the first team squad and 3 from the Academy. Ours had eight first team squad members which was unusual as most of the games the bulk of the team were Academy players.

So the picture I'm getting is that when we talk about scrapping the reserves, we're not talking about getting rid of a squad. We're talking about not playing in a particular league. How many of us actually know the difference? So I've learned something.

The other thing I think we need to start doing as a matter of urgency (as well as getting some decent players in the first team) is to find players around the age of 18 to 22 who are potential first teamers. I may be wrong but my impression is that most of the players from the first team squad who have actually played in the reserves are on the wrong side of 30. They shouldn't be there unless it's to get match practice for getting back into the first team.

I'm hoping that the new backroom team will ensure that we get a beefed up first team squad, not just in terms of experienced players but also players with potential – who can come in and do a good job. Then the Academy players can develop at their own pace instead of being outplayed and out-muscled by older and more experienced teams.

Much will depend on how the first team squad is developed and also given opportunities to work on match fitness. Last time round I had the impression that games were put on as and when another club agreed, rather than as part of careful planning or development. So I shall be watching this space to see if there is some logic and forethought in the planning of matches in the gap created by the withdrawal from the Reserve team league.