“You’ll win nothing with kids…” Colchester United and the EPPP

The U’s successful Youth Team could potentially meet Aston Villa’s U18’s at Villa Park should they dispatch Plymouth Argyle on Wednesday © cu-fc.com

There has been one major plus point to the U’s injury problems this season. Colchester fans have had a glimpse into the future with a number of academy players that have been given a chance in the first eleven.

When Robbie Cowling took over the reigns as chairman in 2008, he allowed Geraint Williams, Paul Lambert and Aidy Boothroyd to spend an obscene amount of money for a club like Colchester. It was actually whilst Boothroyd was in charge of the U’s, when Cowling drew up a philosophy of a team of home grown talent, much like what Crewe Alexandra have achieved through the years under the stewardship of Dario Gradi, a true genius in spotting talented young players.

Man behind the scenes – Tony Humes © – cu-fc.com

In January 2009, the U’s local neighbours, Ipswich Town under the management of Roy Keane, cut back on their youth programme, making redundancies along the way. In June 2009, Tony Humes, one of those made redundant, quickly became the U’s new academy manager. There were more to follow with Sean Thacker and Richard Hall both employed by the U’s, after their subsequent release by Ipswich.

The U’s youth programme was already half decent, but the U’s became more and more professional with the scouting network expanded to find and produce the best local talent around the area.

Tom Bender, now at Millwall, made his debut in 2008 and is best known for being knocked unconscious in the JPT v Tranmere Rovers © gazette-news.co.uk

Aidy Boothroyd was all for producing youth talent, having previously worked as a youth and development coach at Norwich and West Brom. It was in September 2009 when Tom Bender made his first ever appearance for the club, becoming the second youngest player to pull on the blue and white stripes, taking to the field as a substitute against Hartlepool United.

Off the pitch, the club was in one of the healthiest shapes it has ever been, with an array of young local talent on the production line. Boothroyd commented to the Colchester Gazette “I’m all for youth and my view is that if you’re good enough, you’re old enough”, after Bender had made his maiden bow for the U’s.

Boothroyd’s time at the club was to be short lived, as Coventry City poached the Yorkshireman in 2010. Robbie Cowling appointed John Ward as the new man in charge, with Ward also being an advocate for producing youth talent and having some bright ideas. I was one of the first to criticise Ward for his management of the club, but what he did behind the scenes, we should be rather thankful.

The 2011/12 season saw the U’s raid Ipswich once again for 19 year old centre back Tom Eastman, meanwhile youth team scholars, Craig Arnott and Bradley Hamilton were given professional contracts.

Whilst Cowling had cut the first team budget and things were not going brilliantly on the field, off the pitch, the club were gearing up for the coming Elite Player Performance Plan (more on the EPPP below) with Cowling pumping an untold amount of money on improving the youth academy at the club.

LuaLua played from the U’s between 1998-2000, leaving for Newcastle United for £2.25million © africahit.com

I can remember the question and answer session held at the stadium, where Robbie Cowling and Tony Humes first spoke about the EPPP. It was a brave new venture for the club and one where the club felt geared. I must admit to not being overly enamoured by the news as I had little idea of just how far the club had progressed and who was coming through the youth team. Greg Halford, now at Nottingham Forest, has probably been one of the better-known youth talents to come through the youth system in recent times. Before that, you will probably have to look at Lomana LuaLua, who the club spotted playing park football. Mark Kinsella who the U’s snapped up as a 17 year old from his native Ireland and went on to represent Eire in the World Cup in 2002 is probably one of the only other well known players the club has had in more recent times.

I really did not think we could produce talent within the next few years capable of playing and adapting to League One football. The likes of Anthony Wordsworth, John White, Dean Gerken, Medy Elito, Garry Richards and current U’s back up goalkeeper Mark Cousins, have all come through the U’s youth system and played in the Football League in recent times. There are always the likes of Robbie King and Marc Canham, highly rated as youngsters, who never made the grade professionally. I thought it was a massive risk that we would pin our hopes on youth talent to progress both on and off the pitch to push the club forward. There are not many clubs producing their own homegrown players and getting them into the first team early, with probably the exception of Crewe and Middlesbrough off the top of my head.

After actually watching the youth team on a couple of occasions, it became clear to me that things were progressing a lot quicker with the youth development than I originally thought, as the U’s under 18 side progressed to the semi final of the Youth Alliance Cup, losing on penalties against a much more experienced Exeter City side.

The U’s state of the art training facility at Florence Park © bbc.co.uk

For anyone that attended that night, it was clear to see the U’s had a few really talented lads. On the back of some fine performances for the youth team Freddie Ladapo and Alex Gilbey, the youth team captain signed professional contracts at the club. As well as the cup run, the U’s had started work on Florence Park, a new state of the art training complex in Tiptree, at a cost of £3million and had also been working with the Thurstable school, also in Tiptree to offer an education to the players alongside their training. It is truly remarkable to see just how far the club had come in such a short time.

The 2012/13 season saw Drey Wright, Shaun Phillips, Tosin Olufemi and Ryan Melaugh pen professional contracts with the club, all of them also impressing in the Youth Alliance League and Cup.

Looking at the squad list, the club started the 12/13 season with twelve professionals that had come through the youth system throughout the years with Mark Cousins, Karl Duguid, John White, Anthony Wordsworth, Freddie Ladapo, Alex Gilbey, Drey Wright, Shaun Phillips, Tosin Olufemi, Bradley Hamilton, Jordan Sanderson and Ryan Melaugh all named in the squad.

Flying winger Drey Wright’s progress has been slightly hindered this season by a knee injury © cu-fc.com

Drey Wright, the son of former Crewe, Ipswich and Southampton midfielder Jermaine Wright, made his debut in the opening game of the season in the Carling Cup. The U’s succumbed to a heavy 3-0 defeat away to Yeovil, but the emergence of Wright, was clear to see just how good the U’s youth recruitment had come. He had only been a first year scholar at the club, but had shown enough promise to firstly sign a contract and then make his debut. Last season, Wright was to become runner up in the League One Apprentice of Year at the Football League awards.

With John Ward’s departure after a disastrous start of the season, Joe Dunne, Ward’s assistant, whom had also been a youth coach with the U’s for a number of years previously, took over the reigns.

It is fair to say it was a risky appointment by Robbie Cowling, but the highly rated Dunne’s plans and future vision was on a par with the U’s chairman.

With the budget severely stretched, Dunne turned to youth to guide the U’s to safety. He used the loan system to bring in bright and promising youth talents, such as, Dominic Samuel from Reading, Dan Potts from West Ham, Sam Walker & Billy Clifford from Chelsea, Bradley Garmston from West Brom, George Porter from Burnley and Michael Smith from Charlton. As well as the loan market, Tosin Olufemi and Freddie Ladapo both made their professional debuts too.

Alex Gilbey (centre) celebrating a man of the match performance for Newport in their Conference playoff final victory at Wembley © cu-fc.com

After making his debut in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy defeat to Northampton, Alex Gilbey left the club on loan to cut his teeth in the Blue Square Premier with promotion chasing Newport County. The U’s youngster earned rave reviews from The Exiles’ fans, making a man of the match appearance in the playoff final to help the club into the Football League.

A very inexperienced U’s side narrowly survived the drop on the last day of the season. When you think just how inexperienced the squad was, it was quite a remarkable achievement.

Coming into this season, Colchester were widely tipped for the drop, with many media outlets stating the lack of budget and only signing, Craig Eastmond, Sanchez Watt, Ryan Dickson, plus the re-signing of Jabo Ibehre were not enough to see them out of trouble. On the development side of things however, Conor Hubble, a talented midfielder released by QPR joined the club after a trial and Mason Spence, a Welsh youth international full back, joined from MK Dons.

Despite a bright start to the season, a series of injuries crippled Joe Dunne’s side. At one point, the U’s had twelve first team players out injured, meaning youth would have to get a chance once again, with eighteen year olds Drey Wright and Alex Gilbey becoming first team regulars.

Luke Garbutt has been a key performer for the U’s during his loan spell with the club, pictured here celebrating his strike in the FA Cup against Sheffield United © twentyfour7football.com

Jeffrey Monakana (Preston), Luke Garbutt (Everton & England U20 international), Elliot Lee (West Ham) and Cian Bolger (Bolton & Ireland U21) have all come into the club to bolster the ranks on loan and whilst they have some first team football of some sort under their belts prior to coming to the U’s, all of them are under 22!

The most pleasing aspect of the injury crisis (if you can call it pleasing!) is the rapid progression of Macauley Bonne and Sammie Szmodics in the Youth Alliance League, which has seen them progress to the first team, putting in some very encouraging performances at the same time.

Freddie Ladapo, Mason Spence and Conor Hubble have all come in to the team and made substitute appearances, whilst Tosin Olufemi has have also come into the team and made his first start against Carlisle United. Both Olufemi and Wright signed new three-year deals at the club on the back of some encouraging displays, which was most pleasing to see.

So far this season, it is perhaps Macauley Bonne, who has stolen all the headlines out of the U’s youthful contingent. After an injury to Jabo Ibehre against Brentford, Bonne found himself called into the first team and on the bench for match at Shrewsbury Town. After an injury to David Wright late in the game, Bonne made his maiden professional bow as a substitute.

In the next fixture against highflying Peterborough United, Bonne, on his eighteenth birthday, found his name on the bench for the injury ravaged U’s once again.

“Macca” Bonne celebrating his first of many goals for the U’s © cu-fc.com

In an extremely brave move, the U’s manager Joe Dunne introduced Bonne from the bench in the 62nd minute replacing the veteran Clinton Morrison. To put it into perspective, Bonne was only two years old when Morrison made his first professional appearance as an eighteen year old for Crystal Palace, firing an injury time winner against Sheffield Wednesday in 1998. It turned out to be an inspired change for the U’s, as after only eight minutes after entering the field of play, the striker connected with Luke Garbutt’s mouth-watering cross to powerfully head home and score his first professional goal, handing Dunne’s side their first victory since August. Bonne was to further add to his tally two weeks later, finding himself alone at the near post to head home Clinton Morrison’s flicked header to bring the U’s back into the game in the FA Cup tie against Sheffield United.

Amazingly, the average age of the U’s team that finished the game against Peterborough was a staggering 23 years and 105 days old. It is quite remarkable really and rather worrying at the same time! Alan Hansen famously quipped “you’ll win nothing with kids” on Match of the Day when commenting on ‘Fergie’s Fledglings’ after an opening day defeat to Aston Villa in the 1995–96 Premier League season. We all know what happened next…

Whilst I do not expect Colchester to be tearing up trees any time soon, in the face of adversity, Joe Dunne has shown that he is not afraid to turn to the youth team. Having seen some of the youngsters rapid progression at an early age, who knows what could happen in the not to distant future should we produce and keep more players with the ability of the likes of Macauley Bonne, Drey Wright and Alex Gilbey.

It is fair to say the U’s have some bright prospects in and around the team. Just last week academy ‘keeper, James Bransgrove, who was released on the scrapheap by Brentford and picked up by the U’s earlier this year, was called up to the Scotland U18 team for training, which just goes to show that the club must be doing something right.

Elite Player Performance Plan

The FA introduced the EPPP in 2011 as a way into developing youth talent © Thefa.com

The FA’s Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP), heavily backed by the Premier League, first came into force in 2011 and looked to increase the amount of coaches and home-grown talents in the Football League and effectively fixing transfer fees for them to cherry pick the best youth talents out there for potentially peanuts. Many League clubs were up in arms about the academy changes, whilst the U’s embraced it.

Out of the four categories, the U’s hoped to achieve Category 2 status. The club looked well geared up for achieving this with the FA granting the U’s temporary Category 2 status, pending an audit.

The benefits for the club obtaining Cat 2 status would be that they would require a higher compensation package from clubs poaching the U’s youngsters, determining how long they had been with the club and how many appearances they had made for the first team. For example: £25,000 for Cat 2 sides and £10,000 for every 10 appearances up to 100 appearances for League One clubs. Cat 3 clubs will only receive £12,500 initial payment, whereas the compensation figure for appearances remains the same as long as the club stays in League One.

Another positive is that the club could train youngsters from the age of nine, whereas category 3 sides start at age eleven. Between the ages of nine and eleven, there is a standard compensation figure of £3000. A Cat 2 club is required to pay an annual investment fee of £969,000, subsided by Premier League clubs, with Robbie Cowling commenting that the U’s would receive £500,000 towards the annual investment.

Following the EPPP, was the creation of a new Under 21 League. The U’s U21 development side took to the field in the newly formed U21 League 2 Southern Development League, against some of the Premier League academy sides. Despite finishing the league bottom of the division, they could feel rightly proud of what they had achieved in a small amount of time.

I imagine this was the reaction both Joe Dunne and Robbie Cowling had after finding out the results of the the audit earlier this summer © greenun24.co.uk

This season, the audit took place and the U’s were not granted the Category 2 status they craved, missing out by 3% out of the 65% that the FA required. The U’s lost a lot of marks due to not having produced enough home grown players who had gone on to other league clubs in the last ten years.

It was a ridiculous decision and the club have rightly appealed. It also goes to show just how backwards the FA are, punishing a forward thinking club for things that happened in the past!

With the club producing potentially some of the best players to have ever come from the youth team, this will not have gone unnoticed by the clubs in higher divisions and we just have to hope that the vultures keep away and the FA sees sense and awards the club category 2 status. Although the compensation is still peanuts, any amount coming into the club can only increase the budget in the future.

After the U’s U21 side defeated Arsenal’s U21 side 5-1 in a friendly recently, I can only imagine other clubs will be keeping a close eye on the U’s off field progression.

England U21’s training at Florence Park © cu-fc.com

The training ground has really been a massive boost to the club and is a massive off field asset. Premier League clubs have been happy to send players on loan to the club, because of the off field development and recently, the England U21 side trained at Florence Park prior to the Lithuania qualifying match, which just goes to show what a first class facility the U’s possess.

I had the opportunity to speak to Joe Dunne recently, whilst he was watching the under 16’s train. The Irishman has always been approachable and he asked my opinion on how I think things were at the club and I mentioned to him about the potential of losing youth players and his reply was rather telling. He said with a wide grin “you think the lads in around the first team are good? You haven’t seen what is coming through to replace them if they go”.

The future definitely looks bright and Robbie Cowling’s dream of a team of youth scholars donning the U’s jersey looks more and more of a reality, we just have to keep our fingers crossed we are able to keep hold some of these bright, young stars of the future.