Is there a suitable league? In the old days there would have been football combination matches. I have said before that the local(ish) league clubs ought to organise a 'reserve' league. Us, MK, Northampton, Swindon, Wycombe and Luton maybe. Arrange 'home' and 'away' games for each. That would be 10 matches over the course of a season - not too onerous, but would provide a regular run out for players getting up to fitness, U23s, trialists(?) etc, and give some sort of structure to the 'reserve' season.
Well it's a league in as much as there are 'fixtures' - but the results and league position don't really matter, so you could play some of the U18s, a couple of players on the way back from injury who need some match time, some of the players who regularly get on the first team subs bench but not on the pitch (including the keeper who surely needs some game time) and the U23s who aren't loaned out. Plus any triallists you want to look at. Presumably (because they aren't official matches) players on a ban could also play to keep their fitness up (is that right?).Most of them are out on loan aren't they? Of the two you've mentioned - Sade and Allardyce - they're the only two not out on loan getting first-team football at a non-league club. U23 setups are costly to run and not always worth it, not being part of a league allows us to schedule matches when and where we want when we have the players available. To have the squad size we'd need to play in a league, you'd be looking at bringing in about 10 extra U23 players purely to make up the numbers, which would be at the cost of around 2 to 3 senior players.
At the open Fans forum at the training ground tail end of last year....which was broadcast live on Rad ox (meeting sort of chaired by Jerome Sale) ....which also was on a live online feed (run by the club)....a question was put to to KR on the subject of U23s (who went out of the U23s cup in the first round- last season U23s progressed in U23s cup a lot further) ....there should be some record of KRs reply somewhere 'here' in YF archives?.....
Though it would take someone more savvy with technology type things than I am (especially after working all last night) to locate it?
Well it's a league in as much as there are 'fixtures' - but the results and league position don't really matter, so you could play some of the U18s, a couple of players on the way back from injury who need some match time, some of the players who regularly get on the first team subs bench but not on the pitch (including the keeper who surely needs some game time) and the U23s who aren't loaned out. Plus any triallists you want to look at. Presumably (because they aren't official matches) players on a ban could also play to keep their fitness up (is that right?).
The 'arranging ad hoc games' thing is OK, but IMO it can mean players not in the first team can go for ages without any action. If ten games a season is too much then just partner up with four other clubs and make it 8 games arranged in advance at regular points throughout the season. That way players have something to work towards.
You are quite possibly right in saying it might not be practical or I suspect it would have already been done - but clubs did manage a full combination league season in the past?
Cheers @battman ....thats the one(s)Here's the thread: https://yellowsforum.co.uk/threads/live-open-fans-forum-17-12-2019.3324/#post-212712
The Ox Mail live feed: https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/18107799.oxford-united-fans-forum---happened/
And the specific question:
Q: The under 23s - they're not in a league and they went out in a cup first round. Was that a bad call?
KR: We won't do it (a league) next season.
Most Cat 1 academies will tell you U23 leagues are nowhere near the real game.
We want to play Ox City or Thame to play against men. Then we want to play Aston Villa U23s, Arsenal U23s, etc because we want a variety.
We also want to loan our players out, which you couldn't do if we were in a league.
It allows us to run an U23 team with less of an outlay. All our U23s are out on loan playing men's football and I think that's better for their development.
Game against QPR first team arranged for today at the training ground to fill in the gap between games, so whilst we may not have many u23 games there are opportunities for players to get some game time and build match fitness.
First team v first team as far as I'm aware.If Id've known earlier Id've popped along to watch & support U23s
So after having a hectic February of 9 matches, and KR saying that was too many, we now arrange a mid week game when the players finally have a bit of recovery time between fixtures?First team v first team as far as I'm aware.
So after having a hectic February of 9 matches, and KR saying that was too many, we now arrange a mid week game when the players finally have a bit of recovery time between fixtures?
So after having a hectic February of 9 matches, and KR saying that was too many, we now arrange a mid week game when the players finally have a bit of recovery time between fixtures?
First team v first team as far as I'm aware.