Jump to content

Jack Stephens

Whitey

By Whitey,
in The Saints

 Share

Recommended Posts

doddisalegend

doddisalegend

Posted
Posted

Cool hope to see him get a run in the 1st team next season then. Nice to throw some money Plymouths way too (I feel for any team going through admin now, well any except them down the road) though not sure how much a 150K helps them out. Might let them pay the players I suppose.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
trousers

trousers

Posted
Posted
All I can see is a report about Ben Reeves on the mobile site?!?

 

On the desktop site:

 

Saints Sign Jack Stephens

Posted on: Tue 05 Apr 2011

 

Saints are delighted to announce that Jack Stephens has joined Saints from Plymouth for a straight one-off fee of £150,000.

 

The highly rated 17 year-old full back has been courted by a host of Premier League sides, but has decided that the youth set up at Southampton is the best place to fulfil his football development.

 

Despite inaccurate local press reports suggesting otherwise, Jack signs a three year contract with the club - the maximum contract length allowed to a scholar signing his first professional deal, as stated in the FIFA regulations.

 

Jack will take his place amongst the development squad, initially linking up with Jason Dodd's title chasing Under-18s side for the remainder of the campaign. He won't be eligible for first team action just yet, as he has signed outside of the transfer window.

 

Article continues

Advertisement

 

 

The Saints Academy remains at the core of the future plans for the football club, and this signing confirms the club's credentials as a major player in youth football.

 

The Under-18s side in particular continues to flourish this season, with Dodd's youngsters leading the way in their group standings with a league that also contains the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, West Ham and Fulham, who are all renowned for bringing players through their ranks.

 

Should they win their group, which they remain on course to do this season; Saints will be in with a shout of becoming National Champions, which gives players like Stephens a chance to achieve a major honour in the early stages of their careers.

 

Jason Dodd oversaw Jack's brief trial with the club earlier this week, and believes it represents a good deal for the youth set up at Saints.

 

"This is a great signing for the Academy," he highlighted. "He actually played against us in the FA Youth Cup earlier this season so we know all about him.

 

"From my point of view, not only as the Under 18 coach, but also as someone who has been involved with Saints for such a long time, it is great that the Club is delivering its promise of recruiting and developing the best young talent in the country. It's a fantastic signing for the players too because with five games left of the season it gives them a nice boost going into the run-in, which is a good reward for them because they've played so well this season.

 

"Jack's performed really well for a first year and this signing gives us all a fantastic opportunity to progress to where we want to go."

 

Executive Director of Saints Football Development & Support Centre, Les Reed commented:

 

"There was stiff competition for the signature of this highly talented young man, but Jack decided on signing for Southampton after spending two days with us, being tested and joining in the training with our Under 18 squad. He was impressed with the set up and the professionalism of our staff and the way he was treated in accordance with our philosophy of developing talented young players and building our future around home grown talent.

 

"Great credit must go to the team of staff who helped identify Jack's talent. The Club's Chief Youth Scout, Rod Ruddick, has been trailing him for over two years but it was the top class team of medical, fitness and academy staff that helped Jack to see his future here.

 

"We are excited to have a player of Jack's calibre joining the growing band of highly talented young players in our Academy."

 

First Team Manager Nigel Adkins confirmed that players like Jack will be given a chance in the first team over time, and paid tribute to the scouting system in place at the club for attracting players of his calibre.

 

"At the end of the day, what we are trying to do is make sure we have good young talent at this football club," he said.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
(not THE) Kevin Moore

(not THE) Kevin Moore

Posted
Posted

Looks like a good signing for the future and it's nice to see the recent signings, the Stephens brothers ;), have been made with an eye to the future rather than just knee jerk reactions.

 

Something about this signing reminds me of when we snaffled theo from Oxfords (??) academy all those years ago.... and that didn't work out badly did it? (not wanting to build up expectation too much mind).

 

Although looking at his stats, height, defender/stroke midfielder... the next Gareth Bale? ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
trousers

trousers

Posted
Posted
FFS its STEPHENS not Stevens.

 

Is it that difficult?

 

You may be onto something here. I've noticed humans getting things wrong all the time. I agree, it's a pain in the arse. People should get everything right all of the time. FFS.

 

;-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Pilchards

Pilchards

Posted
Posted
Interesting it says "straight one off fee". Got away with no add ons due to their predicament perhaps?

 

 

Would it be difficult to have add ons being in administration as everything gets wiped off.

I know we had a few good ones lined up but the club cashed them in because of the fear of losing it all together.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JRM

JRM

Posted
Posted

I would like to know more about the u18s top of their league, if they win it and go on to play for the national title hopefully the games will be played at st marys and open to the public, would be a fantastic achievement if they won that (although would no doubt attract the attention of premier league clubs to our players!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jones91

Jones91

Posted
Posted
I would like to know more about the u18s top of their league, if they win it and go on to play for the national title hopefully the games will be played at st marys and open to the public, would be a fantastic achievement if they won that (although would no doubt attract the attention of premier league clubs to our players!)

 

Also if they are played after the 1st teams season ends, can chamberlain go back into that team and help?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Pip

Pip

Posted
Posted
Would it be difficult to have add ons being in administration as everything gets wiped off.

I know we had a few good ones lined up but the club cashed them in because of the fear of losing it all together.

 

Shame that as Spurs reckon Bale is worth £80 million. That could have been a nice little earner.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
saint_stevo

saint_stevo

Posted
Posted
You may be onto something here. I've noticed humans getting things wrong all the time. I agree, it's a pain in the arse. People should get everything right all of the time. FFS.

 

;-)

 

OP corrected himself before you did. Read the whole post, it's not that difficult.;)

 

Try spending 25years getting mail to 'Mr Stevens' or having to spell out your goddam name

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dubai_phil

dubai_phil

Posted
Posted

Someone talk with forked tongue

 

http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/regionalsport/Stephens-poised-sign-Saints-help-Pilgrims/article-3401686-detail/article.html

 

The Saints are set to pay an initial £145,000 for the 17-year-old former Torpoint Community College student. That amount could eventually double in total, with add-ons based on first-team appearances and international call-ups for the youngster.

 

I think this is a really depressing development. I had just got used to the fact that we were closing down the Academy and shipping all our players out. It also seems very clear to me now that we've blown our total transfer budget for the summer bringing in a "might become a first team professional punt" I though those days had ended with Young St Juste & Simon Clifford.

 

But the most depressing is that it means that Glasgow's marvellous thread gets consigned to the dustbin far to early in it's lifecycle

 

Boo

 

 

And anyway, why do we need another fullback? FFS we've got hundreds of them around the place or out on loan at the moment

Link to comment
Share on other sites
thegaffer

thegaffer

Posted
Posted

Good to see Rod Ruddick back at the club. I think he was responsible for finding Gareth Bale. "Great credit must go to the team of staff who helped identify Jack's talent. The Club's Chief Youth Scout, Rod Ruddick, has been trailing him for over two years but it was the top class team of medical, fitness and academy staff that helped Jack to see his future here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Dibden Purlieu Saint

Dibden Purlieu Saint

Posted
Posted
Would it be difficult to have add ons being in administration as everything gets wiped off.

I know we had a few good ones lined up but the club cashed them in because of the fear of losing it all together.

 

I think the point is Plymouth will want all the money up front, there is no point them having add-ons in the situation they are in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Saint Charlie

Saint Charlie

Posted
Posted
So who's lying then? Our OS says it's a one off fee but Plymouth are saying it could double based on appearances etc.

Edit; nevermind, just saw that quote was from a Plymouth paper, not their official site.

 

Yes - their OS says undisclosed, whilst Saints have disclosed it as 150k. So their site is wrong, it clearly isn't undisclosed haha.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Matthew Le God

Matthew Le God

Posted
Posted
I notice he was subbed at half time against Huddersfield and has not played since. I wonder if Pilkington took him to peices, or was he perhaps injured?

 

He was playing in midfield for the first team. The Huddersfield vs Plymouth game was one where Plymouth went down to 9 men eventually (10 men after 9 minutes). It is not surprising you would take off a 16/17 year old when a man down away to Hudderfield at half time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...