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Graeme Murty


EBS1980
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He used to make a few references to still being involved in some form when I watched that late kick-off local league show a couple of times last season - certainly said 'we' when talking about Saints. I wouldn't know for certain though.

 

Yep get the feeling he has been involved in same way every since he got injuried under AP there have been refrences to him trainning with the team before.

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Find it slightly odd how he was captain at Reading for so many years, comes here and plays for barely half a season and now seems to have a real affinity with the club. Not knocking him in any way, I like him and i'm sure he can be useful to Saints, just find it a bit 'odd'

 

Personally I think it speaks volumes about our club.

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Isn't it just us that calls them the U21's? i think technically it's just our reserve team

Last year it was usually referred to as the development squad, but seems to be called the U21s on the OS. In any case, given the matches are all friendlies there are no set rules. Both teams today played several first-teamers. Does the Reserve League still exist? We withdrew a couple of years back, as did some of the PL teams, there seem to be even more teams now not playing competitive reserve team football.

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It was a friendly organised to give a few players a decent run out. That was why there were so many fringe players in - would not take too much notice of the U21 tag on this occassion. Good to see Murty becoming so attached to the club. He is definately a good influence around the place. don't think he is paid in any way though - he's just grateful to the club for helping him out as he tried to recovery from injury whilst out of contract. We did the same with Killer I recall.

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Last year it was usually referred to as the development squad, but seems to be called the U21s on the OS. In any case, given the matches are all friendlies there are no set rules. Both teams today played several first-teamers. Does the Reserve League still exist? We withdrew a couple of years back, as did some of the PL teams, there seem to be even more teams now not playing competitive reserve team football.

 

I think it does still exist but it tended to be a regional thing and nearly every club had a Reserve side. But it wasn't worthwhile for obvious financial considerations...SE Counties, Northern League etc,

 

....but Cortese didn't like the set-up that gave so few games over such a long season and the younger lads never got any consistancy when only playing once / twice a month if they were lucky. Good decision and such games can be arranged at short notice to give fringe / youth players an outing, and some valuable match practice for injured first-teamers on the way to full fitness.

Edited by david in sweden
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I think it does still exist but it tended to be a regional thing and nearly every club had a Reserve side. But it wasn't worthwhile for obvious financial considerations...SE Counties, Northern League etc,

 

....but Cortese didn't like the set-up that gave so few games over such a long season and the younger lads never got any consistancy when only playing once / twice a month if they were lucky. Good decision and such games can be arranged at short notice to give fringe / youth players an outing, and some valuable match practice for injured first-teamers on the way to full fitness.

I looked it up after I posted, this season the southern section (Football Combination) has 11 teams, including 2 non-league, split into 2 sections, north and south. Bit pathetic really, but reserve team football really does need some proper reorganisation. Even the Northern section is down to about 20 teams. The Premier Reserve league still has 16 teams.

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Spoke to him at my college, where he does some coaching and advising, back in March I think, and he said he's a youth team coach and helps out Doddsy with the under 18's. Really nice bloke. I had nothing to do with the sports bit but I had a Saints jacket on so he was happy to talk. Said Cortese doesn't deserve the stick he gets either as he was very kind to Murts in offering him to stay on after his injuries.

 

Despite loving it at Saints, he said Reading will always be his team which is fair enough.

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  • 2 weeks later...
How old is he now?

 

36.

 

Him playing today doesn't mean he is in line for a Saints return. The club could just be helping him back to fitness so that other clubs can have a look at him. Today's opposition Exeter perhaps?

 

Also' date=' do we have to register players to play for the under 21s or can anyone play?[/quote']

 

All they do is play friendlies and any player in the squad can play regardless of age. The under 21 title the team is given by the club is a little misleading as it serves two purposes, giving first team players game time and developing those too old for the under 18's, not yet first team players + the best of the under 18's.

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All they do is play friendlies and any player in the squad can play regardless of age.

Strictly speaking they don't even need to be in the squad to play in a friendly, we could give a run out to a triallist or an out of contract player. They could play me if they wanted, though I suspect they would not be that desparate.

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