Reserves or Development Squad

[VectisSaint]

I haven't seen anything yet that confirms one way or the other whether we will enter the Premier Reserve League next season. Saints seem to prefer the approach of not committing to reserve team football. We are not alone in that view, there were only 16 teams last season, and all three relegated teams were involved so numbers could be as low as 13 this coming term. There are moves afoot to restructure the Reserve League next season (2013-14) but it would be interesting to know, from the point of view of having players available what is our strategy this season. I guess the fixtures will be out soon and we will know. In the meantime here is an article about Spuds who were one of the teams that went the same route as us, and now may be re-considering whether the experiment has worked.

http://www.footballfancast.com/2012/06/football-blogs/is-it-time-for-tottenham-to-contemplate-a-return

[Crazy Diamond]

A lot of clubs are following suit and ditching the reserves. Burnley did it the other week, in favour of the developmental squad. I think it's the future, personally. The fact that clubs choose their own opponents, dates and times etc, helps out a great deal I would imagine.

[VectisSaint]

A lot of clubs are following suit and ditching the reserves. Burnley did it the other week, in favour of the developmental squad. I think it's the future, personally. The fact that clubs choose their own opponents, dates and times etc, helps out a great deal I would imagine.

Its true that some clubs were following suit, but it seems that at least one of the clubs that we "followed" (Tottenham) with the benefit of more experience than us with having a Prem League squad are re-considering because they are finding that the opposition that they can find is not up to the standard they perhaps expected and it is not helping them get their fringe players prepared for introduction into the prem league. I can see it is a bit different in the lower leasgues, where the standard of opposition in the Combination is quite awful (even some non-league teams competing). There are also other considerations for smaller clubs, not least cost which may make them take the decision not to run a reserve team. But is playing against Hoddle's academy really the right preparation for fringe players? Still it will be interesting to see if we have entered or not, I'd like to know when the fixtures come out, because it would impact what we need to sign to support a reserve team.