The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2024/25

[Royals and Racers]

Several PL 2 matches have been played since the draw with Sunderland and as a result top 16 is now out of reach, however 17th-24th is near enough assured with just the home match v Derby at the SCL on Monday 13th April still to come.This means entry into the new end of season comp against the top 8 in the PDL ( Cat 2).
There will be a gap following our last league match as the PDL do not finish their fixtures until 21st April.

[Clyde1998]

Several PL 2 matches have been played since the draw with Sunderland and as a result top 16 is now out of reach, however 17th-24th is near enough assured with just the home match v Derby at the SCL on Monday 13th April still to come.This means entry into the new end of season comp against the top 8 in the PDL ( Cat 2).
There will be a gap following our last league match as the PDL do not finish their fixtures until 21st April.

We've definitely qualified for the Category Two competition, due to some sides below us playing each other. I think everyone from Newcastle (23rd) upwards is guaranteed to finish within the top twenty-four now for the same reason.

I think only Sheffield United and Brentford have definitely qualified from Category Two.

[Royals and Racers]

Joe Barough’s season on loan at Basingstoke is over as he has suffered a hamstring injury.

[morganb]

Reece Evans joins Torquay on loan until the end of the season.

Scored his first goal for Torquay yesterday

[Royals and Racers]

Found it at last on Wikipedia !!!!
Man Utd v Real Madrid
Everton v Borussia Dortmund
Dinamo Zagreb v Valencia

Dates for PL International Cup QF matches
Crystal Palace v Real Sociedad on Wednesday 18th March
Everton v Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday 18th March
Man Utd v Real Madrid Tuesday 7th April
Dinamo Zagreb v Valencia Wednesday 15th April at Aldershot FC KO 7pm

Tonight’s results
Crystal Palace 0 Real Sociedad 3
Everton 0 Borussia Dortmund 2

Man Utd 2 Real Madrid 4
Disastrous year for English teams !!
All 4 semi finalists are European teams.

[Royals and Racers]

Next up for the U 18’s Saturday 11th April away to Norwich City KO 11am. The match is at the Norwich FC training centre.
The U 21’s play their final regular season game at the SCL stadium on Monday 13th April v Derby County KO 7pm.

[Royals and Racers]

Several PL 2 matches have been played since the draw with Sunderland and as a result top 16 is now out of reach, however 17th-24th is near enough assured with just the home match v Derby at the SCL on Monday 13th April still to come.This means entry into the new end of season comp against the top 8 in the PDL ( Cat 2).
There will be a gap following our last league match as the PDL do not finish their fixtures until 21st April.

We've definitely qualified for the Category Two competition, due to some sides below us playing each other. I think everyone from Newcastle (23rd) upwards is guaranteed to finish within the top twenty-four now for the same reason.

I think only Sheffield United and Brentford have definitely qualified from Category Two.

Still 23 matches to be played in the PDL before 21st April , but more top 8 finishers guaranteed. Bournemouth and Peterborough added to make 4 out of the 8

[Royals and Racers]

Yensu
Zie
Cliff
Coffey
Neptune
Irish
Lewis
R Beacroft
L Omoregie
Adjei
Lonmeni
SUBS
Rose
S Omoregie
Doy
Jubilee Ntege

Norwich 0 Reading 1 37 mins OG
H-T 0-1
1-1 58 mins
2-1 62 mins
2-2 67 mins Adjei
F-T 2-2

[Royals and Racers]

Stevens
Osho
Abrefa
Spencer
Duah
Sackey
Hicks
Howard
Patton
Bowdery
Coke-Miles-Smith
SUBS
Welland
Harrison
Saint-Louis
Lonmeni
Jones

[Royals and Racers]

Stevens
Osho
Abrefa
Spencer
Duah
Sackey
Hicks
Howard
Patton
Bowdery
Coke-Miles-Smith
SUBS
Welland
Harrison
Saint-Louis
Lonmeni
Jones

1-0 21 mins Howard
1-1 39 mins
H-T 1-1
2-1 56 mins Patton
Derby down to 10 77 mins
3-1 79 mins Hicks
4-1 89 mins Patton
F-T 4-1
Howard good game- improving quickly.
Patton led the line well.
I am going to make a bold prediction that 2 others will be future first team players in the near future. Captain Philip Duah and mid-fielder Carter Bowdery.
That’s the finish of our regular season and currently we lie in 18th and possibly could finish 20th.
Bring on the new end of season competition.
The PL 2 not so good teams v the PDL top dogs

Attendance given as 69 which presumably is paying customers because more than that in the stadium.
Reading FC are to blame for that attendance - no preview whatsoever pre-match, yet posted the team on X bang on 6pm and then nothing after- sad to have to say but the media team at Reading FC are pathetic towards the Academy.

[Clyde1998]

Stevens
Osho
Abrefa
Spencer
Duah
Sackey
Hicks
Howard
Patton
Bowdery
Coke-Miles-Smith
SUBS
Welland
Harrison
Saint-Louis
Lonmeni
Jones

1-0 21 mins Howard
1-1 39 mins
H-T 1-1
2-1 56 mins Patton
Derby down to 10 77 mins
3-1 79 mins Hicks
4-1 89 mins Patton
F-T 4-1
Howard good game- improving quickly.
Patton led the line well.
I am going to make a bold prediction that 2 others will be future first team players in the near future. Captain Philip Duah and mid-fielder Carter Bowdery.
That’s the finish of our regular season and currently we lie in 18th and possibly could finish 20th.
Bring on the new end of season competition.
The PL 2 not so good teams v the PDL top dogs

Attendance given as 69 which presumably is paying customers because more than that in the stadium.
Reading FC are to blame for that attendance - no preview whatsoever pre-match, yet posted the team on X bang on 6pm and then nothing after- sad to have to say but the media team at Reading FC are pathetic towards the Academy.

Good performance tonight. Derby aren't the greatest side at this level though.

Thought it was worth mentioning Jerae Jones who looked likely when he came on. Shame his goal was disallowed: a good strike from about twenty yards after cutting in from the right. Perhaps Patton was in an offside position and was blocking the goalkeepers view?

Agree the club's attitude to the development teams has been shocking. Why even bother holding the game at the stadium if you're not going to mention the game happening?

The Category 2 play-offs will be interesting:

• Category 1 teams: Stoke or Middlesbrough; Nottm Forest; Reading; Newcastle; Wolves; Everton; Norwich; Derby
• Category 2 teams: Brentford; Sheff Utd; Bournemouth; Peterborough; and four of: Huddersfield; Swansea; Watford; Charlton; Cardiff; Barnsley; and Hull

[Royals and Racers]

An example of a Professional football clubs CAT 1 Academy match reporting .
Everything one would wish in a report. RFC are miles away from that.
https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2026/a ... s-success/

[Royals and Racers]

Stevens
Osho
Abrefa
Spencer
Duah
Sackey
Hicks
Howard
Patton
Bowdery
Coke-Miles-Smith
SUBS
Welland
Harrison
Saint-Louis
Lonmeni
Jones

1-0 21 mins Howard
1-1 39 mins
H-T 1-1
2-1 56 mins Patton
Derby down to 10 77 mins
3-1 79 mins Hicks
4-1 89 mins Patton
F-T 4-1
Howard good game- improving quickly.
Patton led the line well.
I am going to make a bold prediction that 2 others will be future first team players in the near future. Captain Philip Duah and mid-fielder Carter Bowdery.
That’s the finish of our regular season and currently we lie in 18th and possibly could finish 20th.
Bring on the new end of season competition.
The PL 2 not so good teams v the PDL top dogs

Attendance given as 69 which presumably is paying customers because more than that in the stadium.
Reading FC are to blame for that attendance - no preview whatsoever pre-match, yet posted the team on X bang on 6pm and then nothing after- sad to have to say but the media team at Reading FC are pathetic towards the Academy.

Good performance tonight. Derby aren't the greatest side at this level though.

Thought it was worth mentioning Jerae Jones who looked likely when he came on. Shame his goal was disallowed: a good strike from about twenty yards after cutting in from the right. Perhaps Patton was in an offside position and was blocking the goalkeepers view?

Agree the club's attitude to the development teams has been shocking. Why even bother holding the game at the stadium if you're not going to mention the game happening?

The Category 2 play-offs will be interesting:

• Category 1 teams: Stoke or Middlesbrough; Nottm Forest; Reading; Newcastle; Wolves; Everton; Norwich; Derby
• Category 2 teams: Brentford; Sheff Utd; Bournemouth; Peterborough; and four of: Huddersfield; Swansea; Watford; Charlton; Cardiff; Barnsley; and Hull

After yesterday’s PDL fixtures Swansea and Huddersfield qualified. Barnsley and Hull can’t.

[Royals and Racers]

Dates for PL International Cup QF matches
Crystal Palace v Real Sociedad on Wednesday 18th March
Everton v Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday 18th March
Man Utd v Real Madrid Tuesday 7th April
Dinamo Zagreb v Valencia Wednesday 15th April at Aldershot FC KO 7pm

Tonight’s results
Crystal Palace 0 Real Sociedad 3
Everton 0 Borussia Dortmund 2

Man Utd 2 Real Madrid 4
Disastrous year for English teams !!
All 4 semi finalists are European teams.

Going to Aldershot tonight, hopefully 2 good teams with plenty of goals.
2 semi’s with the 4 European teams will also be played on neutral grounds in England.

[Sutekh]

Tonight’s results
Crystal Palace 0 Real Sociedad 3
Everton 0 Borussia Dortmund 2

Man Utd 2 Real Madrid 4
Disastrous year for English teams !!
All 4 semi finalists are European teams.

Going to Aldershot tonight, hopefully 2 good teams with plenty of goals.
2 semi’s with the 4 European teams will also be played on neutral grounds in England.

In this competition, why do the European clubs have to travel to England while the English clubs don’t have to travel to Europe to play these games? Are the PL paying the European club’s travel expenses just to get experience for the youngsters?

[Esteban]

An example of a Professional football clubs CAT 1 Academy match reporting .
Everything one would wish in a report. RFC are miles away from that.
https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2026/a ... s-success/

Might I suggest that you contact the club and offer to cover at least the home games for them? I know you do a lot of travel to various games at all levels and if it weren't for you, I don't think we'd know half as much about the Academy as we do.

The club have invited fan-driven podcast hosts to cover first team games this season, so they could well be open to the idea.

[Royals and Racers]

An example of a Professional football clubs CAT 1 Academy match reporting .
Everything one would wish in a report. RFC are miles away from that.
https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2026/a ... s-success/

Might I suggest that you contact the club and offer to cover at least the home games for them? I know you do a lot of travel to various games at all levels and if it weren't for you, I don't think we'd know half as much about the Academy as we do.

The club have invited fan-driven podcast hosts to cover first team games this season, so they could well be open to the idea.

To long in the tooth sadly to consider- happy doing my bit here. There is so much more the club should be doing, it’s so erratic what they do- one minute they are all over a match the next not a mention whatsoever- just plain amateurish.

[Royals and Racers]

Man Utd 2 Real Madrid 4
Disastrous year for English teams !!
All 4 semi finalists are European teams.

Going to Aldershot tonight, hopefully 2 good teams with plenty of goals.
2 semi’s with the 4 European teams will also be played on neutral grounds in England.

In this competition, why do the European clubs have to travel to England while the English clubs don’t have to travel to Europe to play these games? Are the PL paying the European club’s travel expenses just to get experience for the youngsters?

The European teams seem happy with the arrangement and not the same 16 every season. Yes i’m sure they are not out of pocket doing the comp. Might ask tonight if anyone speaks English- my Croatian and Spanish leaves a lot to be desired

[Sutekh]

Going to Aldershot tonight, hopefully 2 good teams with plenty of goals.
2 semi’s with the 4 European teams will also be played on neutral grounds in England.

In this competition, why do the European clubs have to travel to England while the English clubs don’t have to travel to Europe to play these games? Are the PL paying the European club’s travel expenses just to get experience for the youngsters?

The European teams seem happy with the arrangement and not the same 16 every season. Yes i’m sure they are not out of pocket doing the comp. Might ask tonight if anyone speaks English- my Croatian and Spanish leaves a lot to be desired

Thanks! I hope Reading can get back to playing these games soon.

[Royals and Racers]

In this competition, why do the European clubs have to travel to England while the English clubs don’t have to travel to Europe to play these games? Are the PL paying the European club’s travel expenses just to get experience for the youngsters?

The European teams seem happy with the arrangement and not the same 16 every season. Yes i’m sure they are not out of pocket doing the comp. Might ask tonight if anyone speaks English- my Croatian and Spanish leaves a lot to be desired

Thanks! I hope Reading can get back to playing these games soon.

If only we had made a better start to the season we would be in it next season. Just 3 points shy of qualifying.