Championship Minutes Play By 21-23 Year Olds

[Danny]

Not surprised we're top seeing as we have the youngest squad in the league. Not surprised Newcastle are up there seeing as they'll need the youth when they go back up. Didn't think Ipswich would be that high up.

Reading showing good signs for the future too.

[Smiley Culture]

Quite interesting that seven of the top twelve in that table you've attached are sides that currently occupy the bottom half of the table. Based on the table, I suppose there's an argument that experience gets you higher up the table, with only Newcastle and Reading being anomalies to that 'rule'. 

You could also make a case that the teams in the bottom half of the proper league table have less resources and financial power than some of the other names in this list so they 'blood' these youngsters as they're cheaper to buy, cheaper to pay and offer a potential profit, should they succeed at this level. 

 

[Danny]

Bar Newcastle there has to be a correlation between age and spending. It's also interesting to look at Brighton right at the bottom, they have an average squad age of 28, you could make an assumption that with their squad being the oldest in the league there is little room for growth in the Premier League and so their squad out of any would need more adjusting to stay up.

For ourselves, our average squad age is 24. We've had a mixed season and so are mid-table, but we've shown we have the ability to outplay or beat the bigger sides in this division, there was just a lack of consistency which can come with age. If we go out in the Summer and buy say 1 or 2 key players who can do damage in this division, I've no doubt we'll be fighting for promotion next season. We maybe 13 points off of the play-offs, but we're just 3 points off of 8th. Bar Newcastle, the only other side with a young squad and a positive league position this year are Leeds, which would indicate if they're still down here next season, there'll be will in it.

[Honey Honey]

That seems an odd age group cut off to use. Why did they not include players under 21?

If you have 3 first teamers who are 23 you will be at the very top of the pile. 

[Danny]

I have no idea, it's just the image that popped up.

[Stan]

Ipswich doesn't surprise me to be honest.

Mick McCarthy has been quite strong in his belief in youth at Ipswich and that's why they've perhaps not moved on further up the Championship. But to his credit, they've not got any worse and he's barely spent anything there as well. 

[Dave]

10 hours ago, Danny said:

Not surprised we're top seeing as we have the youngest squad in the league. Not surprised Newcastle are up there seeing as they'll need the youth when they go back up. Didn't think Ipswich would be that high up.

Reading showing good signs for the future too.

Ive done a lot of sad research in to Ipswich because of my football manager save and Marcus Evans is really one for pushing the principles laid down by club legends like Bobby Robson and Alf Ramsey when it comes to developing talent at the club and his ambition is for half the match squad to regularly consist of academy players. Literally everything I wanted Palace to be.