The future for Stoke..

[Slother]

Shawcross was made club captain at the age of 22. With regard to Man Utd's youth set-up, TP said: “I have to say, you look at the players we have taken who were at Manchester United as young players, and their attitudes are absolutely fantastic,” said Pulis. “We’ve got Danny Pugh, Danny Higginbotham and Shawcross and they are absolutely great lads – it is testament to the way Manchester United bring their kids up."

Adrian Pennock has said: "Tony will play young players if they're good enough and they deserve a chance. The training facilities are improving and the first team is in the Premier League, so the future is bright."

Which is as it should be. I've no doubt that the academy was, and is, currently woeful. But it's hardly unusual for a club which was recently where ours was and in the past three years it seems like a tremendous amount of effort has gone into laying the foundations for a much better setup.

Like I say, I do concede to the superior knowledge of others but have faith that things are being put right and would call for a little patience.

[Bayernoatcake]

We only got one of them as a "kid" though and that "kid" was 6ft4" and growing.


They can say all they want but the overwhelming evidence not from the man himself or his mate Pennock is that young players especially ones from our academy don't get a fair crack of the whip under Pulis.

As for things being put right, we employed a bloke in the most important role at the academy who didn't have the right qualifications for the job! ;D As of yet, nobody else has been employed in that most important role. That should tell You how things are being put right.

[PenkhullStokie]

Well today I've found out that for 6 weeks, we've had a new Academy manager.

Tony Pulis' mate Sam Ellis. Just doing him a favour apparently.

Shows how much respect Pulis has for it.


In other news, we're back in a reserve league.
Burton Albion
Derby County
Nottingham Forest
Port Vale
Sheffield United
Stoke City
Walsall

In the central league. Good news.