Villa Reserves and Academy 2024/25 Season

[Smithy]

This is a bit annoying

Townley
#AVFC have so far made no progress in securing Rory Wilson's future on a new contract and now face losing the promising striker.

Many clubs are monitoring the 18yo's situation after he has scored 34 goals for Villa's U21s and U18s since joining from Rangers in 2022.

I suppose we cant complain too much, considering this is how we got him.

Personally, I would give him a deadline & if he hasn't signed then there is no more point us putting any more development money into him & let him run down his contract without our assistance.

I think we have to be careful here. This is the game we're playing now; some kids we will get for pennies, some kids we'll lose in a similar way.  But they ARE still kids, not fully grown first-team professionals. It's not like he's sitting in the stiffs on £50k a week waiting for a Bosman. How we treat young players like Rory Wilson will be seen by other promising 15/16-year-olds we might want to sign.  I want us to be seen as a good place for promising young players, where they'll get a chance, but where they'll also be looked after and not screwed over.

If he doesn't sign a new contract, then I've got no problem with us prioritising our other young players for places in the U21s games when they come up, but we should be respectful and continue developing him and coaching him precisely as we have been, without going over the top by giving him playing opportunities at an older level that could be given to players with a longer-term future here.

I hope he signs a new contract, but he'll be 19 in January, so should he not be looking at a lower-league loan by now? (Louie Barry was younger than Rory is now when he went to Ipswich on loan, and about Rory's age when he went to Swindon. Cam Archer had a first-team appearance and was at Solihull Moors at 18).  He's tall, so maybe he's taking a bit more time to develop physically?

Either way, his scoring record suggests he has ability (as does the quality of some of his goals that we've seen on highlights), so it would be great to get him signed up longer term.  But if he ultimately sees his future elsewhere, then so be it.  You can't win them all.

[Gareth]

This is a bit annoying

Townley
#AVFC have so far made no progress in securing Rory Wilson's future on a new contract and now face losing the promising striker.

Many clubs are monitoring the 18yo's situation after he has scored 34 goals for Villa's U21s and U18s since joining from Rangers in 2022.

I suppose we cant complain too much, considering this is how we got him.

Personally, I would give him a deadline & if he hasn't signed then there is no more point us putting any more development money into him & let him run down his contract without our assistance.

I think we have to be careful here. This is the game we're playing now; some kids we will get for pennies, some kids we'll lose in a similar way.  But they ARE still kids, not fully grown first-team professionals. It's not like he's sitting in the stiffs on £50k a week waiting for a Bosman. How we treat young players like Rory Wilson will be seen by other promising 15/16-year-olds we might want to sign.  I want us to be seen as a good place for promising young players, where they'll get a chance, but where they'll also be looked after and not screwed over.

If he doesn't sign a new contract, then I've got no problem with us prioritising our other young players for places in the U21s games when they come up, but we should be respectful and continue developing him and coaching him precisely as we have been, without going over the top by giving him playing opportunities at an older level that could be given to players with a longer-term future here.

I hope he signs a new contract, but he'll be 19 in January, so should he not be looking at a lower-league loan by now? (Louie Barry was younger than Rory is now when he went to Ipswich on loan, and about Rory's age when he went to Swindon. Cam Archer had a first-team appearance and was at Solihull Moors at 18).  He's tall, so maybe he's taking a bit more time to develop physically?

Either way, his scoring record suggests he has ability (as does the quality of some of his goals that we've seen on highlights), so it would be great to get him signed up longer term.  But if he ultimately sees his future elsewhere, then so be it.  You can't win them all.

Spot on

[PeterWithe]

I saw him 'in the flesh' in the Bham Senior Cup, good touch but didn't look anywhere near big and strong enough to play League football, in all he didn't really stand out and I was looking forward to seeing him as hes developed a good reputation.

[pablo_picasso]

This is a bit annoying

Townley
#AVFC have so far made no progress in securing Rory Wilson's future on a new contract and now face losing the promising striker.

Many clubs are monitoring the 18yo's situation after he has scored 34 goals for Villa's U21s and U18s since joining from Rangers in 2022.

I suppose we cant complain too much, considering this is how we got him.

Personally, I would give him a deadline & if he hasn't signed then there is no more point us putting any more development money into him & let him run down his contract without our assistance.

I think we have to be careful here. This is the game we're playing now; some kids we will get for pennies, some kids we'll lose in a similar way.  But they ARE still kids, not fully grown first-team professionals. It's not like he's sitting in the stiffs on £50k a week waiting for a Bosman. How we treat young players like Rory Wilson will be seen by other promising 15/16-year-olds we might want to sign.  I want us to be seen as a good place for promising young players, where they'll get a chance, but where they'll also be looked after and not screwed over.

If he doesn't sign a new contract, then I've got no problem with us prioritising our other young players for places in the U21s games when they come up, but we should be respectful and continue developing him and coaching him precisely as we have been, without going over the top by giving him playing opportunities at an older level that could be given to players with a longer-term future here.

I hope he signs a new contract, but he'll be 19 in January, so should he not be looking at a lower-league loan by now? (Louie Barry was younger than Rory is now when he went to Ipswich on loan, and about Rory's age when he went to Swindon. Cam Archer had a first-team appearance and was at Solihull Moors at 18).  He's tall, so maybe he's taking a bit more time to develop physically?

Either way, his scoring record suggests he has ability (as does the quality of some of his goals that we've seen on highlights), so it would be great to get him signed up longer term.  But if he ultimately sees his future elsewhere, then so be it.  You can't win them all.

Thats a fair enough post.

Im just a bit bitter about losing a talent.

But, I do recognise that we got him by him in the same way, so I shouldn't complain too much.

He may not have been sent out on loan yet because he hasn't signed a new deal.

But you are right, we should do right by him, without taking away opportunities for other young players who are sticking around, as a message to other youngsters potentially coming here that we look after our own so they will be in good hands.

Like I say, Im disappointed that he will be leaving as I think he has ability & potential. Even if he does still have some growing to do. Probably both physically & mentally.

[OCD]

It's the nature of youth football. We're recruiting a lot more that way than we're losing. As Smithy said, we can't afford to be seen as being petulant when we're in this position. Hopefully he signs, but if he doesn't, we have to wish him well and move onto the next one.

[pablo_picasso]

It's the nature of youth football. We're recruiting a lot more that way than we're losing. As Smithy said, we can't afford to be seen as being petulant when we're in this position. Hopefully he signs, but if he doesn't, we have to wish him well and move onto the next one.

Yeah, after putting aside the bitterness, I do agree with you both...

[Brazilian Villain]

Townley
#AVFC have so far made no progress in securing Rory Wilson's future on a new contract and now face losing the promising striker.

Many clubs are monitoring the 18yo's situation after he has scored 34 goals for Villa's U21s and U18s since joining from Rangers in 2022

If our new Scotland inspired third kit doesn't sway, nothing will.

[PeterWithesShin]

The odds are he'll be another Dan Crowley spending his peak years in division 4 rather than the next superstar. And even if he does make it we can hardly complain given the amount of young players we've poached from other clubs the last few years, including him.

[Dogtanian]

This is what happens when you serve cheap, supermarket’s own-brand shortbread in the canteen.

[cdbearsfan]

https://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague/news/0290-1b9998533f32-1a0fb4702fd4-1000--which-teams-are-in-the-2024-25-youth-league/

In case you can't be arsed to read all that, we are in the 36-team league stage. We will play six games, the same first six games the first team get in the Champions League.

There is one big league. All the top 22 progress where they join 10 winners from a best domestic (youth) champions section.

Straight knock-out from that point on. All one leg.

Semis and final all played at the same neutral venue.

Olympiacos won it last year.

[SaddVillan]

https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2024/august/30/rico-richards/

Rico Richsrds off to Port Vale on loan.

[villa `cross the mersey]

VCTM Jnr and myself are heading up to Fleetwood tonight - anyone else going ?

[simon ward 50]

VCTM Jnr and myself are heading up to Fleetwood tonight - anyone else going ?

Are you hoping to see Mings get some minutes?

[villa `cross the mersey]

VCTM Jnr and myself are heading up to Fleetwood tonight - anyone else going ?

Are you hoping to see Mings get some minutes?

That would be an added bonus - I am just hoping he is with the squad - he wrote to junior a couple of seasons ago after we had praised him for his stance against racism - we would like to thank him in person

Even if he is not there, it is an opportunity to see a team in Villa colours 

[Dogtanian]

I'm not going, but I will be watching from the comfort of my sofa.