Here's a question ...

[Copps is Magic]

Let's say in the last 19/20 years (since the conference)

Have there been more (and better quality) players born in Doncaster emerge at other clubs or more players who've come through our academy/youth (born anywhere) and made it to a decent level?

I am sure this forum could collectively list and compare all players in either category... Not intended necessarily as a critique.

[DN8ROVER]

Danny Rose born Doncaster, played for Leeds Academy before signing for Tottenham

[BillyStubbsTears]

1) I'm sure it's the former.

2) I'm not sure what smaller clubs can do about it given that the larger clubs vacuum up talent nationwide. Perhaps give up and end our academy? I suspect the cost-benefit, in financial terms is horrendously negative over the past two decades.

[Copps is Magic]

Aah .. went a googled it. Don't know if this page is up to date but lists our academy products who've made league appearances (in England). Don't see James Husband, didn't he have a year or two in our academy?

https://www.transfermarkt.com/doncaster-rovers/jugendarbeit/verein/2454

[Canadian Rover]

Alex Mowatt & Cairns

[RobbieDRFC]

Jerry Yates - Blackpool striker I believe was born in Doncaster and a rovers fan but ended up at Rotherham and scored a few for Blackpool when they were promoted from league one.

[Bessie Red]

Kevin Keegan probably the most successful!

[BillyStubbsTears]

Aah .. went a googled it. Don't know if this page is up to date but lists our academy products who've made league appearances (in England). Don't see James Husband, didn't he have a year or two in our academy?

https://www.transfermarkt.com/doncaster-rovers/jugendarbeit/verein/2454

I guess it depends what you mean by "made it to a decent level". I'd take it to mean "Was a reasonably regularly first choice player in a Tier 1-5 side over at least 2 seasons."

From that link, Griffiths and Mandeville fit that. Middleton and Lund...at a push. That's about it, given that Green was pre Conf promotion.

[Branton Rover]

Green was born in pontefract whereas Rick Ravenhill was Askern born and bred.

[DonnyOsmond]

Yates Brown
Mowatt
Rose ------------- Ravenhill
Hird
Williams Latibeaudiere Butler Holgate
Cairns

Took some liberties with some positions!

Start of a bench -
Bobby Carroll
Baxendale
Rankine
Callum Nicell

[Chris Black come back]

Darius Henderson. Joined Reading academy from Rovers as a junior.

[sedwardsdrfc]

More have come through other clubs to play at a better level for sure. Recently we've had a few come through at DRFC to get contracts at pro level (Mandeville, Amos, Horton). We are slowly getting better end results from the academy.

A few years ago i did think maybe we should cut our losses and invest the money in a proper U21 side made up of released players from the top teams and non league prospects. I still think that's a good way to feed the senior squad but given we're slowly getting better it'd be criminal to stop now.

[Canadian Rover]

Green was born in pontefract whereas Rick Ravenhill was Askern born and bred.

Adwick/Woodlands not Askern

[DonnyOsmond]

Green was born in pontefract whereas Rick Ravenhill was Askern born and bred.

Adwick/Woodlands not Askern

It's all the same over that side of the bridge if we're honest with ourselves.

[Copps is Magic]

Some from Askern don't even consider themselves part of Donny. You give them a little lake and look what happens.

[DearneValleyRover]

Some from Askern don't even consider themselves part of Donny. You give them a little lake and look what happens.

Somebody nicked the boats

[Branton Rover]

Sam Hird was from Norton I think too

[drfchound]

Mark Atkins from Hatfield.

[Ronnie Dovers]

I think if you take local pride/'one of our own' out of the equation and think about things completely rationally, totally scrapping the academy system and looking to mop up released 16-20 year olds from top level academies for our U18/U23 sides would be a significantly more cost and result effective system than what we currently have.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

But the club is focussed on local pride and young local kids enjoying their sport.  That's infinitely more important than other things.

Not many lower league clubs have successfull youth setups, even some tier 1-2 clubs have given it up.  The big clubs particularly with PL money will always win out. Locally it's hard to compete with leeds' model of signing tonnes of kids for each age.  It does get results but nobody thinks about the hundreds and thousands ultimately tossed away like commodities. I'm glad we don't have that culture.

[Campsall rover]

Sam Hird was from Norton I think too

Campsall thankyou.
Lived in the next house to the bottom of our garden.

He played for Norton United boys football team.

[Sammy Chung was King]

Usually unless the kid or their family support our club, then they will choose one of these other sides. The only way we can get some of those players to join us instead, is if we build a reputation as a club that gives young players opportunities.
It’s tough because every professional club the priority is winning games.

A manager will do what’s needed to keep his job. There aren’t many around brave enough, to keep playing a young player, when there is an established player he can just put in, and he knows he can do the job. Crewe were a club known for giving opportunities to younger players rather than buying all the time.

[Donnywolf]

Some from Askern don't even consider themselves part of Donny. You give them a little lake and look what happens.

Somebody nicked the boats

Ha ha ... however they have new ones now ! Also Carp fishing and a decent Cafe

Ask-ern you will receive

[Monkcaster_Rover]

Callum Howe is a Donny boy. Solihull Centre half.

[PDX_Rover]

Mark Atkins from Hatfield.

Played with him for Hatfield Chace under 15s and 16s. He was streets ahead. Man playing alongside boys really.

[elmsallrover]

Some from Askern don't even consider themselves part of Donny. You give them a little lake and look what happens.

Somebody nicked the boats

asken full of duck shit

[EasyforDennis]

Askern is a suburb of Leeds isn't it?

[BahrainRover]

Joel Latibeaudiere, Nutwell Lane, Armthorpe. Leeds Academy/Man City Academy/Man City now with Swansea. Went with us to Cardiff for the JPT as a nipper.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Liam Lawrence was from Retford. Not donny but it should be an area we see as fertile ground for DRFC