[Neil]

Have they been disbanded?

[Stable Lad]

What makes you think they have? Fixtures still on the FA site.

[Severnside]

I asked the same question months back Neil no promotion or news on any games, seems to have been since management sackings after the 12 point deduction for playing a suspended player.
They ARE playing games but strangely little news of games being pushed unlike the ladies team and even U18s?

[Daveangel]

I think I’m right in saying that all the homegrown talent that is breaking into the first team squad are doing so direct from a very good U18’s side. Maybe getting the best of the 18’s in training with the first team squad and loaned out to acclimatise to mens football is the way forward. Would certainly save a good deal of money.

[Severnside]

U18s?
So Dave are you saying the u21s aren't likely to be a way forward, and U18s then loan out and if good enough into the men's team, hence no u21s next season? As said u21s have had no exposure since Craig Robinson and Assistant was sacked.
My guess is to cut expenditure then having u21s AND u18s something had to give ( I noticed Kidderminster are bottom of the U21s just for interest )

[Daveangel]

I’ve no idea, and have no “inside info”
Just an observation that the likes of Jack Hill seem to have stepped straight up. I might even be wrong on that, as I don’t really see many games except the 1sts.

[Neil]

What makes you think they have? Fixtures still on the FA site.

Saw a tweet from Jack Spark last night.

He's pivotal really because with our lack of centre-halfs you'd think that calling him up would be the solution but someone said a while back that he wasn't good enough. With that in mind whats the point in having the team if the players aren't progressing to the first team?

[Lee]

A reserve team should be a midweek league so 1st team players can be included when they're coming back from injury or suspended so need game time. A Saturday morning side doesn't make sense to me

[Severnside]

It seems as if u21s are made up of players not good enough to have made it with other league clubs in the area who havent stepped up.
U18s progression through the youth team ranks and as said if we get one or two a season stepping up its job done ie Jack Hill.
Over half a dozen years we have a nucleus of local talent who aren't journey men.
One problem will be getting the best Gloucester talent with TWO division one sides likely next season within a 15 mile radius.

[Stable Lad]

They've 2 fixtures left on the FA site; both away from home. Even if they win both we cannot be better than where we are now which is 6th. Kiddy are last and not doing great but have played a fair few less games than some. With this sort of football though the dilemma is the balance between results and progressing players; sometimes you get both but not always. Finish last but end up with a player who steps up to the first team and that's probably more of a success for some clubs. For others its about winning.

The perpetual challenge for all football clubs (and indeed all of us in our own lives too) is how to get the best out of the limited budgets available. Like it or not it looks likely that all of us are going to see costs increase; and football clubs are not immune to this. So the question has to be whether spending on our own U21 side is seen to be the most or least likely to give us the best return for the funds available. There is, and always has been, a gap from the end of the U18's football for those who have a/ the talent and b/ the desire to push on in their football careers. Does having those players training with us but playing for the better quality local sides give a better return that running our own side? I guess that is pretty much the question that the Club must be asking; whatever they have decided to do.

If there are changes coming down stream for the U21's it would be nice to think that there will be some official confirmation of this.