See the bit in red below.

Kai Hutchison, 15 years old, not even signed his first professional contract, paper talk that Wolves are in for him. Boy hasn't done his exams yet and his head is likely being turned, It doesn't add any value to the debate that the academy is bearing any real fruit.

You'd hope his parents would be advising him to stay put, learn his trade, but even the chance to go down there, at his young age, will likely bring riches and rewards that he'd get nowhere near even as a regular first teamer at us,

David_Blunkett wrote:

Yeah, was just in regard to the local lad did good kinda thing some folk seem to romanticise.

By the time a kid is good enough to play for our first team, they're already on the radar of bigger clubs, even Lewis Neilson, who was nowhere near ready to be a starter, his career has floundered, was spotted and picked up.

There has to be more to it that just cost.

Rules, regulations, grants, memberships, benefits etc all must play some sort of part as on the face of it, it certainly doesn't seem cost effective.

 

Last edited by David_Blunkett (16/1/2026 1:04 pm)

Its about time the laws surrounding this issue were looked at, smaller teams deserve a bit of protection. Maybe making larger fees compulsory just to ward off potential poachers?

Tek wrote:

David_Blunkett wrote:

See the bit in red below.

Kai Hutchison, 15 years old, not even signed his first professional contract, paper talk that Wolves are in for him. Boy hasn't done his exams yet and his head is likely being turned, It doesn't add any value to the debate that the academy is bearing any real fruit.


 

Going down to Wolves for a weeks trial.

Doubt we'll ever see him in a United shirt.
 

It’s like a revolving door with this nonsense.

Players are either down south without playing for the first team or spend their time at United out on loan to lower league sides.

Waste of money.

I see Chris Mochrie is keeping Stirton out of the Airdrie team as a No.9  😀

Arab99 wrote:

’ if you're expecting an academy to churn out loads of first team standard players you’re wide of the mark. 

 

Surely, that is exactly what it's whole purpose is?
 

LS Arab wrote:

We have made some decent money out of the academy. The rumours for what we got for Forbes and Kerr

It still allows us to find a gem we could not afford in transfer fees

Also I like seeing local lads in first team like SCH and Ross G

It is an important part of our identity and being part of local area too to be looking to bring on young talent

We can often pick up ok fees too. It comes close to paying for itself before considering the players we have we couldn’t buy elsewhere

 
I've posted this before, but I would love to see a P&L for the Academy.
I suspect at this time it's a loss maker.

Add to that the fact that funding from the Old Firm SFA is being cut in order to fund a new joint stadium for the Old Firm Ladies teams. Plus the rationale that we don't produce enough first team players.
That's what I read anyway, not certain if it's all true but it sounds highly likely doesn't it.

Despite the above comments I support the Academy but if I got my hands on it there would be a clearout and a new *direction.
As there would be with our medical team, our ground care team and most importantly our coaching team.

Now, where's that lottery ticket?

*we would stop producing 5 a side players and start producing athletes that are big, strong, and can play football.

Last edited by redford_must_score (Yesterday 1:32 am)