As nice as it would be to have another fans forum or something similar (if anyone would turn up if another matter) we don't need to rely on an out and out statement as to why we've not bought multiple players per season. The following posts from the recruitment thread a few weeks back, and the recent announcement about the new shares etc should go some way to explaining it. We have a longer term plan.

Exactly, we could easily splash the cash on big named players, but in the long term the policy of recruiting from within will almost certainly pay off with the quality of players we are bringing in

What people are suggesting is that we should accept that this season has always been planned to be a write off aimed at bringing through the next generation successfully. Fine, I can accept that. But then how are going to cope with next season when we'll have four or five fewer senior players? Okay we write that season off as a transition phase too? How long does this barren spell last according to this planning? It should be noted that not all young players turn into good senior players. I'd be amazed if any more than one or two of the current crop amount to anything of international quality in the long term.

Is it not a more likely scenario that we are one of the clubs being chased for millions by HMRC and as a result we've had to cut the wage bill considerably?

Let's face it, the club has over-achieved this season. With the reliance on youth we've done exceedingly well to top the league for the percentage of the season so far and we've pretty much walked into the Semi's of the CC Cup, yet some 'fans' still aren't happy.

If the fans have this attitude, the club won't go anywhere. They'll be wanting Potter out come the end of the season if we don't win anything, and that narrow minded, idiotic, dumb view of things would be a total travesty.

Christ! I'm not saying we should sign 5 or 6 world class players!

I'm saying over last year and next we have lost fozzard, talau, scully, longy, cayless and gilmour.

We have signed tony p and got 1 coming in next year.

I understand the likes of graham, clough and other young lads will get better wages as they become regular 1st team players.

The players who have left or are leaving are very highly payed players. So either we got cash to spend or these kids are being well paid.

On the youth policy I agree that's the best way to go with all new overseas regulation in place.

These kids need to be playing with older guys for them to develop.

IMO recruiting from within the club is all well and good if that's the way saints are going but I hope sir mac understands them money paying trips to wembley and old Trafford may be put on hold for 3-4 years while they develop.

It would make sense to have a blend of youth and the older guys.

some fans are already calling for his head. I'm not 1 of them.

Potter got tough job on his hands and is doing ok.

Just hope the fans can see this isn't the team we had 3,4,5 years ago which was full of superstars.

I imagine it will be because a majority of the fans will have been brought to Saints during the SL period. It's only right that if all you know is success, failing will turn them off and make them revolt/complain.

Hopefully they'll start to see the bigger picture soon though.

No. No-one has said this season is to be a write-off. It has been planned, yes, but not as a write-off. The club was quite open about its policy when it recruited Potter and McManus has spoken about it a couple of times since. But that doesn't equate to a write-off. If anything is going to write this season off for Saints it will be the injuries, not the young players or the transition between the old team and the new.

I think it will probably take two or three seasons to fully integrate our new players with our more experienced ones, assuming our more experienced players stay around.


So far, I don't think any of them have done a thing wrong. This core group will be added to and subtracted from, as necessary. But for now they are all looking good. Some are looking extremely good.

Id agree with what saintsfan says.

We have a good starting 17 that IMO is best starting 17 in super league.

We also got some great young kids in eastmond, wheeler and lomax.

The problem is when we have to play to many youngsters together in the team due to players out injured.

That's why 2 more forwards are needed for next season.

I don't think it helps these kids plaing in a team with regular 1st teamers out.

But if sir mac says we can't afford to bring players in then that's how it is, we just gotta get on with it and cheer the young lads on no
matter what happens.

Bring back Smith and Moore!

Anyone think this could be because AP isn't around anymore and they're not as well conditioned or just pure bad luck?

it's just bad luck.

Broken bones like longy and roby are just part and parcel of the game.

Can't do anything about mumps either.

Isn't Matty smith injured too?

Throw the towel in

You have some good young players who will get a chance to shine and a chance for the team to dig ind show some spirit.

100% pure bad luck, AP didnt increase the bone strength I think.

It's the sweet potatoes. He had the sweetest of them all.

Tarot root, I went from 7" to 8.2"

Was that you left or right ear?

Do you think it helped them last week against Wire? Had we ran that penalty and scored against Wakey, would it have helped them then?

Young players don't have to win every match to improve. They were still playing in a team packed with internationals like Wellens/Gidley/Meli/Pryce/Graham/Roby/Wilkin.

It rained, we struggled without halves, and we lost due to goalkicking. It will have done the young lads no harm whatsoever.

Actually, I think the club could do something about mumps. Most people Eastmond's age were given the MMR vaccine to protect against mumps. The association of that vaccine with autistic spectrum conditions(shown to have been erroneous) has reduced take-up and allowed both mumps and measles to spread in the population. Given that Long had mumps a couple of seasons ago, perhaps the club should make sure that all young players have been vaccinated before they start to play regularly in the first team.