Im presuming you live SE london/kent terry. If so, ignoring the pros and cons of arsenal academy versus ours, for a young lad whos gonna have to be balancing his football alongside school/socialising etc, and also for your sake who will doubtless be driving him to games etc, wouldnt charlton make a lot more sense? I know a couple of blokes from north london who played for charlton academy when they were growing up and that and they felt that the travelling, stress etc hindered them a bit.
My goddaughter is 8 and she has signed for Everton girls. Proper contract and everything and only allowed to switch teams during the transfer window?!!
Im going up next weekend to watch her play as they've got Man Utd away. Looking forward to it.
Is she John's daughter?
Yes she is. I doubt she would have been allowed to play for the other mob.
Im presuming you live SE london/kent terry. If so, ignoring the pros and cons of arsenal academy versus ours, for a young lad whos gonna have to be balancing his football alongside school/socialising etc, and also for your sake who will doubtless be driving him to games etc, wouldnt charlton make a lot more sense? I know a couple of blokes from north london who played for charlton academy when they were growing up and that and they felt that the travelling, stress etc hindered them a bit.
Spot on Paul!
We live in Belvedere so its a 35 mile round journey and over an hour traverling (depending on the tunnel)
So if we signed for Arsenal that would be training on Monday,Wendesday, Saturdays and playing Sunday they have said they will give us £200 per month petrol but its also the wear and tear of the car which we rely on for school runs etc etc!
Sparrows lane 14 mile round journey 40min there and back when you look at it like that its a no brainer!
Liam Brady was saying that they have boys come from all over Kent but then went on to say they were all massive Arsenal fans so in my eyes if Arsenal were wanting you and you was a surporter I would also travel?
If they moved the training ground a bit nearer the tunnel there wouldn't be a problem?
Id go for charlton mate. Im 26 and i still find football training a chore! Spending 2and a half hours in a car on a monday night after school to go and do drills etc is the sort of thing that could easily make a 10 or 11 ( or 15 for that matter) year old off football.
Our academy is decent and one of the plus sides of our much criticised and mysterious new board is that they seem keen to improve the academy, and obviously paul hart has a great rep for developing youngsters. I imagine he ll be as happy with us as anywhere else.
Id go for charlton mate. Im 26 and i still find football training a chore! Spending 2and a half hours in a car on a monday night after school to go and do drills etc is the sort of thing that could easily make a 10 or 11 ( or 15 for that matter) year old off football.
Our academy is decent and one of the plus sides of our much criticised and mysterious new board is that they seem keen to improve the academy, and obviously paul hart has a great rep for developing youngsters. I imagine he ll be as happy with us as anywhere else.
Paul Hart is always floating about but the main man down there at the moment is Paul Senior who has just come from Tottenham (He was Harry Redknapp right hand man there and at West Ham)
Like I said earlier on the pitch Charlton can match anyone from U9 to the U21s It is a great Academy to play for.
"Think about it Tel, who would you support your son or Charlton? If he goes north you will have to become a gooner!"
Guarantee it would be your son. My nephew was a local lad, his dad was a Charlton man but Billy Bonds persuaded him to go to West Ham as a youngster instead of Charlton. As third string left back and not likely to progress he went north and played against Charlton a few times and never lost. His dad used to say I hope it's a draw and you score son, but he would not miss his son playing home or away.
Having said that I believe Billy Bonds mum never missed a Charlton game at the valley.
Deffo Charlton, it's closer, it's your team, and his team, and our team, and our academy had 4 pro's named in the latest England squad, and we have class people like Paul Hart o help with his development
congrautlations to your son! good luck to him! didnt someone say on here recently that we have a real prospect on our hands in the academy whos really young? im sure someone mentioned him on here before and said he was unreal for his age...
My son was signed at Arsenal at 8 (as a goalie). They have wonderful facilities at their Hale End Training ground at Walthamstowe and the training was excellent, but I got the feeling that most of the kids there were just treated as consumables. Getting to Walthamstowe at least 4 time a week was tough as well (Goalies had GK training as well as squad). The head coach was a bloke called Carl, who had joined them from Charlton. What a complete dickhead. All of the other coaches were good though.
It's a wonderful experience for your lad, but please keep in mind that he's gone from 5000/1 of making it to a pro to 1000/1. I saw plenty of parents there who thaought they had made it only to get dropped the follwoing season.
My son was signed at Arsenal at 8 (as a goalie). They have wonderful facilities at their Hale End Training ground at Walthamstowe and the training was excellent, but I got the feeling that most of the kids there were just treated as consumables. Getting to Walthamstowe at least 4 time a week was tough as well (Goalies had GK training as well as squad). The head coach was a bloke called Carl, who had joined them from Charlton. What a complete dickhead. All of the other coaches were good though.
It's a wonderful experience for your lad, but please keep in mind that he's gone from 5000/1 of making it to a pro to 1000/1. I saw plenty of parents there who thaought they had made it only to get dropped the follwoing season.
Hopefully your lad will stay the course.
Cheers Pete. I know that Carl who you are talking about not really spoken to him like you say goalie coach!
Pete I know its very hard to stay the course and it would be a dream come true to play pro football for any club but like I say to everyone someone has to make it?
Terry well done to you and your son , hope he goes as far as he possibly can , hopefully he'll make it all the way to the top ... and play for Charlton :-0
Just make sure its not the be all and end all for him , as i know 2 lads who have been strung along and spat out , one at Charlton & one at Palace , it doesn't work out for everyone , make sure he has other interests and things to fall back on.
My goddaughter is 8 and she has signed for Everton girls. Proper contract and everything and only allowed to switch teams during the transfer window?!!
Im going up next weekend to watch her play as they've got Man Utd away. Looking forward to it.
Is she John's daughter?
Yes she is. I doubt she would have been allowed to play for the other mob.
Tell John, she must have got her skills from her mother.
Al mate really e joy reading about Alfie and his progress it must be a mad time for you
But you don't need telling feet in ground and all that bullshit both arsenal and charlton have very much the same to offer
When Alfie first showed potential I told you my feelings on the devils spawn that was Chelsea and to avoid like the plague my feelings on those filthy goonershite are clouded because they put a The I front of their name but I still think the telling piece is that bit about the pics on the wall
If Alfie continues to grow and progress he will out grow charlton And ala jonjo and Jenkins get a move before he reaches 20
He could end up like solly and end up at a club like charlton
Ultimately mate there's a long long way to go but me It would be cafc all day long because if he comes on like we all hope he will get a bite of the cherry to play in the development squads above his age with us and maybe ressies and first team
Where as they normally only take that 1 In a million to their team
Comments
Good luck to him where ever he decides to go
LOL very good!! Thanks mate
End of the day where ever he ends up will be mainly up to Alfie dont get me wrong I will have some input but its where he most happy?
We live in Belvedere so its a 35 mile round journey and over an hour traverling (depending on the tunnel)
So if we signed for Arsenal that would be training on Monday,Wendesday, Saturdays and playing Sunday they have said they will give us £200 per month petrol but its also the wear and tear of the car which we rely on for school runs etc etc!
Sparrows lane 14 mile round journey 40min there and back when you look at it like that its a no brainer!
Liam Brady was saying that they have boys come from all over Kent but then went on to say they were all massive Arsenal fans so in my eyes if Arsenal were wanting you and you was a surporter I would also travel?
If they moved the training ground a bit nearer the tunnel there wouldn't be a problem?
Our academy is decent and one of the plus sides of our much criticised and mysterious new board is that they seem keen to improve the academy, and obviously paul hart has a great rep for developing youngsters. I imagine he ll be as happy with us as anywhere else.
Like I said earlier on the pitch Charlton can match anyone from U9 to the U21s It is a great Academy to play for.
Very true mate!
;o)
Massively looking forward to him lifting the FA cup in a Charlton shirt.
Guarantee it would be your son.
My nephew was a local lad, his dad was a Charlton man but Billy Bonds persuaded him to go to West Ham as a youngster instead of Charlton. As third string left back and not likely to progress he went north and played against Charlton a few times and never lost. His dad used to say I hope it's a draw and you score son, but he would not miss his son playing home or away.
Having said that I believe Billy Bonds mum never missed a Charlton game at the valley.
Getting to Walthamstowe at least 4 time a week was tough as well (Goalies had GK training as well as squad).
The head coach was a bloke called Carl, who had joined them from Charlton. What a complete dickhead. All of the other coaches were good though.
It's a wonderful experience for your lad, but please keep in mind that he's gone from 5000/1 of making it to a pro to 1000/1. I saw plenty of parents there who thaought they had made it only to get dropped the follwoing season.
Hopefully your lad will stay the course.
Pete I know its very hard to stay the course and it would be a dream come true to play pro football for any club but like I say to everyone someone has to make it?
Cheers
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Are you on that crystal meth again? LOL
Just make sure its not the be all and end all for him , as i know 2 lads who have been strung along and spat out , one at Charlton & one at Palace , it doesn't work out for everyone , make sure he has other interests and things to fall back on.
I shall tell him next week.
His reply:
Johnnie Jackson @johnnie_jackson
@MiserableOlGit hahaha that is brilliant!....Brady's left foot wasn't too bad either!
But you don't need telling feet in ground and all that bullshit both arsenal and charlton have very much the same to offer
When Alfie first showed potential I told you my feelings on the devils spawn that was Chelsea and to avoid like the plague my feelings on those filthy goonershite are clouded because they put a The I front of their name but I still think the telling piece is that bit about the pics on the wall
If Alfie continues to grow and progress he will out grow charlton
And ala jonjo and Jenkins get a move before he reaches 20
He could end up like solly and end up at a club like charlton
Ultimately mate there's a long long way to go but me It would be cafc all day long because if he comes on like we all hope he will get a bite of the cherry to play in the development squads above his age with us and maybe ressies and first team
Where as they normally only take that 1 In a million to their team