Development/Youth Squads 2025/2026 Thread - U18/U21

[South Shire Fox]

1 minute ago, Aleksz said:

Serious question, is Cartwright a better prospect than Page? I know Cartwright is starting to put something together but Page looks miles the better prospect to me?

Pages ceiling is miles higher. Id be amazed if Cartwright plays more then 5 games for us

[ramadaone]

2 minutes ago, Aleksz said:

Serious question, is Cartwright a better prospect than Page? I know Cartwright is starting to put something together but Page looks miles the better prospect to me?

I just picked 2 random players as an example and probably didn't do a very good job as they don't even play in the same position although they are all midfielders of sorts

 

[Aleksz]

3 minutes ago, South Shire Fox said:

Pages ceiling is miles higher. Id be amazed if Cartwright plays more then 5 games for us

Agreed hence why I raised eyebrows at the statement because I know Rama knows his stuff re: the academy. I do appreciate things have started to click with Cartwright over the last 12 months, but from what I’ve watched of Page both club and internationally he’s absolutely mustard.

Edited 7 July 2025 by Aleksz
Just seen Rama’s post above.

[ramadaone]

2 minutes ago, South Shire Fox said:

Pages ceiling is miles higher. Id be amazed if Cartwright plays more then 5 games for us

Totally agree and Motsi has an even higher ceiling

[Aleksz]

Motsi will be our youngest ever player I’m pretty sure if he stays that long.

[Foxes96]

Page looks to have a much higher ceiling compared to Cartwright. 
 

Much like Tavares looked a much better prospect than KDH at youth level… 

 

 

[TommyK]

2 minutes ago, Aleksz said:

Motsi will be our youngest ever player I’m pretty sure if he stays that long.

How old is he now?

[Ric Flair]

5 minutes ago, ramadaone said:

Totally agree and Motsi has an even higher ceiling

My understanding is Page isn't a lost cause on signing a deal here and hopefully gets done? I was concerned Monga and Evans were getting all the exposure back end of last season but the one player who gets England U17 recognition in a very talented crop even got demoted back to the U18s. Hope that doesn't come back to bite us.

 

 

[honeybradger]

4 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

My understanding is Page isn't a lost cause on signing a deal here and hopefully gets done? I was concerned Monga and Evans were getting all the exposure back end of last season but the one player who gets England U17 recognition in a very talented crop even got demoted back to the U18s. Hope that doesn't come back to bite us.

 

 

If i remember correctly our U21s were on an undefeated run with Page in the side as well, then Golding came back and Page got demoted (as well as Monga and Evans getting first team minutes) and the u21s started struggling.

 

It does make you worry about Golding as at 19 years of age and £5mil he very much does still look like a youth player whilst Page at 16 plays like a proper professional.

[UniFox21]

28 minutes ago, honeybradger said:

If i remember correctly our U21s were on an undefeated run with Page in the side as well, then Golding came back and Page got demoted (as well as Monga and Evans getting first team minutes) and the u21s started struggling.

 

It does make you worry about Golding as at 19 years of age and £5mil he very much does still look like a youth player whilst Page at 16 plays like a proper professional.

Golding was clearly a PSR fiddle

[Lambert09]

1 hour ago, UniFox21 said:

Golding was clearly a PSR fiddle

Curious to see if that price tag will help his career or hinder it.

 

Northampton will feel very lucky to kick him up on a free in 4 years 

[Merchant_Banker]

52 minutes ago, Lambert09 said:

Curious to see if that price tag will help his career or hinder it.

 

Northampton will feel very lucky to kick him up on a free in 4 years 

I only watched the match on Youtube, but he seemed the least impressive of the young players on display.

[FoxesTez]

8 hours ago, Merchant_Banker said:

I only watched the match on Youtube, but he seemed the least impressive of the young players on display.

I’d agree with this, but he also played in the poorer of the two sides. You’d also say on that showing that Silko was better than Evans, for example. 

[justfoxes]

It’s a shame Page won’t sign a professional contract with us looks a decent prospect there’s another one slipping through the net !

[Chelmofox]

1 minute ago, justfoxes said:

It’s a shame Page won’t sign a professional contract with us looks a decent prospect there’s another one slipping through the net !

I thought it was cleared up that they are still negotiating. 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

3 minutes ago, justfoxes said:

It’s a shame Page won’t sign a professional contract with us looks a decent prospect there’s another one slipping through the net !

He's cleared up that he's negotiating, not rejecting entirely. Probably the same with Evans. 

[justfoxes]

1 minute ago, Chelmofox said:

I thought it was cleared up that they are still negotiating. 

I hope so because the lad looks a proper handful and would be great in the Championship, just hope that was just a misprint on sky ?

[ramadaone]

U21's lost 1 nil against Lincoln today in behind closed doors friendly

 

[happy85]

Page still has 2 years left on his scholarship deal so won't be going anywhere soon but won't be in rush to sign a pro deal until to see his pathway to 1st team

[Merchant_Banker]

5 minutes ago, ramadaone said:

U21's lost 1 nil against Lincoln today in behind closed doors friendly

 

Were the youngsters from Saturday in the team? If not, who?

[Lesta2014]

2 hours ago, ramadaone said:

U21's lost 1 nil against Lincoln today in behind closed doors friendly

 

Any idea who played? 

[FerrisBueller]

Liked by Monga, some daft account I don’t follow but I don’t like the sentiment.

[lcfc sheff]

45 minutes ago, FerrisBueller said:

Liked by Monga, some daft account I don’t follow but I don’t like the sentiment.

Didn’t say anything new 

[honeybradger]

9 hours ago, FerrisBueller said:

Liked by Monga, some daft account I don’t follow but I don’t like the sentiment.

To be fair the likes of Monga and Page train with the 'senior pros' every week and are likely sat there thinking 'these guys are nothing special, how come they are guaranteed regular first team minutes whereas im of a similar level or better now as a young teen and im only promised a future pathway to minutes'.

[Ryy]

13 hours ago, Lesta2014 said:

Any idea who played? 

All I know is Cover