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

[Ryy]

15 year old Motsi coming on 

[Noahfence]

Where does Motsi play? 

[davieG]

They should learn a lot from this 

[Reginaldo]

Just now, Noahfence said:

Where does Motsi play? 

Braintree presently

[Reginaldo]

Some decent players. Impressed by the ball playing centre back especially

[Ric Flair]

11 minutes ago, Noahfence said:

Where does Motsi play? 

Behind the striker

[lcfc sheff]

great experience for Motsi!

[lanefox]

Flash score has Alpha Diallo as a 32 year old

[ALC Fox]

Quite an entertaining game in the end and some very encouraging performances from a load of players stepping up.

 

Poor Chris Popov can't buy a goal though. It's that old cliché of him needing one to go in off his backside. Some of his hold-up play and pressing was very good though, and he took up some good positions.

 

Fisken had a brilliant first half, but does look very raw. Neale looks quite cultured but Onanaye looks like he could be a Rolls Royce. Briggs looked fantastic at times and Lawrence and Hutchinson both had good moments when they came on.

 

Motsi looked really positive and tried to do things when he came off the bench, and Gray looked very composed at the back for most of the game. A defeat but one for the players to take a lot of positives from.

[Ryy]

Highlights for those that missed it 

 

 

[Holly B]

13 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Unfamiliar with Christian Boothe, not sure if he's a new recruit or up from the U16s.

 

Damian Machaka one to watch this season like Motsi.

Christian been there since he was 8

Machaka is not remotely in the same league as Motsi unfortunately 

[Ric Flair]

23 minutes ago, Holly B said:

Christian been there since he was 8

Machaka is not remotely in the same league as Motsi unfortunately 

How would you rate Motsi's ability and potential with Monga? Crazy we've two within a year of one another. Fingers crossed it pans out the way we hope with them.

[davieG]

With a bit more luck and improved finishing, unsurprisingly like the the 1st team we could have drawn or even won.

[Noahfence]

We should have been 2 up quite early on 

[davieG]

https://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/sport/football/falkirk-fc/leicester-city-henry-cartwright-family-feeling-falkirk-scottish-football-celtic-5270169

 

Falkirk FC
Leicester City loanee Henry Cartwright on 'family feeling' Falkirk, Scottish football and Celtic trip
Ben Kearney
By Ben Kearney
Sports Reporter

Published 13th Aug 2025, 14:52 BST

Leicester City loanee Henry Cartwright on family feel at Falkirk, his Scottish Premiership impressions and how Bairns combat Celtic.
Henry Cartwright says he has been struck by the friendly feel to life at Falkirk as he settles in to life in Scotland having joined the Bairns on a season-long loan deal from Leicester City.

The 20-year-old joined John McGlynn’s team last month having been a long-term target for the boss - who believes that the midfielder brings a different dimension to Falkirk’s options in the middle of the park.

So far, the Englishman has played in all six of the Bairns’ competitive matches, but he’s only started once against Queen’s Park in the Premier Sports Cup. And Cartwright is hoping that his second start comes on Friday night in the came competition when Falkirk travel to Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic in the round of 16.

Celtic game was first Falkirk impression
“The 5-2 game last year at Celtic was the first Falkirk game I watched,” Cartwright revealed. “After my first chat with the gaffer (John McGlynn) that was the game that came up on YouTube first. I was straight on to see what they were all about. And I was impressed. Since joining, that’s the one thing I have noticed about the gaffer for sure - the respect he commands from everyone. He knows what he is doing and he knows what he is talking about.

“I’ve loved it so far. It’s not been long so far but I have my little bungalow round the corner from the stadium and I am learning all the time. The fans are brilliant. The lads are all sound. I get on really well with Alfie (Agyeman). The gaffer and coaching team are great. I didn’t know too much about Falkirk - I had heard of them though!

“What has struck me is how much of a club it is. That sounds silly but I mean it in like a wholesome way, the club feels like a big family. I think that is something quite normal in Scotland but certainly at Falkirk it feels very family-friendly and everyone knows everyone. The fans are really emotional but they back you and you don’t mind taking a bit from them if they are giving you so much.”

Henry Cartwright darts past former Falkirk player Craig Sibbald during the Bairns' 2-2 draw with Dundee United
Henry Cartwright darts past former Falkirk player Craig Sibbald during the Bairns' 2-2 draw with Dundee United | (Photo: Michael Gillen)
The Bairns have drew 2-2 with European representatives Dundee United and lost 3-1 at former Championship foes Livingston so far this term. And reviewing the Premiership’s qualities - Cartwright reckons that the division is even tougher than he first expected it would be.

“I knew that the standard would be good up here, from every team,” he said. “But I have been impressed. The thing that struck was was the physical aspect. And I don’t just mean like big guys. It is the running. The distances you need to cover is miles apart from what I used to playing Premier League 2. I’m fit and can get around the pitch but here it is intense all the day, you can’t stop or slow down for one minute. I try to control the game. I’m more of a defensive player than an attacking one. My main attribute is my fitness and my passing range. I think my intensity and press is good so that does help.”

Cartwright will wait for his Falkirk chance
Ahead of Friday’s trip to Celtic Park, Cartwright says he is happy to wait for his chance to start, even if that doesn’t come along tomorrow night. The midfielder has had limited time on the pitch - but he has impressed the Falkirk fans so far.

He said: “I’ve just got to session by session, game by game and take it from there. I need to show what I can do when I do get on the pitch. I might get my chance against Celtic, it might be the next week, it might be six weeks, I just need to be ready for that moment. I don’t mind being patient. I never thought that I’d walk into the team, guys like Brad (Spencer) and Dylan (Tait) have been top players here for a while.

“Celtic are a top side. We just need to do our thing and trust our processes. We will take the game to them when we can. We won’t change the game that we play. Last season the guys were in the league down and managed to compete for 70-odd minutes and gave them a real scare I think.”

[Lambert09]

I’m curious about those who watched monga in the youth teams a lot, what’s his crossing and finishing actually like? 
 

It’s very easy to be blinkered by his unreal ability on the ball but I (and I’m sure many) have no idea if crossing and finishing is actually a strength of his? Seems decent so far along with his judgement but let’s say he didn’t have the ability to walk it to the box, is he able to whip a ball from deep onto someone’s head? Can he pull out a cut in and bend into the corner from outside the box, like we see with fats and stephy on occasions? 

Edited 13 August 2025 by Lambert09

[lcfc sheff]

2 hours ago, Lambert09 said:

I’m curious about those who watched monga in the youth teams a lot, what’s his crossing and finishing actually like? 
 

It’s very easy to be blinkered by his unreal ability on the ball but I (and I’m sure many) have no idea if crossing and finishing is actually a strength of his? Seems decent so far along with his judgement but let’s say he didn’t have the ability to walk it to the box, is he able to whip a ball from deep onto someone’s head? Can he pull out a cut in and bend into the corner from outside the box, like we see with fats and stephy on occasions? 

He has risen through the ranks so quickly I think it could be another season or two till many goals or assists become part of his game. 

[studentofthegame]

Great to see 7 academy graduates starting with another 3 on the bench tonight

 

A bit concerned about the lack of Evans, shocked he isn't even on the bench 

[Will1981]

9 minutes ago, studentofthegame said:

Great to see 7 academy graduates starting with another 3 on the bench tonight

 

A bit concerned about the lack of Evans, shocked he isn't even on the bench 

He should have played yesterday, same with Sammy.

[Ric Flair]

18 minutes ago, studentofthegame said:

Great to see 7 academy graduates starting with another 3 on the bench tonight

 

A bit concerned about the lack of Evans, shocked he isn't even on the bench 

Whilst I don't wish injury on players, I hope he has a minor knock rather than not been included of late. Not been overly impressive this pre-season compared to Monga, Aluko, Page and Alves so perhaps we have deemed him not ready but we have to make sure he's shown the pathway to the 1st team.

[honeybradger]

17 minutes ago, studentofthegame said:

Great to see 7 academy graduates starting with another 3 on the bench tonight

 

A bit concerned about the lack of Evans, shocked he isn't even on the bench 

Evans is gone most likely.

 

Hopefully not as he's one of the best talents we've produced in my opinion.

[Jimmy]

I'd think Evans must have a knock or something he was used more than Silko Thomas all pre season no reason he'd have jumped ahead of him now

[Smooch85]

Evans squad number speaks volumes. Id be surprised if he’s here at the end of the month. Don’t think his agent is really helping his cause!

[Ryy]

U18 to play Fulham: Marson, Aideed, Diallo, Toko, Daniels, Lawrence, Trialist A, Carr, Motsi,  Owusu, Hutchinson 

 

Bench: Trialist B, Stretton, Manyumba, Taylor-Fletcher, Trialist C

[Ric Flair]

1-1 at the min, Riley Carr with our goal