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I think our youth academy was poor in the McPherson era, and the players produced reflected that. Our move to our new facility raised the barrier in all aspects of youth development, hence a better quality of player is being produced. We are currently reaping the rewards of the investment into Ralston.

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there was no macpherson' era youth policy! The youth system today is the same as it was back then!

mcginn, naismith, Kelly & McLean were already with us before ralston!

the manager has nothing to do with the youth system - and that's the way it should be!

as Stuart Dickson points out, we have a lack of scouts. All longwell does is hope to pick up old firm rejects.

in the golden eras of years gone by we had scouts like jack Gilmour (stewarts uncle) and maxie gray who helped find all the greats from Gordon mcqueen to frank mcgarvey to Paul lambert, etc

these guys had guys working for them and loads of contacts.

things have changed considerably since then and clubs snap up players from very young ages, but we just don't have the scouts

the other drawback is that other clubs have ex pros in charge and ex pros as coaches. We don't. It puts players and parents off.

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Can't get my head round the critics on this thread the people running the club more than most would love to see millions coming through the door. That would lead the club not being for sale I would think. From the videos the under 20s are being coached the right way. Hold on to the ball make space and go for goal it's how it's done on the continent and why they have much more success than we do at international level. Keep up the great work.

you cam have the best coaching in the world and best facilities

but if you struggle to attract pr find players, wot is the point?

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the captain is right you know look at the Chelsea manager he has so many medals as a top player at the highest level ! These critics are probably back seat drivers who know everything but never passed a test. It's not the youth coach who makes up the contracts. There has been a few gems came through the ranks in recent years. Everyone knows this was one of Gus"es weak points , meaning giving youth a chance.

which gems did gus fail to give a chance to?

the fact is that gus had to operate with a severe lack of young talent!

?

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which gems did gus fail to give a chance to?

the fact is that gus had to operate with a severe lack of young talent!

?

Gus ignored the talent that was in front of his nose. He preferred to bring in old pro,s just to keep his job. If you bothered to check out the kids that have/are coming through you would know this. But you prefer to moan why do you bother "supporting"saints
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Gus ignored the talent that was in front of his nose. He preferred to bring in old pro,s just to keep his job. If you bothered to check out the kids that have/are coming through you would know this. But you prefer to moan why do you bother "supporting"saints

name these kids that he ignored then...
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I think the point is that they never became anything because they never got the chance, do you really think McLean, McGinn, Naismith or Kelly would be the same players if they were left in the under 20s and then dumped on the scrapheap?

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I think the point is that they never became anything because they never got the chance, do you really think McLean, McGinn, Naismith or Kelly would be the same players if they were left in the under 20s and then dumped on the scrapheap?

If they shone for the U20's and didn't get a chance with St Mirren then surely they'd be picked up by someone else or at least get games further down the leagues.

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I remember hearing about Andy Millen chatting to some young pro-youth guys when he was still assistant manager.

Talking about players struggling to find clubs if they'd been released at pro-youth, he said "Last season, 20% of released players managed to find a new club - that's a third of all players released." :rolleyes:

What's he even up to these days?

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I think the point is that they never became anything because they never got the chance, do you really think McLean, McGinn, Naismith or Kelly would be the same players if they were left in the under 20s and then dumped on the scrapheap?

They would have got other clubs surely if they were good enough?

Chris Smith, John Baird, Craig Molloy, David McKenna, Ryan McCay, Scott Gemmill, Mark Docherty, Stuart Burns, Connor Ramsay.

Indeed, I think that Ramsay may even have been the youngest player ever to feature in the top flight for St. Mirren in our entire history.

That's 9 kids that got their first team debuts under Gus Macpherson.

Of them, John Baird was brought to the club by Andy Millen. David Barron arrived from Partick Thistle. Its only really Stephen McGinn who has gone on to do anything in the game (albeit that Barron might have done but for his injuries).

Which of the rest really stood out for you and looked like they would go on to do something?

Gus Macpherson was manager for 5 and a half seasons. With the players he was given by Longwell he was effectively working with a hand tied behind his back.

Stephen McGinn arrived at the club late in his development via a boys club. He didn't go all the way through the "academy". Gus saw his potential early on and had in the first team at a young age.

I seem to remember guys like Charlie Adam, Kirk Broadfoot and Scott Cuthbert all being mainstays when they were at Saints so not giving youth a chance wasn't the issue. The issue is that the youth coming through wasn't very good!

We've had some better success recently with McLean, McGinn, Naismith & Kelly. Looking at the list of players that Gus Mapherson used in the first team in his time, I have no doubt he would have used these 4.

But is this return good enough after a decade in charge? And Kenny McLean is a product of Longwell's policy of sniffing about Old Firm rejects rather than getting out there scouting!

Look at the transfer fees that Dundee United have brought in in recent years by selling young players. What transfer fees have we received?

Edited by Isabella Duke
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Gus ignored the talent that was in front of his nose. He preferred to bring in old pro,s just to keep his job. If you bothered to check out the kids that have/are coming through you would know this. But you prefer to moan why do you bother "supporting"saints

name these kids that he ignored then...

I had a feeling it would be a long wait....

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They would have got other clubs surely if they were good enough?

Chris Smith, John Baird, Craig Molloy, David McKenna, Ryan McCay, Scott Gemmill, Mark Docherty, Stuart Burns, Connor Ramsay.

Indeed, I think that Ramsay may even have been the youngest player ever to feature in the top flight for St. Mirren in our entire history.

That's 9 kids that got their first team debuts under Gus Macpherson.

Of them, John Baird was brought to the club by Andy Millen. David Barron arrived from Partick Thistle. Its only really Stephen McGinn who has gone on to do anything in the game (albeit that Barron might have done but for his injuries).

Which of the rest really stood out for you and looked like they would go on to do something?

Gus Macpherson was manager for 5 and a half seasons. With the players he was given by Longwell he was effectively working with a hand tied behind his back.

Stephen McGinn arrived at the club late in his development via a boys club. He didn't go all the way through the "academy". Gus saw his potential early on and had in the first team at a young age.

I seem to remember guys like Charlie Adam, Kirk Broadfoot and Scott Cuthbert all being mainstays when they were at Saints so not giving youth a chance wasn't the issue. The issue is that the youth coming through wasn't very good!

We've had some better success recently with McLean, McGinn, Naismith & Kelly. Looking at the list of players that Gus Mapherson used in the first team in his time, I have no doubt he would have used these 4.

But is this return good enough after a decade in charge? And Kenny McLean is a product of Longwell's policy of sniffing about Old Firm rejects rather than getting out there scouting!

Look at the transfer fees that Dundee United have brought in in recent years by selling young players. What transfer fees have we received?

Can't agree about McLean,he was out the door under Gus

But agree the scouting is a joke especially the Paisley and District area going by personal experience

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