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Ending over a decade’s association with various Bristol Rovers teams was the consequence of defender Luca Hoole’s (2002) decision to join Shrewsbury Town in the summer. Making his first team debut as a seventeen year old, he went on to accumulate just over a century of appearances before closing that chapter of his career with the Pirates. He has settled well into his new surrounds, established himself as a fixture in the team and is quickly becoming a fan favourite at the Shrews. His only game time missed, was a result of selection for the Wales U-21 team during the recent international break. He made his Wales debut when playing for the U-19 team during the 2019/20 season and his cap collection now contains ten awarded for his inclusion in the U-21 team over the last couple of seasons. He will be looking forward to the next game which will determine whether qualification for next summer’s finals is to be realized.
    
Another player quickly amassing an impressive club appearances total is Crewe Alexandra defender Zac Williams (2004) and it is expected he will eclipse the century mark in the coming weeks. Previously on the club’s books as a schoolboy associate, football became his fulltime occupation when he became a scholar with Crewe at the start of the 2021/22 season impressing enough to be included on the bench for the penultimate league game played. He made his first team debut some three months or so into the following season and quickly established himself as a regular in the team. He has remained a regular selection since that time and but for some lengthy absences due to injury and recovery issues would have easily surpassed that century appearance mark by now. Zac has played for Wales teams throughout the age groups up to U-19 levels. There has been no selection for a U-21 squad as yet, but I am sure that it is only a matter of time until that is no longer the case and further ahead may come inclusion in the senior squad. Another player who has been at Crewe for numerous years, progressing through the academy teams and as a scholar, is first year professional Calum Agius (2005). Calum is a winger and has ten first team appearances, mostly in EFL Trophy matches. He is very much on the fringe of first team involvement with a good amount of bench appearances and will certainly be working hard on his game as he tries to persuade management that he is worthy of more playing minutes. Missing out on opportunities to represent Wales for the younger age group teams when covid restrictions postponed matches, Calum has played for the national U-18 and U-19 teams during the last couple of seasons.

Attacking midfielder Tom Hill (2002) began his time as a scholar with Liverpool at the start of the 20019/20 season and by its completion was receiving a good amount of attention as being a player with a very bright future ahead of him. He played for the U-18 team early in the season and impressed the coaching staff enough for him to be given quite a few assignments playing for the U-21 team as it progressed. He also managed to make his first team debut when the club elected to play what was in essence the reserve team in a quarter final EFL Cup tie due to the first team being simultaneously involved in a FIFA club tournament. Even so, it was quite an accolade for him to be selected at such an early stage in his career. The start of the following season proved to be a disastrous time for him, when he suffered a severe injury which required two years of rehabilitation to overcome. Last season Tom returned to competitive action for the U-21 team and this season he has been a regular selection for the team in its early games. With a bit of deserved luck, he will get an uninterrupted run of games, giving him the opportunity to again make a big impression with the coaching staff and develop a good career in the game. Had covid not caused the disruption of football, Tom may well have been selected for the Wales U-17 squad, but his name was not forgotten by the national coaches as he eventually gained that first cap when playing for the U-21’s last season. Second year professional Terence Miles (2004) has also had a regular place in the Liverpool U-21 team this season. A defender, who has been utilized both centrally and on either side of the back line, he progressed through the academy and youth teams before attaining his present status in the summer of 2023. Coveted by both the Welsh and English national selectors as a schoolboy, he played in three games for the England U-18 team in 2021. Last season he was selected for the Wales U-21 squad making his debut for the team when playing a game in the spring.
    
A lengthy association with Arsenal teams came to an end for forward Mathaeus Roberts (2004) when the club decided to release him at the completion of his scholar contract in the summer of 2023. A short period of being a free agent ended when Ipswich Town signed him to become a member of their U-21 squad soon after the start of last season. He quickly established himself with a regular place in their development team, eventually totaling a couple of dozen appearances and contributing eight goals for them. Again, a regular in the team this season, he has continued the scoring trend with four in a half dozen games played. Mathaeus has represented Wales as an U-16 and U-18 international player.
    
Congratulations to Joe Hatch (2006), who made his first team debut for Plymouth Argyle in this week’s Championship match. Mentioned a couple of weeks ago for his scoring exploits, Joe continued his run with four in the next two matches. Rewarded with a place on the bench for that league match, he was introduced onto the field for the last minute and added time in the game. Amongst those four goals scored was a hattrick when a young Plymouth side secured a Devon Challenge Cup win. An assist for one of those goals was provided by Fletcher Poole (2007) who joined the Pilgrims in the latter part of last season, having previously had an affiliation with Derby County. Midfielder Fletcher has been a regular member of Plymouth’s U-18 team since that time.

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Two more goals scored at the weekend by Gabriele Biancheri (2006) for the Manchester United U-18’s provides him with the excellent statistics of a total of eight in the five league and cup games he has played for the team this season. Gabriele began his scoring exploits in U-18 football when doing so for Cardiff City, initially in a game three seasons ago and then with four in five games the following season. At that point he was a schoolboy affiliate with the club’s academy and undoubtedly caught the notice of other team scouts. United were successful in their pursuit for his signature after negotiations with the Bluebirds for his transfer. He joined them toward the end of the 2022/23 season playing in one U-18 game, also scoring on his debut. He began his time as a scholar at the start of last season, appeared in a total of twenty six U-18 matches, his total of seventeen goals scored making him second top scorer and just one behind the leader. He also played a couple of games for the U-21 team and scored twice for them. He has made a substitute appearance for the team this season with another goal to his credit for them. It seems likely that he will be selected increasingly for U-21 duty as the season progresses. According to some speculative comments recently, it is not only the development team coaching staff, but also those involved with the first team, who are impressed with his quality and assessment for possible involvement with that team are in discussion. Gabriele also displays his scoring prowess when on international duty, doing so when with the U-19’s playing a couple of friendly matches during the international break. He was a member of the 2022/23 U-17’s squad who successfully qualified and then took part in that season’s UEFA finals and the group will soon begin the task with the U-19’s aiming to repeat the successes of two seasons ago. I believe that there is a good possibility for them to reach the finals this season. The squad contains very talented individuals in all positions and is supplemented by an excellent strength in depth, to such an extent that some good players will suffer the disappointment of omission when selection is announced.

Also credited with scoring a brace at the weekend was Brighton and Hove Albion U-18’s forward Joe Belmont (2006), taking his tally for the season to five in six games. Obviously in good form this season, it continues from his achievements in the last one when he was joint top scorer for the team with ten in the couple of dozen appearances accumulated. That was in fact his first season at the club, having accepted an offer to become a scholar with them after previously being a member of Liverpool’s academy teams. Joe has played for Wales at both U-15 and U-17 levels and may have a larger collection of caps had injury not intervened and caused some unavailability. Another member of Brighton’s U-18 squad this season is Joe’s fellow forward Adam Brett (2007). He is a first year scholar, having previously been a member of their academy teams. Adam has played regularly for the Wales U-16 and U-17 teams and was an important member of the U-17’s that emulated the previous season’s attendance of the finals competition during the summer.
    
Premier League club Brentford’s somewhat unique methods have been credited with securing promotion and then a maintenance of status in the top tier. The use of a B team format is one facet of their development system, and a member of that squad is centre forward Iwan Morgan (2006). Signed from Swansea in the summer of 2023, the club were specific that it was done so to employ him as a B team player even though he was eligible for another season of U-18 football. Obviously identified as a potential future first team player, Iwan does seem to be on track to reach the goal. He has successfully met the challenge of B team football to an extent that he was included on the bench for their second round Carabao Cup tie. Undoubtedly it is a very big step to get regular first team squad involvement, but the signs are positive that he is making progress in that direction. Iwan is another who was involved with the U-17’s in 2022/23 and continues to represent Wales with the U-19’s this season. Alongside Iwan in the B team squad is midfielder, Riley Owen (2005), also signed by the club prior to the start of last season. Previously with Tottenham Hotspurs as an academy player and then a scholar, the Bees quickly signed him once his availability was announced. He has also fulfilled Brentford’s expectations as a B team player and was another incorporated in pre-season first team preparations.

It was very encouraging to see attacking midfielder Oliver Bostock (2007) get thirty minutes or so playing time when introduced as a substitute for the West Bromwich Albion U-18 team at the weekend. A second year scholar with Albion, he was prominently involved in the first team as they tuned up for the season and played their preparation matches. Unfortunately, an injury sustained toward the end of that time has rendered him unavailable until now. He will be hoping that he can quickly reestablish himself, exhibiting the qualities that saw him feature in those summer matches. It does seem that I will be mentioning him again in the coming weeks when I have cause to congratulate him on making his first team debut. Playing alongside Ollie in the U-18 game was defender Rhys Morrish (2007) as he continued the trend of playing every minute of the team’s games so far this season. He is also a second year scholar at the club and played in almost a couple of dozen games for the U-18’s last season. Both these young men were important contributors to the successes enjoyed by the U-17’s last season and I’m sure will be doing so in future for other Wales national teams.

[ photo embedded from FAW cymru ]