Young Guns Blog by John Jones.
Daniel Barden (Norwich City)
Daniel
has represented Wales as both a schoolboy and U-17 international and
was an Arsenal player at that time. He signed for the club as a scholar
in 2017, making a half dozen appearances for their U-18 team last
season. He continued in that status this season, but with Arsenal having
a large contingent of young goalkeepers, Daniel has been allowed to
move on. Norwich were seemingly delighted to discover his availability
and have co-opted him into their U-18. He has been the regular choice
goalkeeper for the team since the start of the year and will be hoping
that as his time as a youth player comes to an end this season, an offer
of a professional contract to remain at the club will be made.
Bradley Gibbings, William Rickard and Jake Thomas (Swansea City)
Bradley
and William played for the Wales U-17 team earlier in the season, a
continuation of their national representative careers having previously
done so as schoolboys as well. They along with Jake were amongst the
intake of new scholars at the Liberty Stadium at the start of this
season. As the season has progressed, they have been involved in games
the Swansea U-18 team has played, all three having made appearances in
around half of those competed. It would be expected for them to have an
even more prominent role as team members during the next season,
especially if they are to establish themselves for a continuing career
in full time football.
Jack Madelin (Wimbledon)
A
constant member of the Wales schoolboy and U-17 teams during the past
couple of seasons, Jack is presently mostly involved with the Wimbledon
U-18 team, but has at times been included in the club’s U-23 squad for
their games as well. Certainly, a good achievement for a player
celebrating his 17th birthday this month, his aim will be to continue
gaining as much experience playing U-23 football in as quick a time
frame as possible, this making a probability of consideration for first
team football involvement a more likely event.
Ben Margetson and Sam Parsons (Cardiff City)
Two
players who have been involved with the Cardiff U-18 team this season
and both have played in more than half of their games. Sam is a first
year scholar at the club and will surely be an important part of the
U-18 squad next season. Ben is in the second year of his scholarship and
so his time in youth football will end in the coming weeks. He has
played a half dozen games for the U-23 team recently as the club assess
the feasibility of him being successful at that level. There is quite a
large group of players who have done well in the youth team but are now
completing their time at that level. A club decision to retain their
services will be needed for them to continue employment at Cardiff
beyond this season.
Lewis Reed (Ipswich Town)
A first
year scholar at Portman Road, Lewis has been restricted to just 1
appearance for the club’s U-18 team this season along with some game
occasions when he has spent time on the bench. The Ipswich U-18 team has
had a very successful season having already secured a place in the top
two in the south division and are quite likely to become champions. With
quite a few regular members of the team completing their time in the
youth programme at the end of the season, Lewis will be hoping to
feature more prominently for the team next season, as he embarks on his
second year of full time football. He is the grandson of Billy Reed, a
player who represented the Wales senior team a couple of times in the
fifties.
Callum Watts (Southampton)
Recently called up
from the standby list to join up with the national U-19 squad, Callum
continued the progression of representing Wales having already done so
as both a schoolboy and U-17 international. A first year scholar, he has
been increasingly involved in U-18 games during the second half of the
season after being used on only a few occasions in the early months.
With another season remaining in his eligibility, he will hope to build
on the experience gained in this one in order to become a more regular
member of the team. This would also aid his cause toward further
participation in games played by the Wales national teams. He will, I am
sure, be working hard to find improvements in his game, making those
possibilities a more likely event.
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