Seymour Tottie

I was speaking with an ex season ticket holder who used to be home and away with his son. 2 weeks ago he travelled to Sunderland to watch Chelsea. When I asked why he didn't go to Saints anymore, he said that they hadn't set foot there after experiencing his sons time with Saints youth. He used to take up to 3 other lads to the games who now no longer go. This apparently is far from an isolated case. Speaking with local Sunday league coaches,they in the majority have a very similar view towards Saints, and of course this is dissipated throughout the local leagues youth. I have no doubt this is costing the club goodwill, and more importantly massive amounts of profit when calculated over years to come.

This can IMHO be described as great news for all local aspiring youth players, (Not TC,s ill health) It has been common knowledge for years that TC is of the opinion that local boys are not capable of achieving anything west coast boys can, and being an "Honourable Man" he will be the first to admit as much. I'm afraid that the results speak for themselves, and Alastair Stevensons results cannot be denied. Ex youth players, but more importantly, present youth players should be over the moon with these changes. Good luck Mr Stevenson, you are going to need it, you are going to have to use your new broom to change the old school attitudes which are currently poisoning the Saints Youth , and have cost the club dearly over recent years by turning away potential lifetime supporters.

http://www.setbb.com/newsyff/viewtopic.php?t=8348&mforum=newsyff Hope that link works, I'm not too good at that sort of thing. This is an example of just 3 recent successes, which possibly could lead to a future for these lads, all 3 are from Pro Youth Set ups. As it happens I do have plenty of experience with both Initiative, and Pro Youth clubs, and trust me Saints toss lads aside, just as much as other clubs. It isn't nice at any level. However if you were to ask any young player if they would rather be given the best possible chance To Succeed, by training, and playing at the highest possible level, I'm sure most would bite your hands off. I totally agree that A certain club (one side of the old firm) has a revolving door system in operation, however that particular team appears to achieve little results. But there are clubs who totally commit to their lads with sport science, and modern training systems, and they are definitely producing results.

Just because someone has the same coaching qualifications as another person' this does not mean that they are implemented in the same way. The fact remains that clubs in Scotland are producing players Who progress to achieve a successful career within the sport for many years to come, and also create revenue when they move on, yet I have seen nothing in recent years that even comes close at Saints, moving with the times is essential, and sticking with a system purely because it is cheap, or because someone is unwilling to implement changes is a blinkered approach, and they only have themselves to blame.

Time to retire, too old school, Saints Youth needs fresh blood across the board. Saints are the only SPL side who refuse to play in the Pro Youth system, apart from Ross County, and Dundee, as they are newly promoted. We continue to compete against the likes of Elgin, and Annan, and training perhaps twice a week at best, when Pro Youth clubs train 3 times a week, and consistently test themselves against the best that this country has to offer. We as a club have to man up, and step up to the plate, and be prepared to take on the best, and stop fooling ourselves that the boys are developing when they manage a win against the likes of Stranraer etc....

Let the lad leave, and gain a career in football, this is the only chance he has of achieving this. Staying at Saints will crush any real chance he has. Saints over recent years have given up too easily on local talent, and instead bring in has beens from outside. This saves on the expense of providing quality training, and investing in local talent.