Jake Richards

[Rosencrantz]

He has a maturity to his game beyond his years. When I saw him at Exmouth in the pre-season game playing with the young pro's and Kyle Taylor, he looked the most natural player on the pitch in ability and understanding.

 

[Hants_red]

I've amended the title

 

[SEA Grecian]

He was named as one of the first year scholars at the start of the season so almost certainly not in full time education. He was born on 8th August 2007 which means he was one of the youngest in his school year and is the youngest in the first year scholar group at City. His fifth form (year 11) in secondary school was last year and he would have taken his GCSE’s last May/June.

Thanks @DawlishBouy for yet again coming up with some really useful detail. It always used to be the case that people born early in the school year were more likely to develop into successful sportsman but luckily talent scouts seem to have become more nuanced and have started to look beyond physical development when looking for future potential. I think Archie was also born in August.

 

[Red Bill]

I don't think he can sign a pro contract until he has 17 but he can do what Sonny Cox and Harry Lee did at a similar age and make a public commitment to sign one at the first opportunity. Would be nice to see a bit more of him in our first team before he inevitably gets snapped up by a bigger team.

Got a feeling he turns 17 early season, maybe September? So not too long before he can sign a pro contract

 

[Ian Tarr]

Got a feeling he turns 17 early season, maybe September? So not too long before he can sign a pro contract

August 8th

 

[Colesman Ballz]

August 8th

A great day for a birthday !

 

[andrew p long]

Thanks @DawlishBouy for yet again coming up with some really useful detail. It always used to be the case that people born early in the school year were more likely to develop into successful sportsman but luckily talent scouts seem to have become more nuanced and have started to look beyond physical development when looking for future potential. I think Archie was also born in August.

Yep. Archie born 31 August.Matt Grimes a July birth.

The stats used to be stark. A quarter of English raised/educated professional footballers were born in September - so September births 3 times more likely to become professionals. And half in the first 4 months of the school year Sept-Dec.

It's very difficult because, whatever age group you use, an 11 month age differential at 8,9,10.. even 14,15,16 is massive. The fair way to do it would be for age groups to be what they say - ie U16 means still 15 or younger on the day of the match is played. That way everyone gets a spell of being the oldest and of being the youngest. An administrative nightmare though...

 

[tonykellowfan]

They can’t do that as teams would be constantly changing and their would be no continuity.

 

[andrew p long]

They can’t do that as teams would be constantly changing and their would be no continuity.

good preparation for League One then

 

[Red Bill]

August 8th

I was close!