Albion let four more go

9:30am Wednesday 9th May 2012 in Albion By Brian Owen

Mitch Walker is one of four young players released by Albion Mitch Walker is one of four young players released by Albion

Albion have told four members of their development squad they have no future with the club.

Ryan Simmonds, Jamie Strong, Mitch Walker and Leon Redwood have all been released.

It is a second such setback for wideman Simmonds, who was let go by Aston Villa after skippering them to the FA Youth Cup final two years ago.

Goalkeeper Walker is the only member of the quartet to have played first team football for the Seagulls.

Development squad coach Luke Williams is convinced they can still make a living out of the game.

Williams said: “They have been very professional and I would be very surprised if they don’t go on to get a club at some level in the professional footballing pyramid.

“They are very good players and all have a future in the game.”

Walker’s only appearance was on the final day of the 2009-10 season.

No decision has yet been announced on a further five out-of-contract development squad players. They include defender Grant Hall, who started both FA Cup ties against Wrexham last season.

Comments(29)

Cabin fever says...
9:43am Wed 9 May 12

This will please Zamora25...

Good luck to all of them as they try and get new clubs.

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Camicus says...
10:00am Wed 9 May 12

Looks like they are freeing up a chunk of the wages bill.

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HOVEPARKRESIDENT says...
10:08am Wed 9 May 12

Camicus wrote:
Looks like they are freeing up a chunk of the wages bill.
Yeh, those four are gonna save at least a fiver a week on the wage bill!

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albionfan33 says...
10:18am Wed 9 May 12

Cabin fever wrote:
This will please Zamora25...

Good luck to all of them as they try and get new clubs.
he wont be that happy at least another 10 gone b4 he smiles, he should write a list of players he wants in

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Alan G Skinner says...
10:29am Wed 9 May 12

No suprises. Good luck to them.

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CAKEBEARD says...
10:44am Wed 9 May 12

I thought Grant Hall was a target of Spurs? We certainly want to keep hold of him!

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davidinsouthampton says...
11:04am Wed 9 May 12

The bulk of the article that this info came from on the club's website was about one individual being offered a professional contract after completing his scholarship, and about two others being given extensions because of disruption to their scholarship period through injury. I appreciate most people seem to be baying for blood in terms of a clearout, but only to mention those who are leaving seems to me to be a bit unfair.

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davidinsouthampton says...
11:08am Wed 9 May 12

P.S. Should have said it is Shamir Goodwin after a 20 goal season in the Youth team.

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Yogi says...
11:51am Wed 9 May 12

davidinsouthampton wrote:
P.S. Should have said it is Shamir Goodwin after a 20 goal season in the Youth team.
He's got a 1 yr pro. contract

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Zamora25 says...
3:38pm Wed 9 May 12

20 goals for the youth team = 1 year pro contract? Didn't Gatting get 30 goals for the youth team? Where is he now?

I would keep Hall.

Of the ten (Navarro, Gonzalez, Poke, Walker, Strong, Sheriff, Simmonds, Redwood, Vickers and ****-Bart) released so far Navarro is the only one I disagree with. Seven of these were development squad players and two others were reserve keepers so hardly key players who need replacing.

What is the point of having a squad of 50 players if 25 of them will never get in the first team?

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albionfan33 says...
3:53pm Wed 9 May 12

Zamora25 wrote:
20 goals for the youth team = 1 year pro contract? Didn't Gatting get 30 goals for the youth team? Where is he now?

I would keep Hall.

Of the ten (Navarro, Gonzalez, Poke, Walker, Strong, Sheriff, Simmonds, Redwood, Vickers and ****-Bart) released so far Navarro is the only one I disagree with. Seven of these were development squad players and two others were reserve keepers so hardly key players who need replacing.

What is the point of having a squad of 50 players if 25 of them will never get in the first team?
hooray iv missed you sooooo much write me a lovely looooooooooooooooooo
ng list z25 i want to know who you want in not who u want out

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Cabin fever says...
4:06pm Wed 9 May 12

Zamora25 wrote:
20 goals for the youth team = 1 year pro contract? Didn't Gatting get 30 goals for the youth team? Where is he now?

I would keep Hall.

Of the ten (Navarro, Gonzalez, Poke, Walker, Strong, Sheriff, Simmonds, Redwood, Vickers and ****-Bart) released so far Navarro is the only one I disagree with. Seven of these were development squad players and two others were reserve keepers so hardly key players who need replacing.

What is the point of having a squad of 50 players if 25 of them will never get in the first team?
Have you told Gus he's making a mistake letting Navs go?

Or asked him why he's got double the players he needs?

I'm interested to know your thoughts on the academy, and who should be using it....

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albionfan33 says...
5:06pm Wed 9 May 12

Cabin fever wrote:
Zamora25 wrote:
20 goals for the youth team = 1 year pro contract? Didn't Gatting get 30 goals for the youth team? Where is he now?

I would keep Hall.

Of the ten (Navarro, Gonzalez, Poke, Walker, Strong, Sheriff, Simmonds, Redwood, Vickers and ****-Bart) released so far Navarro is the only one I disagree with. Seven of these were development squad players and two others were reserve keepers so hardly key players who need replacing.

What is the point of having a squad of 50 players if 25 of them will never get in the first team?
Have you told Gus he's making a mistake letting Navs go?

Or asked him why he's got double the players he needs?

I'm interested to know your thoughts on the academy, and who should be using it....
clearly wont be the albion as zamora25 knows. There aint no point looking to the future thats just foolish fancy wanting to bring kids in to learn a style of football that will sustain a middlish club for many years to come talk about waste of money and resorces even you must know that cabin fever

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everagull says...
5:38pm Wed 9 May 12

I cant understand the decision to let Navs go. After that horrific injury he fought his way back and kept his place deservedly . G P. must have his reasons but they escape me?.

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Ringmer Rich says...
5:38pm Wed 9 May 12

Some players at certain stages in their careers don't look like they will make it. It's a guessing game. I seem to recall we turned down Ian Wright and Roy Keane before they made it. It's a difficult decision to make, and you can't possibly keep them all. It's also pretty difficult to assess a player's level and potential when they only play in bog standard youth and reserve leagues.

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Cabin fever says...
5:43pm Wed 9 May 12

everagull wrote:
I cant understand the decision to let Navs go. After that horrific injury he fought his way back and kept his place deservedly . G P. must have his reasons but they escape me?.
Better replacement lined up? Emergence of JFC and others?

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albionfan33 says...
6:45pm Wed 9 May 12

Cabin fever wrote:
everagull wrote:
I cant understand the decision to let Navs go. After that horrific injury he fought his way back and kept his place deservedly . G P. must have his reasons but they escape me?.
Better replacement lined up? Emergence of JFC and others?
navs was a gd solid honest pro but at 31 he aint getting any better and will not be able to move us on to the next level thanks for what you done and good luck in your future as c.f rightly says jfc will deffo get more playing time next season as will toby they have had 2 yrs learning the gus way inside out no doubt vicente has helped all the youngsters when he was out injured and hopefully brought them on a bundle i wouldnt be surprised if they have been held back as they will be relativly unknown and could push us along very nicely next season heres hoping anyway

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mark by the sea says...
10:06pm Wed 9 May 12

you cant say Nav going is a mistake until the open game of season, Gus will have signed at least two midfielders. Nav is not going to get us into the premiership.

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lochlomond says...
7:40am Thu 10 May 12

"20 goals for the youth team = 1 year pro contract? Didn't Gatting get 30 goals for the youth team? Where is he now?"

Martyn, he is the same Joe Gatting who you love to slag on the Sussex website. I thought you would have known that he turned to professional cricket ...

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PittaPatta says...
8:24am Thu 10 May 12

Yet more speculation :
.
http://www.dailymail
.co.uk/sport/footbal
l/article-2142098/Gu
s-Poyet-wanted-Aston
-Villa-West-Brom-Wol
ves.html

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Alan G Skinner says...
9:15am Thu 10 May 12

I'm sure Gus does not class these West Midlands teams as "Special". If a ManU, Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea or Arsenal came in for him, I would be worried! Wolves and Villa are in a mess and West Brom is well, with all due respect, West Brom, nothing to get excited about! I think the relationship Gus has with Chairman Bloom, the way he has been given the opportunity to shape the club from top to bottom, the upgrades to the Amex Arena and the world class training ground and youth academy to come, I believe it would take something very special for Gus to abandon our very exciting project on the South Coast.

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albionfan33 says...
9:28am Thu 10 May 12

the daily tripe blimy i wouldnt read that crap if my life depended on it probably the least sporty tabloid out there and i dont see any of them as big enough to tempt gus away from here at the very least he can understand our english here hehe

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pjwilk says...
9:44am Thu 10 May 12

Just read that Gus is on his way out,he is wanted by Aston Villa ,WBA and Wolves.

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bentnup says...
10:26am Thu 10 May 12

Is this the last job of Gus' before he goes north to a (potentially) bigger club ? Its all been very quiet so there must be substance to the rumours ?

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seagulljoe says...
11:12am Thu 10 May 12

Villa, maybe. Wolves or West Brom, no way, not big enough.

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wiseman of hove says...
12:04pm Thu 10 May 12

Surprised that everybody is dismisssing WBA as Poyet's next possible port of call. Would be a fantastic opportunity for him. It is a stable premiership club and at the end of the day, Gus is a championship manager. WBA would be a perfect club to show his undoubted ability - then he will be in a position for one of the big ones. Nobody wants to see him go but it will happen soon irrespective of the chairman 'securing ' him long term. A sensible action by the chairman, as usual, to ensure compensation

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Alan G Skinner says...
12:28pm Thu 10 May 12

WBA cannot afford the compensation we would demand.

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Alan G Skinner says...
12:30pm Thu 10 May 12

WBA cannot afford the compensation we would demand.

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tinker000 says...
9:58pm Thu 10 May 12

Camicus wrote:
Looks like they are freeing up a chunk of the wages bill.
You joke ???? wages from these would not but the left foot a a good class player

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