carmedic
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Manchester City Football Club's highly acclaimed football academy on Platt Lane. It has been producing top class footballers for the past ten years. By the end of the 2006/2007 season, 21 players had gone on to play for City's first team. Can you name them?
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carmedic
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2 more players have come through the acadamy in the 2007/2008 season that is now 23, can any one name any of them?????
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carmedic
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In light of two Manchester City Academy Graduates scoring goals for England's senior side yesterday, one for the Republic of Ireland and another for Stuart Pearce's England Under 21s on Friday, City's Academy Manager, Jim Cassell has told the Sunday Mirror...
'Our kids are as good as ever'
The man who discovered Micah Richards, Shaun Wright-Phillips and 21 other players for Manchester City insists there is no shortage of football talent in England.
Jim Cassell, the director of City's widely-envied Academy, believes the flood of foreign mercenaries into the Premier League is hindering the development of home-grown players - and ultimately the England team.
But Cassell cannot understand why clubs like Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea import youngsters to fill their youth and reserve teams when he is proving that there is a wealth of talent much closer to home.
"England hasn't suddenly become a nation that can't produce good footballers," said Cassell, who has just five foreign players among 160 kids at City's Platt Lane complex hoping to follow stars like Richards.
"But the problem for managers of English clubs is that they usually last two or three years in one job and they want players for here and now rather than five years' time. I'm not against foreign players. Someone like Thierry Henry can only be good for the game, but when you see clubs importing players who aren't of the highest standard, that wastes money that would have been better spent on developing young players, and it limits opportunities for those coming through.
"The big worry for me is that clubs are starting to bring in lads from abroad to develop at the detriment of the British and Irish players who have traditionally been our lifeblood.
"Our policy is to concentrate our efforts in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales - and in particular around the Manchester and North West area."
Cassell added: "The messages I've had from Sven Goran Eriksson and the club's new owner, Thaksin Shinawatra, is that they fully support what we are trying to do.
"Sven couldn't believe the amount of young talent we had and while the chairman wants to expand City's brand by developing Academies around the world, he has assured us it will not be to the detriment of home-grown players."
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The 21 Who Broke Through - Number 1
Shaun Wright-Phillips joined Manchester City as a 15-year-old following his release by Nottingham Forest and what he did in a City shirt during his seven years at the Club will stay with many supporters forever.
The little genius made his first City appearance as a 70th minute substitute for Terry Cooke as the Blues had just gone 1-0 up (6-0 on aggregate) in the League Cup against Burnley at Turf Moor on August 24, 1999.
Another substitute appearance followed before Joe Royle handed SWP his first start for the Blues, a week after his 18th birthday, in the 4-2 victory over Portsmouth at Maine Road on November 3, 1999. The legend was born.
One man instrumental in bringing Shaun to City was Academy Recruitment Officer, Barry Poynton. He recalls his early memories of the now England international and said: “I was working for Everton when I first saw Shaun, he was 14 at the time and very, very close to getting into the National School at Lilleshall.
“About a year or so later, the scout who was responsible for taking Shaun from London to Nottingham all the time had been trying to get hold of me, he’d been ringing Everton and didn’t know I’d left, so without asking Everton said ‘he’s at Manchester City.’
“So eventually we spoke and he said: ‘Remember Shaun Wright-Phillips, would you be interested?’ I said: ‘Yes, has he grown?!’ He said ‘no’, but also mentioned that Bradley was coming on a lot and as soon as he said Brad was part of the deal, we took the pair of them.
“The first youth game Shaun played was against Port Vale’s ‘A’ team and Ian Miller was their coach. He wanted him taken off the pitch after five minutes because he was so small. We kept him on and he scored two goals – we signed him three days later!”
But it could have been so different for Shaun, as Barry sums up how things can change in life for a young footballer, declaring: “The best thing that happened to Shaun was getting released by Nottingham Forest because it instilled a work ethic in him.
“This boy almost got into the England team at Under 16 level and almost got into the National School; so for a boy of that calibre not getting a scholarship is incredible.”
Academy Manager, Jim Cassell, picks up the story behind Shaun’s time at City and his rise to the top.
He told us: “I think it’s well documented now that Shaun was the first to break through.
“We’d just started the Academy, so the structure that we had in place wasn’t very strong, but the one thing that caught our attention straight away was Shaun’s enthusiasm and love of the game.
“He did all the right things and he liked to play positively. His first movements were always to create, be positive and run at people. We liked what we saw, both Barry Poynton and I, and the rest is history.
“Shaun just got better and better. I remember speaking to the Manager of the day, Joe Royle and saying, ‘He’s not ready yet, but you’re going to have a kid soon that will play in our first team.’ I just wish he was still with us.”
One of the best remembered moments of magic from SWP was the night he scored his first goal for City. It came at an eerily silent New Den in December 2001 seven minutes from time.
Away fans were banned from the City v Millwall games that season, so Wrighty’s winner had to be celebrated by the thousands who watched the game on a big screen back at Maine Road.
After picking up the ball from Darren Huckerby, Shaun unleashed an unstoppable 20-yard shot, which gave City all three points in a vital 3-2 victory.
Looking back at that memorable strike, Shaun said: “I couldn’t stop smiling. The goal was a long time coming but hopefully it was worth the wait. It did seem weird without the fans being there, it reminded me of playing Sunday league football. Now I had scored I hoped it would be the first of many.”
Wright-Phillips added a further 30 goals to go with that screamer, some even better than that too, the fourth against Man United in 2004 perhaps?
Goals and assists aside, Shaun was special to many people and it seems fitting that he was the first Academy Graduate to break through, something that certainly gives Jim Cassell a huge sense of pride.
He stated: “Shaun’s been a great advert for our Academy because he never talked about contracts, money or anything like that, he just wanted to play football. That of course, is what has taken him to the top, where he is now because his football does his talking for him.”
International honours followed for Shaun in August 2004 and it was a dream debut for England against the Ukraine as he came off the bench to score a trademark goal in a 3-0 win.
After constant speculation, Wright-Phillips eventually left City in July 2005 for Chelsea and went on to win the Premier League title, the League Cup and more recently the FA Cup, following a £21m move to the capital.
And Jim himself knows the talent and value of the England man to many a-team in the Premier League: “Because of the squad system within the top four he doesn’t play every week, that’s the way the game’s gone, but any other club in the country he’d be the first name down on the manager’s team sheet because of his energy, effort and his obvious ability.
“He’s an absolutely top class individual and nobody deserves success more than Shaun.”
The 21 Who Broke Through
Number 1: Shaun Wright-Phillips
Date of birth: October 25, 1981
City first team debut: v Burnley, Turf Moor, August 24, 1999
Games played for City: 182
Goals scored for City: 31
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The 21 Who Broke Through – Number 2
Terry Dunfield joined the Blues as a 15-year-old in the Academy’s very first intake, but despite his early promise, a host of injuries prevented the Canadian from making more of an impact in a City shirt.
Jim Cassell was involved with Dunfield’s development and certainly liked what he saw, stating: “Terry was probably as talented as any boy that we’ve ever had here.
“He broke through very early like Shaun Wright-Phillips and played in the Premiership, coming on as a substitute after about half an hour or so against Chelsea.”
That game turned out to be his one and only appearance for the Blues and it came at the end of the 2000/01 season as a 32nd minute replacement for the injured Jeff Whitley.
City lost 2-1 that day to Claudio Ranieri’s men in what proved to be their final home Premiership game for a season after being relegated along with Bradford City and Coventry City.
A year later, Terry was released by the Club and moved to Bury, where he made over 80 appearances between August 2002 and January 2005. He suffered a terrible knee injury against Leyton Orient on January 8, 2005 and it has proved to be Dunfield’s final League game, to date.
Terry told mcfc.co.uk his story and said: “Two and a half years ago I dislocated my knee while playing for Bury, but the first surgery wasn’t successful and 18 months later I still wasn’t playing.
“I tried to do pre-season at Chester but broke down, the knee just wasn’t good enough, which I think deep down I had known. So it was a case of hang up my boots and get on with my life, or have more surgery as a last chance.
“I got what money I had together, flew back to Vancouver and paid for another operation there. I had some micro-fracture surgery done, it looks like it has worked and I should be playing again this summer.”
And Terry’s career in England now appears to have come full circle as he bids to get himself fit enough to earn a trial with a football league club in time for pre-season.
Jim Cassell reveals: “He’s now back in this country and actually training with our Academy at the moment.
“We’re very pleased to do that, because I think if we can get Terry fit again and over this knee problem, then he’s got a career in the game.”
It was further help from Jim that gave Terry another chance to prove himself and he is certainly grateful.
The midfielder added: "They have welcomed me with open arms [at the Academy]. Alex Gibson, Paul Power and Gregor Rioch have let me join in with training sessions, it’s like I’m a player there again so it’s fantastic for me.
“I had been going for rehab work at Lilleshall once a month, but Bernard Halford said he would see what the Club could do for me. All the staff at Platt Lane and Carrington have been fantastic, and I can’t thank them enough.”
Ten years on from taking Terry under the Club’s wing originally, Cassell remains hopeful of adding the string of another footballing success to an already bulging bow.
“He’s certainly still young enough at 25 and he’s learned from certain things the last time around.
“I would love Terry to bounce back and earn a living out of the game because he has got immense ability.”
The 21 Who Broke Through
Number 2: Terry Dunfield
Date of birth: February 20, 1982
City first team debut: v Chelsea, Maine Road, May 19, 2001
Games played for City: 1
Goals scored for City: 0
Left City for: Bury in August 2002 on a free transfer
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The 21 Who Broke Through – Number 3
Third up in the list of The 21 Who Broke Through is midfielder Chris Shuker.
He made his first appearance, a very successful one at that, against Notts County in Round Two of the League Cup in September 2001. City won 4-2 after extra time and Chris scored his only goal for the Blues within five minutes of coming off the bench as a 56th minute replacement for Eyal Berkovic.
Four games later, the Liverpudlian was handed his first Division One appearance during the home game with Walsall, aged 19. He came on with about 20 minutes left to see out a routine 3-0 win in a Blues side that featured current skipper Richard Dunne, former Manager Stuart Pearce and someone that may or may not crop in as one of our 21, Dixon Etuhu.
A fellow Academy Graduate, Terry Dunfield(right), remembered Chris from their time together at Platt Lane and recalled: “Chris was a bit like Shaun Wright-Phillips when he was at the Academy, they were similar types of players.
“Shukes was super-busy, would get everywhere and never stopped running. His passion for the game was huge and he was a really nice person as well.”
His first start for City came in the FA Premier League fixture against Blackburn at Maine Road in September 2002. The game ended 2-2, but it was a proud moment for the Club as, for the first time, two boys from the Academy started a game together – the other being Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Academy Manager, Jim Cassell, gave us his thoughts about Chris and revealed the one thing that stands all the Graduates apart: “Chris is another one who joined us at about 16; he came on trial and had a similar attitude to Shaun Wright-Phillips.
“The one thing about all of our boys is that they’ve had great attitudes and Chris was no different. He loved his football and it’s no surprise that he’s still playing the game.”
Chris was a City player until his move to Barnsley in March 2004, but between 2001 and 2004, he played league football with Macclesfield, Walsall, Rochdale and Hartlepool whilst on-loan.
By 2004 Shuker had played in all four divisions along with both the FA Cup and the League Cup.
He played over 100 games for Barnsley and was close to joining Sheffield United, but upon the expiry of his Tykes deal the midfielder came back across the Pennines to be closer to his family home and signed for Tranmere Rovers.
Chris enjoyed a good first season at Prenton Park and certainly made an impression on Rovers manager Ronnie Moore, who said: "Chris is so talented I would pay my own money to watch him play. He goes past defenders for fun.”
But the last word goes to Jim Cassell who sums the 25-year-old up by saying: “Chris will play until the day that he can’t run because he loves it!
“He’s a great lad with a lovely personality and he made up for the shortcomings of his size by sheer energy and effort.
“He will continue to make a living out of football without any problem.”
The 21 Who Broke Through
Number 3: Chris Shuker
Date of birth: May 9, 1982
City first team debut: v Notts County, Meadow Lane, September 11, 2001
Games played for City: 6
Goals scored for City: 1
Left City for: Barnsley in March 2004 for a nominal fee
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The 21 Who Broke Through – Number 4
The next player in our series of The 21 Who Broke Through is Dickson Etuhu.
Now with Norwich City, the midfielder came to Manchester’s City, by way of a tip off from another Academy Graduate.
Academy Recruitment Officer, Barry Poynton, revealed: “Dickson was an old friend of Shaun Wright-Phillips’ and Shaun told me about him.
“He was actually having a trial at Wimbledon, so I go off to London to watch him play and he was a substitute, he came on for the last 20 minutes and I told him there and then we’d give him a scholarship.
“They had no idea what they had. They just had about 25 lads on trial and he was one of them, but just by looking at the way he moved you could tell he was a good player.”
Dickson made the first of his 13 appearances for the Blues in the 3-0 victory over Birmingham City at Maine Road on September 15, 2001. And despite his relatively short City career, Dickson witnessed an amazing 53 goals in the games he played in, an average of over four goals per game.
Etuhu left for Preston North End in January 2002 and Jim Cassell for one thinks Dickson could have stayed with the Blues for a very long time.
He gave us a bit of background to that by telling us: “It was a shame that he left us when he did, but there was a dispute over his contract and Kevin Keegan was very patient and tolerant.
“Dickson wasn’t the problem, and I think without being critical of anybody, maybe he didn’t get quite the advice he should have had.
“Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I personally think it was a shame that he left when he did, because he played in the majority of games during Kevin’s early stewardship and he was going to get better and better.
“He went off to Preston and is now currently at Norwich, so if you play week in, week out in the Championship then you are a good player.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if Dickson Etuhu appears in the Premier League at some stage of his career.”
Dickson’s legacy on leaving the Blues was that his brother, Kelvin, was a young talent and having come up through the ranks himself Etuhu junior could be set to join Dickson in pulling on the first team shirt for City.
A knee injury ended his season in January and Kelvin will be fit for pre-season as earlier this month Cassell told mcfc.co.uk:
“The 2007/08 season is going to be a massive one for Kelvin and I’ve got tremendous faith in him.
“We’re hoping he comes back flying and hits the ground running, as they say, in the pre-season and who knows – he could be challenging for a place.”
One former teammate of Dickson recently had a double-take moment whilst being treated at Carrington. A surprised Terry Dunfield said: “I’ve bumped into his little brother while being at Carrington, and he looks exactly like him – it’s spooky! I really had to do a double-take when I first saw Kelvin.”
He concluded: “Dickson was a strong guy, even back then, he liked to get amongst the goals and I wasn’t surprised that he went on to have a good career after he left City.”
The 21 Who Broke Through
Number 4: Dickson Etuhu
Date of birth: June 8, 1982
City first team debut: v Birmingham City, Maine Road, September 15, 2001
Games played for City: 13
Goals scored for City: 0
Left City for: Preston North End in January 2002 for £300,000
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The 21 Who Broke Through – Number 5
They say that every club has had a player like our next one from The 21 Who Broke Through and he maybe best illustrates the difficulties in taking the talent you have as a youngster and continuing to work at it.
It would be fair to say that some players playing at clubs today aren’t as good as our T21WT number five could have been, but unfortunately, like Sonny Pike and former Oldham teenager Wayne Harrison to name just two, Leon Mike didn’t seem to live up to his early promise.
Academy Manager, Jim Cassell, told us the Leon Mike story: “Leon was a terrific youth player.
“Out of all the boys that have played in our first team, Leon to me, has perhaps brought the most disappointment for us because he had a terrific talent and a talent for scoring goals.
“A was a super guy and maybe Leon was too nice a guy. He is maybe one of those enigmas that we tend to throw up in this game – an exceptionally good youth player that made it to the first team.
“He went up to Scotland to play for Aberdeen and didn’t quite do as well as everybody expected and it is easy to slip down the ladder and unfortunately Leon was one of those casualties.”
It could have been all so different for Mike, after his introduction as a substitute for Shaun Goater, he could have doubled City’s lead in a game they ultimately lost 2-1 away to Portsmouth with Peter Crouch heading the Pompey winner.
His debut came on November 17, 2001 and the match report from Fratton Park at the time read: “City lost leading goalscorer Shaun Goater through injury in the 40th minute and his replacement Mike could have scored with his first touch two minutes later but Kawaguchi saved bravely at his feet.
“But Mike should have done better when put through on goal by Huckerby just seconds after [Lee] Bradbury's equaliser but he sent a low shot skimming just the wrong side of the left hand post with the Portsmouth goalkeeper for once beaten.”
Jim still rues what might have been as he added: “He would have been a great sub coming on because of his power, pace and could score a goal.
“He was a great finisher had explosive pace and by his own admission could never handle the stamina of the game.
“But really Leon should still be playing in the game with the talent he had and because of the position he played as a striker.
“I’m a great believer that sometimes football allows young players to leave their clubs too soon and there’s a history of people coming back to show that a judgement was made too early and we’ve tried not to do that here. We have a policy of trying to keep them as long as we can and I think it’s worked.”
Barry Poynton’s words echo just how much potential Leon had as a developing player by being included at Lilleshall as one of the country’s top young talents.
He said: “Leon was already here when I came to the Club and I remember seeing him when I was at Everton.
“The thing I recall was that he actually got in to the National School at Lilleshall when Shaun Wright-Phillips didn’t because they were in the same school year.”
And to conclude his story, Terry Dunfield brought us up to speed with Leon’s whereabouts today by saying: “He’s hung up his boots, although he was at FC United for a while. He started at college in Liverpool, and in September he’s beginning a law degree.
“He was strong and powerful, I thought he would have had made it and had a good career in the game. He had great ability and possessed a good football brain, it’s a shame it didn’t work out for him because he was a very good player.”
The 21 Who Broke Through
Number 5: Leon Mike
Date of birth: September 4, 1981
City first team debut: v Portsmouth, Fratton Park, November 17, 2001
Games played for City: 2
Goals scored for City: 0
Left City for: Aberdeen in February 2002 for £50,000
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The 21 Who Broke Through: Number 6
The next Academy Graduate broke through into the City first team after picking up Football League experience whilst on loan with both Wrexham and Port Vale.
Chris Killen secured an impressive transfer to SPL champions Celtic during the summer.
Killen, who scored 15 goals for Hibernian despite an injury-hit season where he made 23 starts, had rejected a new deal at Easter Road in order to get a move to Celtic Park.
Now 25, Chris was the SPL’s third top scorer last season and his international manager believes playing at Parkhead will be a great platform for the Kiwi hitman.
New Zealand manager Ricki Herbert said: “If it works out, it would be absolutely fantastic, it would be outstanding.
"When you look at Killy's career, it's onwards and upwards for him and still at quite a young age.
"Celtic are not only in the top echelon in Britain but they are also a hugely recognisable club around the world.
"It's a great platform for him. Who knows where it will lead?"
Academy Manager Jim Cassell takes up the story: “Chris has had a real topsy-turvy career. He played in the first team under Kevin Keegan and Arthur Cox and I know Arthur particularly liked him. But again because of the pace of the Club under Kevin, and he did a fantastic job, he wanted to move on quicker than probably Chris could keep up with.
“We had an exceptionally good offer from Oldham Athletic to take him and unfortunately Oldham didn’t see the best of Chris as he went through that period of transition, but give him his due his gone up to Scotland and become one of the top scorers in the league and on the back of that has got what should be a dream move to Celtic.
“It just endorses what I’ve said previously about boys being allowed to develop and they do develop differently. Chris has done that and it’s a great advert for New Zealand football. He came to us purely as a trialist on the recommendation of an ex-player I used to coach at Oldham, John Murphy. We just played Chris in a game and he got two goals, we liked him, we took him and the rest is history and we wish him well at Celtic.”
Chris’ former team mate Terry Dunfield adds: “Chris is one of my best mates, we still keep touch and I’ve been up to Edinburgh a lot to see him. He did really well at Hibs, but he ruptured his Achilles before Christmas, although he still managed to score a lot of goals before the it happened! He has always scored goals, he’s a good goalscorer, an old fashioned centre forward and he scored all those goals for Hibs in only half a season.”
The 21 Who Broke Through
Number 6: Chris Killen
Date of birth: October 8, 1981
City first team debut: v Rotherham United, Maine Road, November 24, 2001
Games played for City: 3
Goals scored for City: 0
Left City for: Oldham in July 2002 for £200,000
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The 21 Who Broke Through – Number 7
During a busy summer of transfer activity all round the next player in our 21 Who Broke Through series was himself on the 'transfer-merry-go-round.'
After a successful loan spell with Derby County last season, which led to promotion back to the top flight, Tyrone Mears secured a permanent move to Pride Park in a £1m deal from West Ham United.
Mears’ new manager, Billy Davies, waxed lyrically on the day he announced the three-year deal for Tyrone.
He declared: "We are delighted to complete this deal because Tye is a very good young full-back with excellent pace and potential.
"We need him for the challenge ahead and I know he is committed to working hard with us because he has the exciting potential to improve still further."
Davies’ words were backed up by City’s Academy Manager, Jim Cassell, who told mcfc.co.uk: “Tye’s helped Derby back in to the Premier League after a good season with them on loan from West Ham. His career to date has been very much been an up and down ride having suffered a lot with injuries.
“But with his move it is important that he gets a run in the top flight because he’s certainly good enough to play there. He’ll play a vital part in Derby County staying up this season.”
Mears made his one and only City appearance in a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest back in March 2002. He replaced the Forest legend and former Blues boss Stuart Pearce on that day in a game that was maybe better remembered for Darren Huckerby's hat-trick.
A surprise transfer to Preston North End came about at the end of that season where he would link up with another member of our 21WBT, Dickson Etuhu, an interesting move as Jim Cassell noted: “Tyrone was another player in the Dickson mould that we didn’t want to lose.
“If you are being quite cynical you might say there was a pathway to Preston that maybe a detective might link something to it, but without any evidence, we won’t say anything further than that!”
His successful spell at Deepdale then led to a £1m switch to West Ham United ahead of the 2006/07 season, but the Stockport-born right back didn’t settle into life with the Hammers and moved north to Derby in a loan deal in January 2007 where he played his part in their push for promotion.
And it all could have turned out so differently for Tyrone as Barry Poynton reveals that it could have been Super League and not Premier League for the speedy full back.
With a rye smile the Blues’ Academy Recruitment Officer said: “Tyrone Mears has a good story to him.
“A scout had mentioned him, so we went to see him playing for Oldham Schools at Under 14 level, the problem was that he had a schoolboy contract and a professional contract guaranteed at Warrington Rugby League Club!
“He was a fantastic rugby league player and could be playing Super League now. That’s where his career was and the hardest bit with Tyrone and his parents was convincing them his future was as a footballer.”
Despite his love of ‘football’ with the wrong shaped ball, Mears has gone on to prove himself as a ‘soccer’ player, as former team mate and recent Macclesfield signing Terry Dunfield recalls of Tyrone.
“He was a very strong, quick right back who had good feet. He was a really good guy, you could not meet a nicer person than Tyrone.
“He had a couple of really bad years with injury after he went to Preston, but I’m really pleased for him that he came through that and I think he did well for Derby at the end of last season.”
And with an important season ahead of Mears, Jim Cassell thinks he’ll be a success, but knows it’s another feather in the cap of Manchester City’s Academy.
Jim concluded by saying: “It’s difficult to find players that are capable, strong enough and quick enough to play in the Premier League and I think he’s got all of those qualities. If he’s managed to put his injury problems behind him then he’ll be a terrific player.
“He’s another local boy that we picked up and what a good advert for our Academy that he’s back in the top flight."
The 21 Who Broke Through
Number 7: Tyrone Mears
Date of birth: February 18, 1983
City first team debut: v Nottingham Forest, Maine Road, March 30, 2002
Games played for City: 1
Goals scored for City: 0
Left City for: Preston North End in July 2002 for £200,000
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The 21 Who Broke Through – Number 8
Number eight in our look at The 21 Who Broke Through was indeed City’s number eight until this summer.
Out of the 21, Joey Barton has played the second-most number of games for the Blues and during his time with City, the Huyton-born midfielder could never be accused of giving anything other than 100%.
Barton made the first of his 153 City appearances against Sam Allardyce’s Bolton Wanderers in April 2003 and it was Allardyce who took Joey to Newcastle for £5.8 million in June 2007.
Despite being the focus of many matters off the field, indeed his City career ended in the shadow of one such issue, nobody could deny Joey’s on-field abilities which earnt him an England cap against Spain in February 2007.
When speaking to people about Joey one thing comes across, his desire to succeed and not to give up, something Academy Manager Jim Cassell told us.
“I take my hat off to Joey Barton. I know the problems that he’s had, but I will always concentrate on the half full rather than half empty philosophy with Joe.
“I love him and despite him not staying at the Club for whatever reason, he typifies the attitude that young boys need to show – don’t give up, never give in and keep the dream going.
“Joe always believed that he would play for England and he did play for England.”
Someone else who worked with Joey from way back when is Barry Poynton and the Academy’s Recruitment Officer added: “Joey and I go way back longer than I can remember.
“I’ve probably known Joe since he was nine and played in the same Everton youth team as Phil Jagielka. Within two weeks of me coming here in 1999 from Everton we got a call to say they’d released Joey Barton and I was astonished.
“Even then I thought Joey would play for England and what he’s done, he’s done for himself because he’s always had one hell of a work ethic.
“I didn’t realise how bright he was. His school thought he could have easily gone to University and the upper echelons of University maybe even Oxford or Cambridge.”
Instead Joey battled his way into the Manchester City first team and during his five seasons he scored 17 goals becoming a mainstay in the Blues’ midfield.
Former City player, Terry Dunfield, saw Joey coming through the ranks at the start of it all and fittingly concluded: “You always knew that Joey was going to do well, he was clearly a very good player.
“Even back then he could see things that other players could not see, and it’s great for me to say that I played alongside him for four or five years.”
The 21 Who Broke Through
Number 8: Joey Barton
Date of birth: September 02, 1982
City first team debut: v Bolton Wanderers, Reebok Stadium, April 05, 2003
Games played for City: 153
Goals scored for City: 17
Left City for: Newcastle United in June 2007 for £5.8 million
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The 21 (+2) Who Broke Through - Number 9
The next player in our now expanded series due to Kasper Schmeichel and Shaleum Logan’s first team starts this season is Stephen Jordan.
Warrington-born Jordan made his City debut on the same day as Joey Barton, against Bolton Wanderers in April 2003, and went on to make 64 appearances for his boyhood favourites.
This summer Stephen left City after his contract expired and he became Burnley's fourth summer signing after agreeing a three-year deal with the Clarets.
Jordan has played in every game so far this season for the Lancashire outfit and with plenty of Premier League experience under his belt the 25-year-old had a few offers when he left City.
The Burnley boss Steve Cotterill said at the time: "It has taken a long time to land him due to interest from the Premiership."
Former Academy team mate Terry Dunfield gave us his Platt Lane memories of a young Stephen Jordan.
“He had a sweet left foot, he was quick and you could tell that he was going to do well. He was a big City fan and I was really pleased for him that he broke into the first team and played more than 50 times for them.
“Steve’s still a very good mate of mine, and I think he’ll still be a success at Burnley, he’s certainly good enough to play in the top flight.”
Academy Manager, Jim Cassell has a special affection for Stephen as he revealed: “Stephen was the only player that was here when I came to City and I remember watching the first game, which was away at Everton, we lost the game three or four one.
“I spoke to Colin Harvey, a friend of mine from Oldham and the Everton coach on the day, he said ‘what do you think?’ I said ‘Col, I think we’ve got one player’ and that was Stephen Jordan.
“We built around Stephen and he too should be complimented because he overcame a lot of personal problems as a young boy. He’s gone on to play in the Premier League and it will be interesting to see him establish himself at Turf Moor.
“Stephen wanted first team football and if that happens there then good luck to him. He’s been great value for this Club and he’s never been to me personally, or anybody else that I understand, an ounce of trouble around the place.
“He’s just a typical, quiet, effective and hard working pro and I hope he gets a really good club. A terrific lad.”
The 21 Who Broke Through
Number 9: Stephen Jordan
Date of birth: March 06, 1982
City first team debut: v Bolton Wanderers, Reebok Stadium, April 05, 2003
Games played for City: 64
Goals scored for City: 0
Left City for: Burnley in July 2007 after being released by City
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The 23 Who Broke Through – Number 10
This series has changed from The 21 Who Broke Through to The 23…our number 10 was a popular player with everyone during his time with Manchester City.
Willo Flood also represented an important moment in the history of the City Academy as Jim Cassell told us: “Willo was one of our early signings when we got into the market in Dublin.
“Barry Poynton and myself are very close to Willo because he was part of a group of players that took us to a little bit more prominence as an Academy.”
And it was Poynton, the Academy’s Recruitment Officer, who first spotted the young Flood, as he stated: “I actually saw Willo playing for Everton and we got the scouts involved to get him here.
“If there’s ever a boy that deserves to play in anyone’s first team, then it’s Willo Flood, because the kid is just a diamond and I speak to him almost every single day now.”
Of Willo, the player, Jim added: “He’s a very agile and energetic player who probably just lacked a consistency of quality to play at the top level when he was here, but I would never write him off because he has got a top class attitude.
“Willo will never let you down. If you went to war, you’d want Willo Flood by your side because you know what you are going to get from him, he’s a terrific lad.
“Even though he’s not at the Club anymore he will always be remembered, to me anyway, as a player that started to put us on the map.”
Willo swapped the Blues for the Bluebirds early in August 2006 and made 28 appearances for Cardiff City last season scoring once.
And this term, Cardiff boss Dave Jones appears to have made a shrewd decision in allowing the 22-year-old Flood to go and get some top level football in Scotland.
In June, Willo made a year-long loan move to Dundee United and at the time, the Arabs’ manager Craig Levein said: “I’m confident he will do well for Dundee United.
“His style of play suits the SPL and will make him a firm favourite with our supporters.
“I was aware that a number of other clubs were interested in taking him and am pleased that Cardiff City see this move as an opportunity for the player to improve his game.
“Most of all however, I’m delighted because I see him as an important player for us this season.”
As United sit third in the SPL table, just three points behind table-topping Celtic, and with an in-form Willo Flood putting in back-to-back Man of the Match performances both Levein and Jones appear to have been quite right in their decisions.
After Willo’s impressive start to his season with the Terrors, Jim Cassell concludes: “It wouldn’t surprise me if at some stage he made it back into the Premier League because he’s always working at his game. Nobody would be more pleased and proud than Barry Poynton and myself.”
The 23 Who Broke Through
Number 10: Willo Flood
Date of birth: April 10, 1985
City first team debut: v TNS, Millennium Stadium, August 28, 2003
Games played for City: 18
Goals scored for City: 2
Left City for: Cardiff City in August 2006 for £200,000
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The 25 Who Broke Through – Number 11
The second in our run of three Irish players in a row sees Glenn Whelan as the next player to feature in our ever-growing ‘25 Who Broke Through series’ now.
And as City’s Recruitment Officer, Barry Poynton reveals, the Blues’ Irish connections were beginning to reap rewards: “Glenn is a Clondakin boy and played for a very, very small club called Maryland and is the only player they ever produced.
“He’s a great kid and was recommended by Des, my scout at the time and Glenn was a moody so-and-so, you can quote me on that! He’s still the same now at Sheffield Wednesday, but it was a shame he was released from here and I think he would have got into our first team last season.”
Moody or not, 23-year-old Whelan was a Republic of Ireland Under 21 international, winning 19 caps for his country and providing two goals from midfield.
Glenn has been an ever-present this season and has clocked up over 140 appearances for Sheffield Wednesday since joining them from the Blues in July 2004 for £125,000.
His one and only senior outing in a City shirt came on a grand setting and one he would grace later in his career, Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, as the Blues wrapped up a 7-0 aggregate UEFA Cup win over TNS.
Whelan replaced Paul Bosvelt in the 73rd minute and the game ended with fellow Academy graduates Willo Flood, Joey Barton and Shaun Wright-Phillips all on the pitch as Kevin Keegan's men won 2-0.
Prior to his permanent move away from City, Glenn had two brief loan spells at Bury during the 2003/04 season, where he gained league experience from 15 games with the Shakers.
The Blues Academy Manager, Jim Cassell, worked closely with Glenn during his time at Platt Lane and said: “Glenn is a terrific competitor and has done well at Sheffield Wednesday – I know there’s been clubs looking at him and it’ll be interesting to see where he ends up.
“He is a leader and always will be. He captained our Milk Cup winning side in 1999, he led from the front and has never looked back, eventually captaining Sheffield Wednesday at such a young age.
“Glenn had a little sniff of our first team and as with many of the lads he will get better as they get older because they will take some of the rashness out of their game.”
Back at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, Whelan was voted Man of the Match in the League One Play-Off Final against Hartlepool in May 2005. He scored the vital third goal in extra time that eventually saw the Owls return to the Championship as 4-2 winners in front of nearly 60,000 fans.
Last season though was a strange one for Glenn, previous Owls boss Paul Sturrock had placed the midfielder on the transfer list and once Sturrock had been relived of his duties, Brian Laws took him off the list. It proved to be a clever piece of management from the former Scunthorpe boss as Whelan went on to become the Sheffield Wednesday’s Player of the Season.
Glenn eventually came full circle by playing at the City of Manchester Stadium against the Blues in last season's FA Cup Third Round replay with City edging it 2-1.
The 25 Who Broke Through
Number 11: Glenn Whelan
Date of birth: January 13, 1984
City first team debut: v TNS, Millennium Stadium, August 28, 2003
Games played for City: 1
Goals scored for City: 0
Left City for: Sheffield Wednesday in July 2004 for £125,000.
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The 25 Who Broke Through
Stephen Elliott
The Republic of Ireland international played just twice for Manchester City before Mick McCarthy took him to Sunderland for a tribunal-set fee of £125,000.
Elliott scored 16 goals in his first season with the Black Cats and was the club’s Young Player of the Season.
Looking back to the initial signing of Stephen from his club at home in Ireland, the Academy’s Recruitment Officer, Barry Poynton tells us about what he saw to secure the youngster’s signature.
“We saw Stephen Elliott in Ireland at a trial game arranged for us by a club called Stella Maris,” he said. “Stephen was only a little feller, but I liked him and he reminded me of a Robbie Fowler, but with a right foot.
“He scored five goals in the space of half an hour and the way he scored them with movement, technique, cleverness and brightness was fantastic. You wished he was three inches bigger and a touch quicker but he’s gone on to represent his country.”
And with eight senior caps and a goal to his name, Poynton’s chase proved worth it, but the actual signing of the deal is a great tale in itself.
Barry continued: “We used to use a hotel on Wilmslow Road and it had a really nice Italian restaurant there. So Stephen’s come over with the whole family, six kids and his parents to sign.
“There was a first team game on so we’d take them to the game and back to the restaurant afterwards to sign him. I dropped them off at the hotel, gone and got changed to meet them at 7.30pm, but the restaurant was fully booked.
“Now these forms have got to get signed that day because they were flying out first thing in the morning. I couldn’t take the whole family anywhere because I’ve only got my car – so we’ve had to go to McDonalds two doors away!
“Stephen Elliott signed for Manchester City in McDonalds on Wilmslow Road – that’s true!”
After two substitute appearances for City, the Dublin-born striker, made the move to the northeast in June 2004.
A return of 23 goals in 88 appearances for the Wearsiders over a three-year period was enough to interest Wolverhampton Wanderers in the striker.
And this summer the 23-year-old signed a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee with the Molineux men, where Elliott was reunited with the man who took him to Sunderland in the first place, Mick McCarthy.
The final word on Stephen goes to Academy Manager, Jim Cassell, who told us: “Stephen was one of the boys who left the Club a fraction early in my opinion – I can’t make those decisions and wouldn’t criticise.
“Once we send the boys over to the first team squad the Manager of the day has the difficult job of managing the side and getting results.
“Stephen had a little bit of an injury problem and was almost out for a season with a back injury, which I think restricted his development, but he’s got the opportunity now with Wolves to hopefully play regular football and prove that he is a top striker.”
The 25 Who Broke Through
Number 12: Stephen Elliott
Date of birth: January 6, 1984
City first team debut: v Bolton Wanderers, February 21, 2004
Games played for City: 2
Goals scored for City: 0
Left City for: Sunderland in June 2006 for £125,000 (tribunal set)
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The 25 Who Broke Through – Number 13
The next player Who Broke Through starts off a group of boys that made their City debuts during the 2004/05 season, Kevin Keegan’s last in charge of the Club.
With Shaun Wright-Phillips already in at number one on our list of Academy Graduates, Bradley Wright-Phillips’ debut made history at the Platt Lane Academy as they became the first brothers to have come through the ranks under Jim Cassell and his staff.
Indeed the brothers were on the same pitch for Bradley's City debut against Barnsley in the 7-1 League Cup thrashing at CoMS in September 2004 as he came on as a half time replacement for Jon Macken with the Blues 5-1 up.
A hugely likeable and popular member of the squad during his time with the Blues, BWP left City almost exactly a year after Shaun and joined Championship side Southampton for an undisclosed fee with what was described as a ‘substantial sell-on clause’ at the time.
Bradley was prolific at reserve level for City, but in 40 appearances for the senior side he scored just twice, an away strike at Middlesbrough as City lost there (again) 3-2 where he made his Premier League debut as a 76th minute substitute. Brad’s second goal came in a resounding 4-1 win in December 2005 against Steve Bruce’s Birmingham.
A man who knows the striker better than most is Academy Manager, Jim Cassell, and he told us: “Bradley will no doubt develop later. He’s got terrific talent, strikes the ball beautifully, has an eye for goal and can score them as well.
“I tell him every time I see him ‘keep believing in yourself’ because sometimes he doesn’t believe how good he can be. If he ever does that he will be a top, top striker.”
Something echoed in his own way by Platt Lane’s Recruitment Officer, Barry Poynton, who said: “I still hope that he twigs because if he does he will be great. He’s still young and can mature into a very good footballer.
“He shows how much my judgement is way off the mark because I thought Bradley would be absolutely sensational for this football club. His dad didn’t break through properly until he was in his 20s, so hopefully Brad can have a good season at Southampton.”
And after 11 goals in his debut season at the St Mary’s Stadium, Saints fans will have had the chance to witness Bradley’s enthusiasm on the pitch, as he literally plays the game with a smile on his face.
Having seen Bradley develop, Jim further outlined some of the 22-year-old’s strength’s, he added: “He’s got pace, the ability to score a goal, a lovely attitude and it will be very interesting to see if he really takes that on board.
“As Barry said, we all know of course that his dad, Ian Wright, was a very, very late developer and I don’t see any reason why Brad shouldn’t continue to improve as he gets more mentally mature.
“It will surprise me if he never plays in the Premier League again during his career.
“He’s a fantastic individual and you’d love him as a son – that’s the best compliment I can give him.”
Well you can't really add much more to that...ladies and gentlemen...Bradley Wright-Phillips.
The 25 Who Broke Through
Number 13: Bradley Wright-Phillips
Date of birth: March 12, 1985
City first team debut: v Barnsley, City of Manchester Stadium, September 21, 2004
Games played for City: 40
Goals scored for City: 2
Left City for: Southampton in July 2006 for undisclosed fee (+ substantial sell-on clause)
The 25 Who Broke Through – Number 14
At this point in the series of the 25 Academy Graduates who made it through to feature in the Blues' first team, we have reached the penultimate player to have left the Blues for permanent pastures new.
Jonathan D’Laryea, 'JD' or 'Twiny' as he was known during his City days is a holding midfielder who joined Mansfield Town in January 2006 following a successful loan period at Field Mill.
He soon became a popular player with the Stags supporters after some hard working performances and no nonsense tackling. During the January transfer window, D'Laryea made the move permanent, signing a two and a half year deal with the Coca-Cola League Two side.
Jon made 42 league and cup appearances in his first full season for the Stags before he sustained a bad ankle injury in March against Notts County. That injury kept him out until the start of this month where two substitute performances paved the way for his first start of the season in the 3-0 FA Cup First Round victory over Lewes at Field Mill.
Academy Manager, Jim Cassell, said of the 22-year-old: “Jonathan was playing well at Mansfield last season and I know other clubs were looking at him.
“He’s a good energetic midfield player and will certainly play higher than the level he’s at now. I’ll just watch him with interest and I’m amazed that nobody has already moved in for him because he is a better player than the level that he’s at.”
Jonathan made his one and only Blues appearance in the 2-1 Third Round League Cup defeat to a young Arsenal side back in October 2004, which included unknown players like van Persie, Fabregas and Flamini.
The D’Laryea’s very nearly became the second set of brothers and first set of twins to break through from the Platt Lane Academy, as Nathan, a centre half made the travelling squad for last season’s trip to Wigan Athletic.
Unfortunately that wasn't to be and in light of that we leave Jim Cassell with the last word on the D’Laryea twins. He said: “The best thing I can say about Jonathan D’Laryea and his twin Nathan, who left for Rochdale, is that they are two of the best human beings you are ever going to meet.
“They are fantastic individuals and a great credit to their family.”
The 25 Who Broke Through
Number 14: Jonathan D'Laryea
Date of birth: September 3, 1985
City first team debut: v Arsenal, City of Manchester Stadium, October 27, 2004
Games played for City: 1
Goals scored for City: 0
Left City for: Mansfield Town in January 2006 for a nominal fee
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The 25 Who Broke Through - Number 15
As we reach the fifteenth player of the 25 Who Broke Through, we arrive at the first of those still playing for the Club.
Nedum Onuoha made his City debut in the 2-1 home League Cup defeat to a young Arsenal side back in October 2004, a night when five other Academy Graduates featured for the Blues.
Since then Nedum has represented England at Under 20 and Under 21 levels and continues to be courted by the Nigerian national team.
This season the 21-year-old has gone through the 50-game barrier for the Blues and if it wasn’t for various minor injury problems along the way Onuoha could have been approaching closer to 100 outings for the Club.
Pace and power are just two of Nedum’s strengths and something Academy Recruitment Officer Barry Poynton noticed all those years ago.
Of scouting Nedum he said: “We noticed this giant of an Under 11 boy and every time he got the ball everybody just got out of the way.
“He’d just run with it and I’ve never seen anybody so quick, he covered the pitch in five strides.
“We signed him immediately and then had the battle of persuading him and his mother that he wasn’t necessarily going to be a striker and so it turned out.”
But it was that immediate signing of Nedum that sticks in the memory of Academy Manager Jim Cassell, who picks up the story.
Jim recalled: “Well Nedum is special. All the boys are special, but Nedum is the first boy that I personally registered.
“That was back when it was just Barry Poynton, Paul Power and myself here. Barry and I noticed him in training and decided that we needed to get him signed as soon as possible.
“So because of where he lived, which was on my way home, I did it and immediately became friends with his mother.
“Nedum has gone from strength to strength and if he can stay free from injury he could go all the way and play at top international level.”
As with so many of the boys to progress through the Platt Lane ranks, they are credits to themselves, their families and the staff, and certainly Nedum is no different.
Over the last couple of season’s Onuoha has used his love (and now study) of music to help promote the Kickz Project and did so again as part of the Creating Chances charity work.
It’s not just about getting the talent and quality out on the pitch, but also off the pitch as respectable people, as Cassell concludes: “He is a magnificent ambassador for this Club and conducts himself superbly well both on and off the pitch.
“I just think that if we could continue to produce boys of the stature of Nedum Onuoha then this Club is going to find itself in very good shape for a long time.”
The 25 Who Broke Through
Number 15: Nedum Onuoha
Date of birth: November 12, 1986
City first team debut: v Arsenal, City of Manchester Stadium, October 27, 2004
Games played for City: 64 (to date)
Goals scored for City: 0
Edit
Nedum Onuoha scores his first goal for Manchester City in the 2-1 defeat of Tottenham Hotspur 16/03/2008
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Edited by carmedic (03/19/08 05:57 PM)
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The 25 Who Broke Through - Number 16
Number 16 on our list of Players Who Broke Through was a popular player amongst fans and players alike during his time at Manchester City.
Lee Croft will best be remembered by Blues fans for a fine right wing run and cross for Kiki Mu | |
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