Stoke City opportunity highlights academy strength
YOUNG Stratford Town midfielder Devonn O’Sullivan has secured a trial with Championship side Stoke City – and according to club chairman Jed McCrory, that just shows the quality of the Bards’ academy set-up.
O’Sullivan played a handful of pre-season games and has been on the fringe of the first team, coming off the bench to score in the Boxing Day derby with Leamington. He has also figured regularly while out on loan at Rugby Town who play at the level below the Bards.
McCrory said: “At Stratford we have a very young side and we are keen to develop the players coming through the academy. I spotted Devonn during the summer and brought him in to train with the first team and we also have a young goalkeeper Maxx Clutterbuck who has also been involved on the bench.
“We have quite a lot of young players in the first team including Callum Ebanks, Alex Worley, Charlie Williams and Dan Lafferty who is already approaching his 100th game. We are a club that is geared up for developing our young players.
“Over the years, players have moved from our academy to take up scholarships in America and we have others who are regularly turning out for other non-league sides such as Evesham United and FC Stratford – they won the Midweek Challenge Cup last season with many of our first crop of academy lads and they are through to the final again this season.
“It just shows that the academy is fulfilling a need in the area whereby local kids have a chance to progress in the game and we also put them through their coaching badges to prepare them for, hopefully, a career in football.
“With more than 20 years’ experience in football both as a chairman and as a director of football, I think I know what it takes to support the development of players along with academy coach Chris McCoy who also works with Walsall and first team manager Gavin Hurren who came through the academy at Nottingham Forest and Mansfield Town.
“Devonn has been up at Stoke for two days so that they can have a look at him. It is a great opportunity for him but it will be tough because there will be other players who have been released by Football League clubs including Manchester City – lads who have been in an academy for many more years.
“For him to be part of that is great for him but also a great credit to those who have developed his skills at Stratford Town.”
And McCrory added that the development of other players at the club such as Saturday’s hat-trick hero Callum Ebanks has alerted other clubs.
He said: “We have players who are regularly being watched by other clubs - we had 18 scouts at our last game!”
