I see that Caldwell and Beharall are both back from their loan spells. Caldwell says that it was ace experience at Blackpool, that playing twice a week had made him much fitter than playing in the reserves twice a month and that he feels like he has become a better player. He will seek advice from YBR on whether to go back for while but is aware that Dabs and O'B are doing well. He has been much praised by the Blackpool management and fans. There's less info on Beharall but presumably he has to be looking towards a permanent move as there's almost no road into the first team for him. Anyway, the question is, should we be doing more of this loaning out? It seems to me that the players get better experience playing first team football even in a lower league and that even if they are never going to make it in the Premiership, they are getting seen in their rightful divisions so we may make a sale. Some big name players like Beckham and Ferdinand have been loaned out in their times and speak positively of the experience. On the other hand, there are injury risks and it may be better to keep a team in the same basket. Any views?

-- Anonymous, November 11, 2001

Answers

In general, I think it's a good idea dougal. Steve Caldwell's comments on his match fitness are very interesting, and if true indicate a very real problem for us.

As I've said before, I favour disbanding the Central League and allowing the lower division Clubs to become feeder Cubs for the PL - this would certainly address this match fitness issue.

In addition to SC and DB possibly going back out on loan, I've read somewhere recently that Stuart Green may be going out to Carlisle for a period, and that Gary Caldwell may also be going out on loan but I can't recall where to.

-- Anonymous, November 11, 2001

I attempted to follow Caldwell`s progress on loan at Blackpool , out of 4 checks he was listed as sub twice, makes his remarks more interesting somewhat. BTW who picks up the wage tab when a player is on loan?

-- Anonymous, November 11, 2001

I think the owner club picks up the wages, partly on the basis that the players normally have to train with their main club occasionally. Caldwell trained with Newcastle twice a week while he was away on loan.

-- Anonymous, November 11, 2001

Hmmm..so did Caldwell not play at all in those matches? Is Blackpool's training regime more rigorous than ours?

-- Anonymous, November 11, 2001

Just looked up some Blackpool stuff. Steve got injured twice (ankle and groin) and scored an own goal off his bum.

-- Anonymous, November 11, 2001

Clarky, if you scrap the reserves leagues then unless you're going to swamp the lower division clubs almost exclusively with bigger clubs fringe players, you'll end up with loads of players not getting a game of any sort.

And if you do go ahead then how long will it be before people stop going to see lower division football? I'd watch the Toon in Division 3, but not to see a team composed almost entirely of other teams reserves. I suspect Darlington fans would feel the same. Nice to have a loan player once in a while, but not a team full of them.

Having said that, I'm all for letting our youngsters go on loan to get first team experience, can't see what harm it would do them. I don't think the chance of them getting injured is that much higher than it would be playing in the Central League or in club friendlies.

-- Anonymous, November 11, 2001

Al,

The 2nd and 3rd Divisions are virtually bankrupt: the Central League is not adequately fulfilling the needs of the PL Clubs, and is watched generally my minimal crowds.

It seems inevitable to me that most of the lower Div. Clubs will either go part-time, or out of existence. This, at the same time the PL is sustaining, at considerable expense, a Reserve League that falls well short of the ideal in providing competitive action for fringe players, and the development of younger players.

I firmly believe the use of the lower divs for feeder Clubs for the Premiership would constitue a highly innovative solution to both of these significant problems - accepting that there are some associated issues that would need to be addressed.

I happen to believe that within a reasonable period of time, the fans of Hartlepool Utd or Darlington could indeed embrace a team included players of the calibre of Steve Harper, Olivier Bernard, Steve & Gary Caldwell, Jamie McGlen, and Michael Chopra - because it's a team of infinitely higher calibre than anything they are otherwise likely to have the opportunity of supporting in their lifetimes. However, it would undoubtedly represent a marketing challenge initially.

It won't happen, of course, because the industry is way too conservative to embrace anything so creative.

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2001

Clarky,

Whilst what you say appears rational and logical, who ever said supporting a football team had anything to do with either of these. Here in Edinburgh the only chance that the two teams have of matching the Old Firm would be to amalgamate, or at least to ground share. When the ground share option was suggested a few years ago both Hibs and Hearts fans went ballistic. The very idea that either team would share with the other was seen as an insult. Talking to friends who are fans of either club, whilst they could see the economic argument, asked me how I would feel if we ground shared with SAFC. I had no real comeback. Also, would we amalgamate with them if we could guarantee winning the Premiership as a result?

I also have family members and friends who are season ticket holders at Hartlepool and their behaviour certainly couldn’t be described as rational! If you were to suggest to them that they were to become the feeder club to anybody they’d refuse. How would you feel in their position? It’s not a matter of being too conservative, it’s a matter of supporting a club. The big clubs always feel safe talking like this about the smaller clubs.

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2001

Good stuff Nick.

If the big teams are going to get bigger and bigger should Newcastle become a feeder team for Man U or Arsenal or Liverpool who play regularly in the European games ?

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2001

Clarky .... broth

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2001