“What real money have we made out of our youth policy? We have made money by bringing in young hopefuls and moving them on. It's an attractive reputation to have and if Knill can enhance it, then all the better. We need to make the club more attractive for players to join.”

“What have Sharp, Keogh, Hooper and Paterson all got in common rather than the obvious? We signed them all on the back of very successful loan spells elsewhere (Sharp at Rushden, Keogh at Bury and with us, Hooper with Hereford and Leyton Orient, Paterson with Grimsby). And we signed most of them fairly cheap so is possibly somewhere we can look, someone surplus to requirements at Championship level that we know can score goals at League One level. Hopefully Turnbull is already on the case.

But I second what everyone has said here in regards to youth development. Remember when we had Sparrow, Butler,Williams, Darren Stamp (cough) Gareth Sheldon, Scott Brough, James Cotterill, Jamie McCombe and Wayne Graves in the squad all pretty much at the same time? Fair enough every one of them left us for free but all served a function for a while. Now we have high hopes for Godden and I think Canavan is a super young player with real potential.

To be fair I don't think its as doom and gloom as its being made out. I think Bobby Grant will do very well next season, similarly Mark Duffy and perhaps Chris Dagnall's all action style might get him a few more goals next season. We are stuck with some deadwood but the patient is far from terminal just yet”

“Got a nice wedge on at a nice price on the iron freefalling into div 1 next season, also the tigers making the play offs, lol, from the tigers.”

“It's easy for Knill to criticise the players, the previous management, the effort, the style of play etc... in all honesty any of us could do that as well if not better. What I want Knill to do is the job he has been brought in to do. I know it's still really early days and that we have to start somewhere but he seems to be manageing our expectations upwards to a place that will be difficult to come down from.

I hope he isn't someone who just blames others....

We've had that before (Laws & Bara)”

“It didn't take a genious to scout Keogh, Paterson, Hooper or Sharp...these are the players that brought in serious cash but in all honesty - did we really improve them? All were talented players from the outset, have spent time at the academies of PL clubs - where it mattered was the cash being made available to sign these lads....reading between the lines that is no longer the case and Knill is under instructions to find lower league, young gems.

You can only judge Knill on his sides and - in fairness - he has a good repution for playing football but then so did Dave Moore and Bill Green.

What SUFC have lacked since Richard Money was the youth coach, is players breaking through - we dont have any reputation for that at all and as stated above, I think Paterson, Keogh, Sharp, Hooper were already great players when they arrived - I dont believe that our coaching progressed them that much, although first team football put them in the picture.

Up the Iron!”

“He is certainly setting himself up Grezza. Obviously we all hope he can deliver, but the "I", "me", "myself" and "my" language is at risk of becoming tiresome.

Wasn't Knill just a whoosh merchant? Row Z or out of the ground? Where did this fast passing game "he" prefers for "his" teams come from?

Not sure we even need a youth team. Maybe we'll see Lillis, Godden and Canavan come through this next season and show us what it is all about. Keogh, Sharp, Paterson and Hooper all made big money for us but that was due to good scouting and good luck.”

“So far I have heard a whole lot of TALK from Alan Knill.

When is he going to start WALKING it?

Results please....”

“There is a big hearted Irishman at the club who would be ideal to manage the youth / reserve side of the club.

Radical overhaul needed as we have stood still over the last five years.”

“I would concur. You won't find many glowing reviews of his work.”

“The youth development disappeared when Paul Wilson left.”