Homegrown dream can be a reality

Since former Boro boss Steve McClaren named 15 players in his 16-man squad born within a 30-mile radius of Middlesbrough for a game at Fulham seven and a half years ago, no-one has come close to it since.

Naming a team or virtual squad of homegrown players is seen as a distant dream in the global world of scouting and in the cash-drenched riches of the Premier League.

McClaren's selection at Craven Cottage, with an average age of 20, only one transfer fee paid (Malcolm Christie) and every player born in England – Albion's Darlington-born midfielder James Morrison went on to play for Scotland – may have been a parting gesture to chairman Steve Gibson in his final game in charge.

But for a club like Wolves, with a history of 'growing their own' and a fresh investment in a Category One academy ongoing, the aim is to turn the dream into reality.

The fruits of the harvest are still relatively modest at the moment. But you have to start somewhere.

Last Saturday at Peterborough, eight out of the 18-man squad, that's two out of the starting 11 – Carl Ikeme and Danny Batth – and six on the bench – David Davis, Jake Cassidy, Jack Price, Zeli Ismail, Ethan Ebanks-Landell and Wayne Hennessey – came through the Wolves academy or development squad, while another, Matt Doherty was injured.

Part of the reason for head coach Kenny Jackett's appointment was his commitment to promoting promising homegrown talent.

He's been as good as his word too, with Ikeme and Batth ever-presents in League One and extended chances handed to Davis, Lee Evans, Price, Ismail and Ebanks-Landell.

"We'd like 11 homegrown players in the Wolves team – that's our aim and the ambition of everyone here," said Jackett. "It's very unlikely to happen where you have all of those to come through and do that.

"But I would say I'd like as many as possible, and when the Financial Fair Play rules do come in, it will make the youth policies even more important.

"The Financial Fair Play rules will accentuate the importance of clubs' youth policies and producing your own players. They have to be good enough definitely, but you also need to give them the chances.

"So they have to be training with the first team so that you see whether they can earn that and then after that, if they're good enough, generally they will come through."

Ironically, Jackett's latest selection sees the majority of homegrown graduates being forced to look on from the bench, chiefly because the central midfield has settled down with Dave Edwards and Kevin McDonald in harness. But the likes of Price, Davis and Evans are close and will get their chance again.

"They're not far away either from it," said Jackett.

"Jack Price is 20 has played eight games this season and probably would have started more had it not been for a cold for one game and a migraine for two matches which have kept him out.

"Lee Evans is 19 has had 10 games this season and David Davis is 22, is much more experienced than the other two and has played 14 in the league this season.

"For our three younger midfielders at 19, 20 and 22-years-old, we've got two into double figures and one is on eight games and we're only at 19 league games so that's a good percentage.

"They're not necessarily far away and it's their challenge to get top-side of Kevin McDonald and Dave Edwards, if that's needed.

"That could be because McDonald or Edwards go out of the side through injury or suspension, but you do need that as a club.

"You need those young players bubbling underneath so that when their chance comes and it's their time and they're ready, they can take that opportunity."