By my reckoning there are now 13 players in our squad who came through our Academy system, that has to be a record for us, certainly in SL. There was a time when none of our first choice players were homegrown, 2006 sticks in the mind.
Now Johnstone, Jowitt, Batchelor and Crowther along with Brough and Woody are all first choice regulars, whilst others are starting to knock at the door.
Its a huge step forward and IMHO it is vital in creating a winning team. Others can perhaps buy success but we can't, we have to create it, putting together a team that involves a certain amount of genuine local/badge pride.
Even teams that can afford to buy the best still need that core youngsters made good, Leeds had all the money in the world but it was their golden generation that really did the business.
I'm not suggesting we'll ever do what they did but in our own way we can be just as successful.
I look forward to the likes of young Crowther making that happen.
then the next one on the bucket list is Magic Weekend.
