Neil Woods

Apart from getting up at six o’clock each morning, he’s really doing a tremendous job with the Youth set up. Totally redeemed his reputation. Goes to show that even if you might not make a good manager you can still have a huge influence on the future of the club.

Yep, I'm glad that particular chapter of our history had a happy ending.

So the man deserves a lie in..?

Quoted from Fishy clapper

So the man deserves a lie in..?

And some warmer trousers.

Some ex players have the ability to bring out the best in young players the same methods do not always work with older players, We are very lucky to have him and long may it continue.

With sweeney, Conlon  Et all did anyone stand a chance?

I don't think his reputation as a youth coach was ever in doubt.

He had tremendous success with our youth side during his first spell but also brought through the likes of Danny North, Andy Taylor, Ryan Bennett, Peter Bore, Bradley Wood and Nick Hegarty (plus others who featured but perhaps didn't make the long term step-up) who went onto make a lot of appearances for the club but also in the case of Bennett a lot of money.  Equally so Jack Barlow was sold to Hull for some serious cash on the back of the development work done by Woods and his staff.

In his second spell as the head of youth or whatever his title is, he was restricted a little by the lack of foresight around the club at the time.  I don't want to get into a debate about Hurst but whilst in the Conference this club was not focused on the development of youth players.  It was an add-on.  Hurst had a remit and that was to get us out the Conference, by any means necessary.  The attitude was very much that the club would rather hold back £15k to sign a loan player in March who might push us over the line than spend the same money on developing an 18-year-old who might not make it.

Back in the Football League it's quite clear to see the benefit of having a vision (probably the funding too) that supports the youth development.  

It's genuinely pleasing when you look at our squad and see so many home grown talents in our set-up.  It dawned on me last night that if (which we obviously did) get through, 17-year-old Mattie Pollock will be playing at Stamford Bridge.  That's someone from our own youth set-up, someone the club have invested time and effort in.  We'll possibly have two proper Grimsby lads in Harry Clifton and Max Wright in the squad.  They're not there to make the numbers up, they're part of the set-up, vital cogs in the wheel.  

I think if young  Pollock keeps improving like he has done, i see no reason why he wont be playing the big stage in a couple of seasons from now. He will make a few mistakes along the way, but that is to be expected . Pitty it wont be the big stage every week with us

I think it helps a lot to have a manager who spent much of his career in the youth set-up. Jolley seems very focused on developing young players and supporting Woods' efforts in developing young players at the club. I think it's been a good thing to get players out on loan to get them some experience and even better that Jolley is willing to give them a real chance to show what they can do in the first team. Feels a long time since we've had this much potential in young players developing at the club and I think much of the credit should go to management supporting Woods and young players.

Woods was always going to take the job of manager, if he'd have turned it around or taken us back up at the first attempt he'd have become even more of a legend. I don't think he tarnished his reputation much with that losing streak, yeah maybe he wasn't cut out for first team management but that squad that went down was such a shambolic clusterfuck of apathetic twits that it still angers me to this day. Having said that, praise the lord that he signed Alan Connell in the pre-season that followed because that first season would have been dull as dishwater without him lighting up the games every week.

In a weird way, it's great that he failed as manager as it meant he went back to youth team football and him coming back from Walsall was a superb bit of business on our part. Without knowing much about other clubs' setups, he must be one of the best youth team coaches/managers in L1/L2 and we're blessed to have him and blessed that he's Town through and through, because if he wasn't I'm sure he'd be at a bigger club. I hope he knows how well regarded he is by us fans* too.

Edit: *accidental Hurst

In the very, very, VERY early days of the Internet Mariners, before a team had been formed, a few of us used to have a kick about in an evening. I remember Neil Woods turning up one night, who gave us some very simple but effective coaching.

I'm not sure if he was employed with the club at the time. It's certainly before he worked with the youth players that have been mentioned earlier in the thread. I don't think he was long retired, actually. Just seemed to be wandering around, happy to help.

I only have vague memories of his style of play, but watching some of the early 90s videos that are shared on social media he had an exquisite touch and was technically gifted. Think he's got a lot of experience and knowledge to pass on, and his record at this club — including long spells when youth wasn't valued by certain managers — speaks for itself.

He deserves the sort of club legend status given to Lord Buckley and Dave Moore.

Just to reiterate, what a top class player he was for us.

Agreed Woodsy is doing a great job, as are all of the staff involved in the youth set up.

What is really encouraging now is that, not only are we developing good local talent we are also bringing in quality young players from out of  area (Rose, Pollock, Burrell)

A lot of town's success under Buckley can be attributed to players from away being recruited in to our youth system (McDermott, Handyside, Croft, Watson, Lester, Lever)

Great to see successful youth development and recruitment. Long may it continue

Was a top class player and has always been a top class bloke, wished it had worked out better for all when he was manager

It's the best youth set up we've had since the days of the Moores, Drinkall, Ford, Wilkinson, Lund etc.

One word of caution though, back then top clubs couldn't poach youth team players on the cheap and let them rot earning a fortune like they do today. Makes it unlikely we will see the Town team of the Buckley era full of local talent.

Except it wasn't the Buckley era - it was the Tom Casey/John Newman/George Kerr era. Buckley's players on the other hand were drawn from various sources which, to his credit, he fashioned into exciting and successful teams.

Sorry getting my years mixed up!

I'm not an expert on the ability of our youth players but does anyone know how the current crop compare to others in the last 10/15 years?

The sheer number around the first team implies that they are a better bunch but having a manager willing to try certainly helps.

A lot of young players just need a chance. If Slade hadn't gone then Clifton and Wright would almost certainly have fallen down the pyramid.

For those in the know, how did prospects of years gone by compare to this crop?

To be fair to Slades, he did give Wright a new contract (after he released him then got him back on trial.)

Quoted from jamesgtfc

I'm not an expert on the ability of our youth players but does anyone know how the current crop compare to others in the last 10/15 years?

The sheer number around the first team implies that they are a better bunch but having a manager willing to try certainly helps.

A lot of young players just need a chance. If Slade hadn't gone then Clifton and Wright would almost certainly have fallen down the pyramid.

For those in the know, how did prospects of years gone by compare to this crop?

We had some talented lads coming through 10-15 years ago. Danny North. Peter Bore. Andy Taylor. That wee fellah who's name I forget who went to Australia. Plus some other lads in Neil Woods' first era (Josh Fuller). None of them went above our current League level - unless the Irish league is better? The current crop hasn't peaked yet so they compare favourably.

I don't hold any grudge toward Woods for his brief tilt at management. As we know he had players some of which had the worst attitudes I have seen. It was too early to make any difference at that time. Don't know who could have sorted that lot out.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

We had some talented lads coming through 10-15 years ago. Danny North. Peter Bore. Andy Taylor. That wee fellah who's name I forget who went to Australia. Plus some other lads in Neil Woods' first era (Josh Fuller). None of them went above our current League level - unless the Irish league is better? The current crop hasn't peaked yet so they compare favourably.

Hegggggggarty

Quoted from Abdul19

Hegggggggarty

Forgot he was a home grown player.