If MK is serious about his recent comment regarding youth development he has to find a way of attracting the best potential to develop. The club occasionally finds the odd player that slips through the net but it's not enough to compete with the cherry pickers every year.

A good example is Theo Fages who joined Salford's academy because a relative of his once played under Steve Simms when he was head coach at Featherstone Rovers in the 1997-98 season. If Theo was English we wouldn't of had a sniff of signing him, he'd of signed for a Wigan, Saints, Leeds or Warrington etc.

Remember at the launch of the red devilution, big poster with his vision for the site included an academy development, never materialised along with the water park!

I mentioned a young lad to Alan hunts, who was playing for cadishead, soon as I said cadishead, you could see his disinterest. The lad went on a 6 week trial at warrington, and was signed after his 1st week. His initials are G.W, and he will be amongst the best.

Its about getting the right mix though isn't it. I have no issue with us going outside the boundaries of Salford and signing young lads up, all clubs do it, look at Leeds with Watkins for example. However it is most definitely imbalanced at the moment with next to no juniors from Salford being given the development opportunity.

Does anyone know if the likes of service area still exists? Also, do Salford offer out scholarships for teenage players anymore?

I've said for a long time if they bring in the Marquee player rule that the club must commit to spending the exact same amount as the players contract on youth development.

Hunte did well with the tools he had for most of his tenure, he was hampered working under a couple of coaches who are known for not giving youth it's chance and let's not forget that for 2 seasons at Barton we were possibly blooding youngsters slightly to early which wouldn't help their development.

Can you offer junior scholarships to the best young Aussies and Kiwi's? And if so would they be exempt from the quota if they came through the academy system?

That would be George Whitham then , seems strange we still aren't paying attention to sides on our own doorstep.

Don't forget Jack Wells at Wigan. Born and raised in Salford, attended Wentworth High, played at Folly Lane and has just been announced in the England Academy squad. Another one we probably missed out on because he wasn't playing a 'fashionable' club in Wigan, St Helens or Oldham.

Believe me, when i say remember this lads name. Can I ask how you know of him, middleman?

www.pitchero.com/clubs/cadishead ... 0-1627788/ Sounds like Cadishead team had a couple of decent young lads in it.

www.pitchero.com/clubs/cadishead ... 0-1627788/ Sounds like Cadishead team had a couple of decent young lads in it.

Last years Academy profiles backsup Loyal Fans earlier post regarding Salford having the same shopping list for youngsters as other super league clubs .This season it proves more difficult to check as we apparently have Salford Reserves team according to the official website .
Wire appear leading the way at the minute with thinking out of the box and have made the effort to turn up at Cadishead on a fairly regular basis over the last couple of years to see whats going on at the club,

Six Academy products in the starting 13 last night isn't bad for a club that is trying to buy success and doesn't develop its own players.

I coached Mr Whitham at Warrington last year and he is a very good prospect that Salford should have spotted. Salfords loss is definitely Warrington's gain!

Whether he will make it is up to him, he has the potential and a great opportunity to do so.

Cadishead Rhinos are a thriving club in the area with a large pool of junior talent. The club also has some very good coaches of the junior teams so they are in very good hands and progressing well... yet Salford seem to have pretty much zero interest in the kids there for no good reason. I know of one instance of a Salford 'scout' recommending a player to Warrington... which is criminal. This took place at an away game in Wigan... as the Salford scouts are not seen at Cadishead.

Whoever comes in needs to take a look closer to home starting in the Salford area. They need a hands on approach. I've seen the junior teams in the Widnes area sporting the Widnes Vikings logo on their shirts as they are seen as part of the bigger picture. At Salford we have nothing like that. Kids in Salford should have a real reason to aspire to play for this club. At this time they don't. If this job is done correctly, then this will be a starting point.

Thats not exactly true, mate. They have been a few times recently. But it was more down to martin vickers than alan hunte.