God send to Cullen then
seriously though he does look very good and i thought he was also impressive against Barrow last week
just get him signed up quickly then before super league clubs come chasing

Is he a Widnes lad?

He's from Wigan i beleive.

Prescott/St Helens i think

How long has he been in our academy for? 3 years makes him a Vikings product if I'm right?

If he's been brought from an amateur club and put through our academy before entering our senior side, I'd say that would qualify him as one of ours. So I'd definitely include Paddy and Houghton as being discovered and brought through the professional ranks by us. Obviously, if Houghton came here via the Wigan Warriors academy side, that's different.

Don't they have to be at the club at least three years before their 21st birthday regardless of where they come from.

Exactly right - think they refer to it as club trained. What is stupid about the rules us that you could have a brilliant young talent like Myler, come thorugh, but if he signs for someone else before the age of 18 then he would count as their player (if he stays there for 3 years).

Just a few bits from the RFL websiteCLUB TRAINED
B1

So if the rules don't change we're looking at needing a minimum of 8 'Club trained' or academy players in the 1st team squad.

Going back to Houghton, he looked in the game earlier in the season -Blackpool was it? surprised he hasn't been given more of a chance.

So what happens if he then moves on to another at 19, where he can then only spend a total of 2 years before he reaches 21?

Does this then mean that no-one brought him through?


What a complete load of b0llocks

Surely must say once you've fit that criteria at one club - Widnes, then you can't do it at another?

David Houghton has nothing to do with Celtic Crusaders.

I'd say that is right. For a club to claim a player as being club trained, they need to have been at that club for 3 years before thier 21st birthday. For 2 clubs to try and claim a player to be club trained then it would have to go something like: club 1 has the player for 3 seasons (player is 15, 16 and 17). then club 2 takes the player for 3 years (aged 18, 19 and 20). At what age can a player sign a contract with the club? I know we have the foundation academy for under 16's, but maybe the rules have been put in place to make it physically impossible for a player to qualify for 2 clubs?

Sounds like a bit of a grey area that maybe the RFL haven't considered, but to be honest how many times is the above scenario going to happen? Its far more likely that good youngsters get stolen from Championship clubs at an early age and end up qualifying for the new club instead of the old one. Greg McNally, is one - I think he's 19 now but signed for Huddersfield when he was still 17. As far as I'm aware apart from a friendly, he's never played a game for them, but in 2 years time he'll qualify as a Huddersfield trained player.

Currently they sign during and at the end of the U16 amateur season.

All changes to go in line with the changes in academy structure from next year. i.e U 20'S competition.

Players will sign pro deals at the end of the amateur U17 season.

As far as Dave Houghton goes he is Widnes club trained. Signed at 16 from Blackbrook and been with the club 3 years now.