NR1 0 Posted January 21, 2013 It would be great to have a few home grown players in the side but why is it that Norfolk produces so few professional footballers? If you compare Norfolk''s population 859,000 against Liverpool 466,000 we have nearly double the population yet have a pathetically small amount of Premiership footballers from our great county (are there any currently apart from Norwich youngsters?). Is this a hindrance to us as a team as we have such a limited local pool of talented youngsters - or is it the fact that there is local talent out there we just don''t nurture it well? Is it because of our area is mainly rural and most footballers seem to be inner city from working class backgrounds? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stig 0 Posted January 21, 2013 As a sort of self defence from jokes:Three-legged footballers aren''t allowed in the modern game, discriminating I know! Let alone 6 fingered goal keepers!Jokes over, I don''t really know. Not a pass time that most Norfolk folk grow up wanting to do? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
city-till-i-die 7 Posted January 21, 2013 I think there was a travel rule bought in. Clubs can only court players within a certain traveling distance. Bigger clubs simply fly very talented youngsters from other areas. (Loop hole) Please correct me if I''m wrong but I think its something like that :-) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chunky Norwich 0 Posted January 21, 2013 Statistics though, innit? I can''t be bothered to check the populations but Norfolk is going to have more older, retired people and middle-classes more interested in rugger. Liverpool are probably going to have a younger, more athletic, working-class demographic to draw from.If you also compare the size of the county of Norfolk and put this radius around Liverpool, this will include the Wirral, Lancashire, etc. This is then where the 1 1/2 hour rule kicks in and we can access 800k people and Liverpool probably about 2-3m (guess figures).We have produced Sutton, Eadie, Fox, Disco Dale, Rudd, Lewis, Mills and Chris Cohen though... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thirsty Lizard 3,154 Posted January 21, 2013 Chunky - don''t think we can really claim Darren Eadie as one of our own since he comes from the West country. I think Alex Bruce and Mark Tyler were both born in Norwich though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr Greenthumb 746 Posted January 21, 2013 We were only aloud players from within a certain distance from Norwich. But now we are in the level 1 category ( as of a month ago), we can now look further a field and there will be more time and money spent on nurturing these players! Hence why they have asked for the £19 academy gift from season ticket holders! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,506 Posted January 21, 2013 We have never produced our fair share of footballers from Norfolk. Glen Roeder commented on it. Few have played for Norwich and even fewer have played in the top division. That''s why the 90 minute travelling rule hurt us so much. Glen Roeder pointed this out when Tom Adeyemi signed pro. In my time Dave Stringer and Dale Gordon were probably the best from the county while Clive Woods and Danny Mills were probably the best from the city. Before I was born Maurice Norman from Mulbarton played for Norwich, Bly''s Spurs and England. Tilly can tell you all about him.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,506 Posted January 21, 2013 Can''t believe I name checked Roeder twice in that post! That''s cuz I''m watching the football at the same time! [;)] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wings of a Sparrow 1,402 Posted January 21, 2013 Going back a bit weren''t Pat Rice (Arsenal) and Mick Bailey (Wolves) Gorleston boys? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,506 Posted January 21, 2013 I should have said born in Norfolk. Chris Sutton grew up in Norfolk but was born in Mansfield (I think). Why that should make any difference I don''t know but if you were doing a study he wouldn''t count. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,506 Posted January 21, 2013 Mike Bailey certainly was. I thought Pat Rice was Irish but there was an Arse player.. maybe Simpson? And did Stringer go to Arsenal once? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wings of a Sparrow 1,402 Posted January 21, 2013 I don''t mean Pat Rice do I? Who am I thinking of (for Arsenal)? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wings of a Sparrow 1,402 Posted January 21, 2013 Yes, it was Peter Simpson. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thenorthstand 0 Posted January 21, 2013 Matty Upson anyone? Went to the same school as me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Darren 0 Posted January 21, 2013 Wasn''t Matt gill from Norfolk? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norfolkbroadslim 223 Posted January 21, 2013 Peter Mendham...... Danny Crow, Ian Henderson, Ryan Jarvis, Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norfolkbroadslim 223 Posted January 21, 2013 Alf Kirchen - Norwich, Arsenal, England. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,506 Posted January 21, 2013 [quote user="norfolkbroadslim"]Alf Kirchen - Norwich, Arsenal, England.[/quote] Good old West Norfolk boy ''slim! Have you been looking at Lapp''s old programmes[:^)] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norfolkbroadslim 223 Posted January 21, 2013 Another one from your era Nutty and a good player at that - Barry Bridges. Rather less impressive, but still a fairly regular scorer in the football league - Colin Garwood. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canarygeorge 0 Posted January 21, 2013 [quote user="Wings of a Sparrow"]Yes, it was Peter Simpson.[/quote]When our family moved to Southtown (Yarmouth) in 1962, Mike Bailey (Charlton & Wolves) lived next door to us, and Dave Stringer (Norwich) and Peter Simpson (Arsenal) lived just up the road.When we moved to Caister, i was mates with Dale Gordons dad, Ray Gordon, they lived in the next road. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hannibal II 0 Posted January 21, 2013 As pointed out as until a month ago youth players had to live within 1 and a half hours traveling distance of Norwich. That being said this is still a catchment area of around 3 million people. The trouble is competition if a youth from Norwich does not make the grade between 10-18 else where in the country there are many other professional and semi pro teams within close proximity. As talent is subjective to the scouts and coaches that watch them, if a player from Norfolk does not make it at Norwich he has no where to go other than local football Lowestoft at best. Elsewhere these drop outs would be picked up by other scouts and kept within the footballing world offered more chances to make it. The same reason which means we are always sold out being the only club within x amount of miles is the same reason the county does not produce the amount of footballers to the level it should. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,506 Posted January 22, 2013 [quote user="Canarygeorge"][quote user="Wings of a Sparrow"]Yes, it was Peter Simpson.[/quote]When our family moved to Southtown (Yarmouth) in 1962, Mike Bailey (Charlton & Wolves) lived next door to us, and Dave Stringer (Norwich) and Peter Simpson (Arsenal) lived just up the road.When we moved to Caister, i was mates with Dale Gordons dad, Ray Gordon, they lived in the next road. [/quote] Dave Stringer was at Arsenal Juniors. Maybe with Peter Simpson? City boys, Norwich born, who I remember playing for us.... Steve Grapes, Phil Lythgoe, Colin MacDonald, Colin Metcalf, Mark Metcalf, Danny Mills, Trevor Painter, Glenn Self, Paul Wilson(who I was at school with) and Clive Woods (who spent his best days in binland). That would be from the mid-sixties to the present day. Can anyone remember any I forgot? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
William Darby 0 Posted January 22, 2013 Sailor Brown. And a player whose name escapes me worked at Norwich Union who played for Charlton but retired early with some disease. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,506 Posted January 22, 2013 Andy Hunt? I think he grew up in Norfolk but wasn''t born here. Played for the reserves before going to Kings Lynn and then Kettering on the way to Newcastle, West Brom and Charlton. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norfolkbroadslim 223 Posted January 22, 2013 [quote user="nutty nigel"][quote user="Canarygeorge"] [quote user="Wings of a Sparrow"]Yes, it was Peter Simpson.[/quote]When our family moved to Southtown (Yarmouth) in 1962, Mike Bailey (Charlton & Wolves) lived next door to us, and Dave Stringer (Norwich) and Peter Simpson (Arsenal) lived just up the road.When we moved to Caister, i was mates with Dale Gordons dad, Ray Gordon, they lived in the next road. [/quote] Dave Stringer was at Arsenal Juniors. Maybe with Peter Simpson? City boys, Norwich born, who I remember playing for us.... Steve Grapes, Phil Lythgoe, Colin MacDonald, Colin Metcalf, Mark Metcalf, Danny Mills, Trevor Painter, Glenn Self, Paul Wilson(who I was at school with) and Clive Woods (who spent his best days in binland). That would be from the mid-sixties to the present day. Can anyone remember any I forgot? [/quote] Clive Payne Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
William Darby 0 Posted January 22, 2013 "Andy Hunt? I think he grew up in Norfolk but wasn''t born here. Played for the reserves before going to Kings Lynn and then Kettering on the way to Newcastle, West Brom and Charlton"Yeah just looked him up he was a West Thurrock boy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
William Darby 0 Posted January 22, 2013 Anyone mention Phil Chapple? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flecky76 0 Posted January 22, 2013 Chris Cohen, current Forest midfielder was born in Norwich.Ryan Bennett is from Caister, near Yarmouth, regardless of the fact he is ow playing for us. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NCFC Sinky 0 Posted January 22, 2013 Beat me to it Flecky was going to say Chris Cohen was born in Norwich he even scored for us in a 2-1 win up at Forest during are relegation season. Own goals were the only way we scored back in those days :/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flecky76 0 Posted January 22, 2013 Whisper it quietly, but Trevor Whymark was born in Norfolk... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
