These five clubs are showing that youth can have an impact at Championship level.
Barnsley players celebrate after the game
The one thing that football fans want to see from the club they support is a plan for the future. It is a great thing to see a team of youngsters take to the pitch every week full of energy and ambition, and while they may not win every week, they are getting invaluable experience and becoming better players. Some clubs who are chasing promotion may shy away from the youth and fill their team with “wise old heads” which serves its purpose for the present day but the forward planning is lacking.
You have to take your hat off to managers who go against the logic that “you can’t win things with kids.” It is too early to say whether any of these five teams will achieve success this season and while there is sure to be bumps along the road, they have all made good starts to the season.
Barnsley: 16 points – 10th position: Average age of squad – 23 years old.
Barnsley’s Conor Hourihane scores his sides second goal from a free kick
Manager Paul Heckingbottom is in charge of the youngest squad in the league. There is no player over the age of 30 in their 27 man squad which is a great sign for the Tykes’ future. They have only picked up one point from their last four games, but for a promoted club they have exceeded all expectations. Their 25 year-old captain Conor Hourihane has led from the front with three league goals.
Brentford: 18 points – 7th position: Average age of squad – 24.6 years old.
The Bees held the mantle of the youngest squad last season (22.7) and have still kept a youthful edge, only having two players over the age of 30: Sam Saunders (33) and Alan McCormack (32). Manager Dean Smith has his side playing some great football to this point especially at Griffin Park and striker Scott Hogan has been a major part of that. The 24 year-old has turned his career around after two potentially career threatening knee injures to sit equal second on the top scorers chart with seven goals.
Wolverhampton Wanderers: 15 points – 12th position: Average age of squad – 24.7 years old.
Wolves Manager Walter Zenga
There is a little more experience sprinkled through the Wolves team than the other two teams previously mentioned. A couple of young loanees in Cameron Borthwick-Jackson(Man United) and Joao Teixeira (Benfica B) have been impressive contributors throughout the season. Walter Zenga’s team have experienced an up and down season to date, but have claimed big wins away from home against (Birmingham 3-1) and Newcastle (2-0).
Bristol City: 20 points – 5th position: Average age of squad – 25 years old.
Bristol City have a tremendous mix of youth and experience in their current squad. Captain Aaron Wilbraham and Gary O’ Neil have years of knowledge that they impart to their young teammates and a great deal of support for Lee Johnson who at 35-years-old is the youngest manager in the Championship. Johnson has a great ability to connect with the younger players having done so at his previous managerial job with Barnsley. The most in-form player under the age of 21 in the Championship is striker Tammy Abraham with the Chelsea loanee scoring 11 goals in all competitions and being the leading scorer in the league with eight. If he continues to fire and others contribute along the way, a playoff berth is certainly not out of the question.
Leeds: 16 points – 11th position: Average age of squad – 25.2 years old.
Sheffield Wednesday’s Fernando Forestieri (L) in action with Leeds United’s Kyle Bartley
At 25 years of age, Kyle Bartley and Pontus Jansson are just coming into their footballing prime and the evidence of their emergence is clear for all Leeds fans to see. Since becoming a central defensive partnership they have conceded just four goals in six league games and they have won four of those matches. While both players are on loan for the season from Swansea and Torino respectively, Leeds fans will be hoping that a arrangement can be made to keep both players at the club on a permanent basis. Another positive in the defence this season has been 23 year-old Left back Charlie Taylor who has looked assured when he has taken the pitch.
It will be fascinating to see how these five teams perform as the season progresses. Football is all about setting trends and once a young team achieves some success, others will undoubtedly follow and that will be a good thing for the game as youngsters will get more opportunities to showcase their talents for all to see.
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