How many of your first-team squad are from your academy?

Simple question. I've finally had a few quality players come through, so currently have 2 first-team regulars who have come from my academy, with 3 more close to being good enough. I can't really remember having as many, other than when specifically trying to use them regardless of ability.

Over to you.

The only time I've ever had more than one was with Gimnasia. I had five (all regens) who I promoted to the first team after taking over and a few other academy graduates who were already in the first team.

Absolutely none ... I have not had any yet (as Bath City) who were even close to being worthy of 1st. team football.

Tech: 11 Work: 14

Tech: 17 Work: 16

Tech: 18 Work: 15

Tech: 13 Work: 18

iirc i'm in the year 2014 and have 1, however i've got at least another 3 who should be ready in the near future

A couple of seasons ago my entire squad was from my own youth academy, I've recently abandoned them and signed a new team.

I had two or three stars but when building a team entirely from your own academy players you need to lower your expectations and accept the fact that your squad is going to be a bit rubbish compared to the players you could be signing.

never more than 1 or 2, my academy players have generally been awful

My Adderbury Park side were that bad that I had a quite a few Youth Team Players make it into the first team. That was in the lowest league possible in England though. One player is still there after 14 seasons and has clocked up 429 League appearances and 91 Goals (Only 29 Years old!). He's an F C too

Just shows how bad the standard is down there :-)

At the moment I have five straight from the academy, one who was there at the start of and a four who've come through the during the last three years. I've got a striker who look absolute crap, doesn't look much better now but still scores for fun whenever I give him a game. A center half who's been in the england squad at 19 (not capped). He'd of had a world cup winners medal if John Terrys injury lasted a few weeks longer.

I've got another center half who's done well on loan last season so has been bumped upto fourth choice for this season. The other ones a left winger who looks like he's going to be a beast in a year or two. He's shot up amamzingly fast in just one season. Also have a left back just come-in this season who's touted to be a leading premiership player.

Then there's all the youth players I've bought in...

rolf, never seen so many bald teenagers as in FM land!

I got just the two from academy

but I have 5 who are in my U20 squad who could join my squad in the coming seasons

A few if you count those who came through it IRL!

In my latest Milan save, in 2025, I had only one player in the 1st team who wasn't from my youth academy.

In my with Derby County in the Championship I have 2 first team regulars in my side and I normally have at least 3 to 4 others on the bench, all of whom, im more than happy to put in the first team when I get a few injuries/suspensions.

absolutely zilch

i get crap coming through academy

From my own youth squad, just one; a striker, and he's become world class. I do have another 20 club-trained players in the first team squad but they were signed as 16/17 yr olds.

Tigres do Brasil - I started in 3rd Div Brasil. Average youth + Academy.

The only stars I can get is through the academy, no money.

Currently pushing to be champion, first 11 has GK and DC who were first 11 at 16yo in the 3rd div now still regulars in their 20's. I have a younger striker also who is regular. So 3 all up.

The GK has played every game in 12 years (or close to). At 27 he has 500 games. I am defining the game length by him. When he goes or retires, I'll finish.

Every youth intake is the same for me. 5-6 players. One of which has the chance to be good. And of those, 50% have come on.

Only recenlt got the money to improve the facilities. Will what that does.

I had only 2 with enough quality for my first-team squad in 19 years at Plymouth, despite getting to state of the art facilites and youth academy in the first 5 or 6 years. They weren't quite good enough to be starters though, just pretty good cover. I ended up selling one of them for £14million, as there was too much competition for his position.

If memory serves right, on my retired long term Liverpool save my final squad had 2 players from the academy in my starting XI.

My team is full of Academy Players...

Am manchester united on my 12th season......

4 strikers

- Michael Jackson (25 Years Old, 35 Caps, 29 Goals )

- Ben Deakin (23 Years Old, 20 Caps, 4 Goals)

- Ian Jennings (19 Years Old, Youth Caps)

- Jason Bateson (20 Years Old, 1 Cap)

2 Midfielders

- Grant Browne (17 Years Old, Youth Caps)

- Wayne Adams (25 Years Old, 5 Caps)

No Defenders

In summer 2014, only 1 of my academy players play sometimes and I've just sent him on loan to Salzburg, however I'm presuming another one who's just come out of my U-20 squad after spending loans at Valencia and Hertha BSC is ready to make the step up. The standard of academy players is good but I haven't gone far enough into the game for those players to develop. I also like buying lots of youngsters, so the ones I have will have to be close to perfect to get in the team

Er...I'm playing Newcastle on FM2010 and into my 4th season.

0 in my first season (Championship). Now i'm in my 4th season (Premiere) and i think i have 1 maybe 2 at the most.

Certainly for me, the majority of my own academy players just aren't good enough. Maybe it's just the Newcastle United academy thats rubbish!? Maybe it's just me and my FM skills that are rubbish.

Will the board upgrade my academy and facilities...will they hell...swines!!!

I'm sure lots of FM players out there playing the very big clubs has lots of awesome academy players.

I think the majority of my academy players have been playing with a square football!

I'm in 2025 with Arsenal and not had 1 through my ranks though i've nicked plenty of 15/16 year old english players from english clubs. One i had was a centre midfielder from west brom called Aaron Curtis who i have just sold for 60m to A.C. Mlilan.

Generally in most games I normally have none. Once I managed to get four players who could play in my first team. One turned into the best striker into the world (he appeared three years before I joined the club, all I did was make him a first team regular), unfortunately the other three were all left backs. So I only used two with a third one playing when I had injury problems on the left wing.

I don't normally play top reputation teams though so the academy products are normally terrible.

i always look at my academy before signing any new players.

I was Rangers manager for 10 years and adopted the philosophy that every player turning 21 during that season would be promoted to the 1st team and given an opportunity to win a place in the team and if they were able to make 10 or more appearances averaging 6.5+ they would be kept on for another season until they dropped below that.

Only Danny Wilson (now Liverpool) managed to see out the 10 seasons.

I was able to loan him out during his teen years to the likes of Arsenal for a few million per season until graduating him to the Rangers 1st team.

Reason for not promoting him in his teens, strong enough defence for SPL without him. Unlikely added CL success with him in team at that age.

I find that unless you have a top academy, the youth players never get good enough for the first team.

Six have come through from my youth team at Lincoln in the Championship, including my best player who aged 23 has played 264 league games and the fans have named him player of the year for the last three seasons and four out of the last five.

I've also signed in the close season a player from FC Midtjylland who came through while I was managing Northampton who was my best player at Northampton, he is now 30 years old.

Oh, and my youth facilities are adequate, so bang goes Trents' theory straight away.