So, farewell then, Jamal Campbell-Ryce

The news that Jamal Campbell-Ryce is to go to Rotherham has come as a shock to many of the Addickted, following the departure of Michael Turner to Brentford. However, the fleet of foot winger wants a chance to play regular first team football which the lowly Millers are likely to be able to offer in him. I saw him playing for Orient against Rushden some while ago and he looked impressive at that level. But there is a wide gulf between League One/League Two and the Premiership. Indeed, on the basis of the matches I go to, I would argue that the lower levels of non-league are nearer to the bottom divisions of the Football League than they are to the Prmemiership.

There was little prospect of Campbell-Ryce breaking into the first team at The Valley. The costs of not surviving in the Premiership are so high that it is difficult to take risks. As I recall, the only two former Academy players in the first team squad at the moment are Fortune and Lisbie. Fortune just about cuts it in the Premiership most of the time. Lisbie is, well, Lisbie. More talented players such as Samuel, Defoe and Parker have gone elsewhere.

What is the future of Academy football in Premiership clubs? Not very good, according to a feature in Thursday's Times. After fourteen rounds of matches in the Barclay Premiership, only twenty-four former trainees have made the starting line-up in at least half of their side's league fixtures. Given that there are twenty clubs in the Premiership, that is about one regular player per team from the youth ranks.

There is concern among Premiership clubs about how cost effective training programmes are. One Premiership club is reported to have wanted to scrap its academy, only to be talked out of the idea by their manager who said it would be a public relations mistake.