Academy/B and C team stuff (no replies)
The club is in the process of essentially downsizing the academy structure to spend as much time as possible focusing on nicking kids not wanted from other clubs in the hope we can find the odd gem.
I've seen that people have been palated by the statement/backtrack announced on the Tuesday after the initial shock caused by the announcement on the Monday, but all that has done is pull the wool over people's eyes. Speakman is just one of numerous people previously involved with the academy and the Under 18s/23s who have left in recent weeks and months (at least two that I know of have who hardly anybody would have heard of have gone across the city) and my understanding is that none of these people are going to be replaced. The club is simply going to reshuffle the existing staff members to paper over cracks.
For me this decimation of the one thing that has been productive and worked cohesively at the club in the past decade is even worse than having a perennially crap 1st team. This is scorched earth stuff.