Clarke Gives Youth a Chance Clarke Gives Youth a Chance

Clarke Gives Youth a Chance

Despite suffering an unwelcome defeat, Saturday afternoon's pre-season clash between the Saddlers and Alfreton Town gave manager Darrell Clarke an opportunity to take a look at some of the clubs hot prospects.
With first-year pro's Tom Leak and Alfie Bates named in the starting line-up, Clarke soon blooded scholar Joe Willis and sixteen-year-old Joe Foulkes as the gaffer used his opening pre-season outing to take a look at his options ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.


With former academy graduate Callum Cockerill-Mollett also appearing in the Saddlers' second half line-up it's clear the club's youth system continues to provide the first-team with options, whether the manager deems them suitable for the upcoming League Two campaign remains to be seen.

The match itself was both promising and disappointing in equal measure. A first-half, which saw Elijah Adebayo bag his first goal in a Saddlers shirt, was swiftly followed up by a disjointed second forty-five as the rebuilt squad builds towards the opening day of the season.

Meanwhile, Clarke is expected to name strikers Morgan Ferrier and Mitchel Candlin in his starting XI for Tuesday evening's pre-season clash with National League North side Leamington.

The gaffer opted to play trialists Liam McAlinden and Alex Nicholls during Saturday's defeat to Alfreton as he looks to add to his squad ahead of Transfer Dedline Day at the end of August.
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