It's appalling the way it's gone. It is now the norm for promoted clubs to have managers or players taken off them. What chance would we have had back in the day if Duff or Dunn were sold before a Premier League ball was kicked, after promotion? It's also notable to compare the top scorers in the second tier back in those days - Louis Saha, Michael Ricketts, Matt Jansen, Lee Hughes, Mikael Forsell and on.

Bloxham made the bench for the first team squad once or twice, if I remember rightly. He was one of the better players for the U21s until moved to full back and then injured. Again, goes to show how shallow the depth is at youth/U21 level currently.

As a youth, most things are more vivid - I remember new signings being hugely exciting. In particular, I learnt about Jimmy Corbett signing from Gillingham, I think, and read he was considered the new Ryan Giggs. I wish I could still get so happy about so little!

With Hedges and Dolan on the wings, we almost reached the play-offs (albeit, it seems to me in a league drifting away from the top league at great speed). With Brereton, Armstrong, Rothwell, Harvey Elliott, Branthwaite, Harwood-Bellis et al. we finished, I believe, mid-table or so. It does depend on the standard of the league, which seems in decline, except for a select few. However, overall I am gloomy about the future, not least, based on the lack of youth talent coming through. Players like JRC, Scott Wharton, Buckley, Garrett, Carter, Nyambe, Lenihan etc. haven't all been great or consistent, but they've bolstered the squad and have made a difference at certain times. Right now, we have nothing like that coming through.

The year option is no real security when it comes to decent players. The player has all the power entering the final year and (assuming it's the same for the youth players as with seniors) they can start talking to other clubs. In which case, I'm disappointed but not surprised that Litherland hasn't had a new deal given that most of the regular watchers say that he's been one of the best U21 players.

I'd like to see Litherland, Edmondson and Dunn involved in pre-season with the first team. If they get a league club loan move, then fine, but otherwise, should stay around the firsts. They were the better performers in a dismally lowkey U21s campaign. Not sure about Montgomery but probably deserves a chance in pre-season too. I've been a backer of Buckley, his natural talent being evident. However, it's time for him to move on, I suspect. If he was to stay, I'd like to give him a go a last chance as an attacking midfielder. But, chances are, he will leave as he fell behind Montgomery in the pecking order, it seemed, in the final games.

My Young Player of the Season would go to Jalil Saadi or Lorenze Mullarkey-Matthews. They've done exceptionally well to highlight the club's youth loan strategy. Edit: Nice roundup @KentExile and thanks for the updates through the season. Joe Boggan looks like a striker with promise. I just hope the club recruit a few forwards to support him next year. It seemed to me that Igor Tyjon slogged away up front without adequate support this season. It's a recipe for injuries and disillusionment.

It looks as if Batty's contract expires this year. Could we be missing out on some potential transfer value, beyond any compensation?

Watching the game and been a bit disappointed in Wharton. To my layman's eye, he looks positionally and physically a bit indecisive defensively - though did great to nick the ball away for the second goal. Palace haven't had a great deal of possession, so harder for him to impress with his passing but still looks good.

Last season Jake Garrett was awarded Young Player of the Season and the award this season looks even more unclear. I guess it might go to Kristi Montgomery for his breakthrough, but, if I'm not mistaken, the most consistent performer for Rovers U21s has been Matty Litherland, with James Edmondson and Tom Atcheson coming out with credit. I suppose Duru and Tyjon might be in with a shout and Dunn potentially. However, the fact there is not a stand-out or two reflects what has been a disappointing campaign for the U21s and a lack of talent coming through (dubious management too..?). Edit: Forgot Tyrhys Dolan - if he qualifies at the age of 23, I guess, it'll be him, just as he leaves.

Good for Montgomery but makes you wonder why Litherland was sent away on loan when he actually plays right back sometimes.

Manager’s only getting paid five million a year… I watched some of the first half of the England U21 game v Portugal U21, which England won 4-2. England looked much better than in the previous game, albeit, probably a lot to do with the opposition being not as good. In yesteryear, any Portugal youth side would make England's boys look like amateurs. Yet, it is a sign of the times, that England's players looked technically as proficient (as well as physically stronger). Jobe Bellingham and Hackney looked decent in the centre in the absence of Wharton and Anderson. Also, Cresswell (a Toulouse player I discovered) looked fairly good alongside Branthwaite, though the defence and goalie looked shaky at times. Not sure about the formation with midfielders at full back and wingers as forwards but Carsley likes to throw players into new positions. Could also hint that England may be scratching around for full backs and strikers at that level, as well as goalkeepers.

Garrett was a left back five years ago. He has reasonable pace, can get forward and tackle; I just wonder if he should go back to that position on the pitch.

Saw a small part of it and agree, he didn’t seem to be influencing the game much. Maybe because he was playing deeper than he usually does for his club. It seemed a bit like a playground football, end-to-end game. It needed Wharton (and others) to try and control the flow but perhaps he isn’t quite experienced enough yet. I think I saw him do his trademark diving in to try and stop a counter-attack. The opponent got away and Wharton was out of the game on the ground. I’m no coach, but it might be something he needs to work on. Rayan Cherki on the wing for France looked a player.

It depends what you do with possession. The classy Spain sides of yesteryear kept possession but they did it with intent.

England’s much heralded U21s (with Wharton) lost 5-3 in France. Naturally, the media that complacently hype the team don’t much reflect on what became a near thrashing. Watching parts of the game, what was apparent, apart from horrendous defending, was that this talented young side struggled to know how to manage the game. Concerning for the future, despite the individual talent.

May be the case but aside from a few exceptions, not much coming through, especially in attack. Our lead fit striker, Harrison Wood, couldn’t get a game for Annan Athletic, whilst on loan in Scotland this season. He might’ve been injured but then, most of the U21 forwards are, for some reason.

It’s a relatively small point in the mess of the U21s, but If you give Saadi a one year extension, then keep him at the club to play U21 games to support the youngsters and paper-thin squad. Instead, he has sent out on what seems like effectively a secondment (holiday?) in Cyprus. Edit: I suppose an explanation is that they realised they had too many overseas players..

It says a lot about our owners and also our coaches that we’ve had players like Harvey Elliot, Wharton, Ayari, Van Hecke, Rothwell, Tosin but we couldn’t assemble a team to get into the play offs. In some cases, we couldn’t get the best out of them, albeit, they were young players. Palace have tended to appreciate young creative players. I recall a certain forward called Matt Jansen. The tables have turned a lot now.

Jake Kean…?

Awful for him. Just injury after injury. Hope it’s not a serious one.

That’s if they don’t get injured or disappear in revolving door non-league loans! Then team will limp on in disjointed fashion. Certainly, there is hope for some of these names but from an outside perspective I can’t but help viewing the U21s management as somewhat chaotic if not, at times, shambolic. The injuries are also a huge concern and the recruitment at that level has looked dubious recently, though the recruits are young players that may improve. I would say, the lack of relegation from PL2 can’t have helped the whole set-up, designed to develop players.

Another Holtby? Eustace appeared to have a soft spot for Sigurdsson purely based on his quotes. Was often talking him up.

Harrison Wood and Alex Baker I suppose will be released this year and futures of Mafoumbi and Gilsenan doubtful, Rovers have to be looking to bring in a few forwards at U21s level. I believe too much was asked of Tyjon too early in his physical development (though whether it is linked to his injuries is a medical matter) and the same will happen to Boggan, who may be the next ‘hope’, albeit he is older.

Not having so many players going through revolving doors on loan and back again must make a difference. Makes sense to loan out players to gain experience but not everyone at the same time and preferably longer-term to actually gain meaningful experience.