In an interview with the Highbury & Islington Express, reserves boss George Armstrong has called for reserve team football to be brought out of the Dark Ages.

'A lot of clubs are struggling financially, so let a big club come in and help them,' he says, understandably. 'I know the rules do not allow it, but we should go and buy, for example Peterborough, and play our best kids there.'

Armstrong expresses some regret at the likely departure of Jason Crowe, whom he singles out as the star performer of the reserves team in the last year. (Crowe was transfer-listed earlier in the day.) Ashley Cole, he opines, may need 'just another year with proper training' to get into the first team reckoning. But given the quality in the first team squad, he admits that it's increasingly difficult for the youngsters to make their way through to the top level.