LUFC Academy is in Englands top 10 - name our best youth

[johnh]

Purely based in the acadamy set up by wilkinson - woodgate - if his career had progressed good enough to get in the revie side, couidnt make a case for any other player, although SiMau is right about kewell.

Kewell was a good player but would never put him in the category of 'world class'. Didn't like going for the 50/50 balls. Always shone in the 'easy win' games and tended to disappear from the tough games.

[Trigger]

Have we ever had a world class player come through our academy?

[johnh]

Not the 'academy' as we know it today, but Paul Madeley joined Leeds almost straight from school.

[SiMamu]

Have we ever had a world class player come through our academy?

Woodgate could've been.

You're talking about being two footed, but one of Arsenal's best ever products in recent years isn't two footed - he's incredibly one footed, in Jack Wilshere. It's one of the reasons he gets injured a lot, they just aim for his left ankle.

[JRLufc25]

A few to ponder over from my time following the club:

Batty - True warrior, who delivered at top level at all clubs
Kelly - Mr Leeds Utd
Kewell - Potential to be better than he was
Woodgate - Top drawer centre-half who if not for injuries would have been England's first choice for many years
Milner - Steady player who's achieved most top honours and a clutch of England caps
Delph - Exciting player who has been affected by injuries in early career

My pick of those would be Woodgate from a quality of player perspective, but for loyalty to the club combined I'd have to say Gary Kelly given he made over 500 apps and would be many more if not for injuries, also being a 1-club man