By Eamonn Dolan, Academy Manager

For our Academy, the 2006/07 season was just about the perfect year. We did really well in the league, and a lot of the boys played for the reserves in the title-winning season. We probably should have won the FA Youth Cup just to top it off. Alex Pearce and Simon Cox went out on loan and did really well. We won most of our games and had a great run in the youth cup, losing to the eventual winners 1-0 in a game we didn't deserve to lose.

So we ticked all the boxes last year. But the one thing that was missing was the production line of players to the first team. We're starting to get there with Alex Pearce, James Henry, Simon Church, and Shane Long. It's very hard to get those players first team experience in the Premier League, but there's no doubt we have a group of players who could have a chance. And the great thing for them is that they are at Reading where they have a first team manager who will give them that chance if they are good enough.

There's been a lot said about the Academy system over the past few months. To a certain degree Academies have the same issues as the first team. The best 14-year olds in the country are likely to be the ones who find themselves at the bigger clubs. There is tremendous competition in the market for the players who are flagged up at the age of nine even. I think there is a moral issue here and we wouldn't compete financially at that age group.

We have to be part of a process which is sensible, diligent and hard working - trying to do the right thing. Last year was an exceptional season and the challenge is to keep that going with a different group. I manage the Academy in a certain way. I look at what we have in the system and manage it to maximise that potential. Thus far it has worked quite well and hopefully in the future that will continue.

Our reserves went to Derby last week and there were a lot of scouts watching us. People were saying that nice thing they say about Reading, 'don't they try to do things properly.' We have people like Sonko, De La Cruz, Halls all trying to play their football the right way and act the right way - they are great influences for the young boys. It's a great challenge for the lads to compete with them in training, and they are starting to do that more regularly.

I think we are unique in what we can offer a good young player. We can't offer the pedigree of Manchester United, the finance of a Chelsea or the history of Arsenal. But we can offer excellent facilities, first class coaching. A boy coming into our programme, we will get the best out of his potential. We are unique in that they can say there is a genuine chance of them playing for the first team, and at the bigger clubs it can be almost impossible - they can't afford a mistake.

Tottenham could have the next Robbie Keane in their Academy, but he won't become that until he gets the first team experience. And you can understand why a team like Tottenham won't have the patience for that.

However, if you look at someone like Shane Long, he came into our Academy and then progressed rapidly once he was training with more experienced players. It's a great way for them to learn. That's the model and we want more of that.

What constitues doing well for an Academy? You could win the league but never produce a first team player - and which is success for the club? You have to balance it - we want to win every game, but yet we have to do things the right way for the boys. And because of that strategy we are making progress on the other aim of producing players.

You can read part two of this blog on this part of the website.