Spurs and the 25-man squad rule

The new Home Grown Players rule seems to be confusing a large number of people, including journalists (EDIT: here I am criticising them, and I’ve made a cock-up myself!). Let me start by saying that Spurs won’t be immediately affected by this rule.

At the end of the transfer window (6pm on the 31st August), we have to electronically register a squad. The maximum number of players registered is 25. If we are to name a 25-man squad, we must include at least 8 players that are “home grown”. If we don’t have 8 home grown players, we are able to name fewer, but we would have to operate with a reduced squad – i.e. 7 home grown in a 24-man squad, 6 home grown in a 23-man squad, etc. A home grown player is defined as follows:

A home grown player is defined as one who, irrespective of his nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to the Football Association or the Welsh Football Association for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which he turns 21).

Outside of this 25-man squad, we can use any number of players who are Under 21. An Under 21 player is defined as follows:

In keeping with UEFA guidelines, an Under 21 player is defined as one who is under the age of 21 on 1st January in the year in which the season commences. For the 2010/11 campaign Under 21 players will have been born on or after 1st January 1989.

Applying the rules to our current squad, we shape up as follows – asterisk (*) represents a home grown player:

1 Heurelho Gomes 15/02/1981 29
2 Carlo Cudicini 06/09/1973 36
3 Ben Alnwick 01/01/1987 23 *

4 Ledley King 02/10/1980 29 *
5 Michael Dawson 18/11/1983 26 *
6 Vedran Corluka 05/02/1986 24
7 Sébastien Bassong 09/07/1986 24
8 Benoît AssouEkotto 24/03/1984 26
9 Younes Kaboul 04/01/1986 24
10 Jonathan Woodgate 22/01/1980 30 *
11 Alan Hutton 30/11/1984 25
12 Kyle Naughton 11/11/1988 21 *
13 Dorian Dervite 25/07/1988 22 (EDIT: he now appears on the Villareal web-site, although Spurs haven’t confirmed that he has left.)

14 Luka Modric 09/09/1985 24
15 Tom Huddlestone 28/12/1986 23 *
16 Aaron Lennon 16/04/1987 23 *
17 Wilson Palacios 29/07/1984 26
18 Jermaine Jenas 18/02/1983 27 *
19 Niko Kranjcar 13/08/1984 25
20 David Bentley 27/08/1984 25 *
21 Jamie O’Hara 25/09/1986 23 *

22 Robbie Keane 08/07/1980 30 *
23 Peter Crouch 30/01/1981 29 *
24 Roman Pavlyuchenko 15/12/1981 28
25 Jermain Defoe 07/10/1982 27 *

EDIT: Just to make things clearer, people have been asking about Bale – as he was born on 16/07/1989, he doesn’t need to be registered. Same goes for Giovani, Sandro, Livermore, Rose, Walker, etc.

We will then have to submit a new list at the end of the transfer window in January 2011, but at least for this season, any players who were 21 as of 1st January 2010, but are 22 as of 1st January 2011 will not need to be registered.

I think it is unlikely that Dervite and Woodgate will be included in the main squad, and the chances are that at least one of Hutton/Keane/Jenas will leave. We should have some room for manoeuvre, but it is certainly something that clubs will have to bear in mind when making signings in both windows.

So, to sum up the situation:

  • Clubs must register any players who are over 21, and may name a maximum of 25.
  • If a 25-man squad is named, 8 of those must be “home grown”.
  • Clubs are allowed to name less than 8 home grown players, but if they do so, they will have to operate with a reduced squad.
  • The current Spurs squad could operate with no immediate effect.

Join the conversation

  1. Dervitte is off to Villarreal
  2. "In keeping with UEFA guidelines, an Under 21 player is defined as one who is under the age of 21 on 1st January in the year in which the season commences. For the 2010/11 campaign Under 21 players will have been born on or after 1st January 1989."

    It says on the FA website that it's under 21 on jan of the year the season started so don't think you're correct that we have to worry about those 5 growing up. Will mean quite a bit more transfer activity next summer though!
  3. Good to see the no. of players in the 25-30 age bracket. We should be able to achieve something over the next 2-3 seasons.
  4. I believe you're wrong about the under-21 player definition changing in January.

    The rule states that "an Under 21 player is defined as one who is under the age of 21 on 1st January in the year in which the season commences."

    In January we will still be in the 2010/11 season (ie commencing in 2010), so the likes of Bale, Sandro, dos Santos, Rose and Walker will still qualify as under-21.

    Naughton, however, will need to be registered as part of the 25 from the start of the season as he had already turned 21 on 1st January 2010.
  5. Anonymous @ 9:35, very good point, I think you are correct - there is slightly contradictory information, and I'd interpreted it badly.

    "For the 2010/11 campaign Under 21 players will have been born on or after 1st January 1989."

    I will edit that section...
  6. One thing unexplained: If you buy player in January, can he ONLY play once registered at end of January transfer window? If so, it sounds like a hellish last week of transfer window...
  7. What about Gareth Bale! You've missed him from your list
  8. Anonymous @ 9:39 is right - Naughton was born in 1988 (so not on or after 1st January 1989) and he needs to be registered in the list of 25.
  9. Dervitte joined villareal a month ago.
    Also wheres Bale, the 2x Kyles (all 3 home grown),
    Dos Santos & Sandro
  10. Anonymous @ 9:50 - Bale was born in 1989 and does not need to be registered (likewise with dos Santos, Rose, Sandro, Walker)
  11. Anonymous @ 9:39 - you're spot on. Thank you very much for pointing this out, I have edited. I knew it was a bad idea to do this at this time in the morning.

    Anonymous @ 9:45 - I have already emailed the PL on this point, and will get back to you once they've replied! It's unclear.

    Anonymous @ 9:50 - Bale qualifies as U21 - born 16/07/1989.

    Anonymous @ 9:53 - thank you, now corrected.

    Anonymous @ 9:54 - I've not seen confirmation of a deal for Dervite from either club, and he's still listed on our web-site (I realise that doesn't necessarily mean much...!).


    The posters on this blog are the best around. Thank you for your corrections, and for stopping me from looking even more of a fool.

    For the 2010/11 campaign Under 21 players will have been born on or after 1st January 1989.
  12. Oddly,

    Bassong and Kranjčar and even Assou-Ekotto almost qualify as homegrown, being registered on or around turning 22. (with Newcastle, Portsmouth and Spurs.)

    Ćorluka comes even closer, signing with City in the year he turned 21.

    And Sandro might also qualify in 3 years time, seeing that he 'signs' with the English FA (by Spurs) by the end of August, and he's just turned 21 this year in March.

    so virtually every outfielder excepting Pavlyuchenko is homegrown. I wonder when we count the almost homegrown (365 day difference!) margins how many other teams can compete in that count.

    moral of the 'homegrown' story - sign them up before they turn 21.

    E.o.M.

    Not that it really matters since Spurs aren't borderline on the homegrown requirement.


    E.o.M.
  13. I wrote about this subject several times on my blog www.anothertottenhamblog.blogspot.com if you dont mind the plug. By my reckoning we can bring in at least one more to cover the space that will be vacated by Dervitte. I wasn't sure about Keane being homegrown, thanks for clearing that up for me. I am expecting Keane, O'Hara and Hutton to go before the end of the month so we could have four vacancies. After the Milner transfer goes through, probably this weekend, expect some activity.
  14. The homegrown rule is that you must have trained with a club in England or Wales for three years prior to 21. So no I dont think Bassong and Assou-Ekotto qualify.
  15. we are assuming that stipe is not in the side?
  16. WINDY . You actually got something a bit wrong but like a Gentleman you excepted and corrected it good man. I hope Keano stayso with Spurso because we cant afford to play any more ex players. This will be City Oilers problem and thy are showing Respect to Spurs by not letting there players come to Us . Fulham and Hughes with Arab owner will benefit from City Cammels offloads with loans we need to learn this make your rivals stronger and they will beat you. (DAVSPURS)
  17. NEVER MIND 25 MAN RULE. OUR WE TURNING OUT TO BE A JOKE IN THE TRANSFER MARKET WE CANT SEEM TO TRY A GOOD PLAYER NEVER MIND A GREAT 1.WHY DID WE SPENT ALL THAT MONEY TO GET TO CL ONLY TO LOOK LIKE WANKERS NOW. WHAT DO U THINK .

    BELFAST YID
  18. Anonymous said...
    NEVER MIND 25 MAN RULE. OUR WE TURNING OUT TO BE A JOKE IN THE TRANSFER MARKET WE CANT SEEM TO TRY TO SIGN A GOOD PLAYER NEVER MIND A GREAT 1.WHY DID WE SPENT ALL THAT MONEY TO GET TO CL ONLY TO LOOK LIKE WANKERS NOW. WHAT DO U THINK .

    BELFAST YID
  19. BELFAST YID - I am actually pleased that Harry hasn't opened the revolving door again. A couple of quality additions would be nice but there's no point just buying fodder if the top players aren't available.
  20. Belfast yid, sorry chap, but try and hold off the [caps] key. Makes you sound a touch uncredible. You may wish to wait for the confirmation of Champions League entry before you judge our power in the market. Should we make it through, we will be able too sell ourselves as a champions league team. This is often the case prior to qualifiers that a team is unable to convince top targets. Time will tell a story

    Yidsworth
  21. Dorian Dervitte joined Vialreal on 9 July - below is a link to their site. The reason it was not announced by Spurs I suspect is that Dervitte's contract came to an end on 30 June 2010.

    http://www.villarrealcf.es/principal_n.php?nombreModulo=noticiasDetalle&idnoticia=10300&idseccion=53&idmenu=90&idsubmenu=132
  22. Anonymous @ 13:16 - thanks for that. I did think that his contract was up, but he wasn't mentioned as leaving when Walker and a few of the younger players were released.
  23. Is there a reason that Stipe wont make the cut?
  24. Is the Sfa not included in homegrown ?
  25. Well Keano is making his own case for inclusion in our 11 never mind the 25. A legend only loses class temporally it will always return if you give it Time. DAVSPURS
  26. No transfer activity is better than a lot which has been our problem over two decades. Turnover of managers too.
    It didn't help Man.City last year and won't this year.
    This squad will benefit from staying together and playing together. Its young and can only improve.
    As regular readers will know we have a lot of talent bubbling up and some can make the grade possibly this year(Gio,Walker,Naughton,Livermore,Townsend,
    Rose and more next year.
  27. Absolutely spot on, Jimmy.
  28. No SFA doesnt count, I imagine it is because Welsh teams play in the English Pyramid.

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