Interestng proposition for more than one team, in more than one country. Football's financial house of cards can't stand for ever.

Whether or not the idea has mileage, I wish Bolton the best for today and the rest of the season.

Thanks Catalanaram.

I looked into this a bit further and found some interesting names who didn't make the grade as pro's when they were young and then came back later in their twenties and did extremely well.

Ian Wright - Plasterer at 22 when spotted by Walsall playing in non league. He did alright didn't he?

Others include Neville Southall and Vinnie Jones, (a binman and hod carrier respectively) who were picked up by lower league clubs several years after being told they weren't good enough and then went onto play international football.

The more I look into this the more convinced I am that for smaller clubs like ours this is a way forward that could bring us both better players and some money that we desperately need.

Nice idea. I would like to extend it to would-be- managers and would-be- chairmen

There are jems out there. I just wonder how many you have to fail with before you find an Ian Wright.

I know what you mean Cravies, it's a bit like the x-factor for footballers in a way. Hundreds and hundreds of crap auditions for one half decent singer and thousands for a really good one.

BUT I still feel that if we held the trials for registered players only and within a set radius of the Reebok we would have a better chance of finding the few gems than we do now. Also and let's face it we don't have the attraction of being in the prem to bring players who've already made it into League football to us and lack the resources to spend big in a bid to get back there.

This is just an idea of course but surely it could be done and if we found just one or two good players in the process I'd be willing to bet it would still cost us a lot less than paying a signing on fee/transfer fee and agent's commissions for even a half decent player from the championship let alone the premiership would.

Any things worth a try. As long it's a Cowell type and not Louis Walsh making the final decision.

I think its a great idea. It sounds like what you get on football manager, for those who have played it. You get invited to a trial day where there are 2 teams of recently released players, all of whom, i think are under the age of 25.

LPP - nice idea, but i think you perhaps underestimate the difference in ability from a Pro to a semi-pro to an amateur.

H Clegg, I don't think I do mate. Look, I'm not expecting us to find a Messi or a Ronaldo. All I'm saying is that there's plenty of historic exmaples of players being told they weren't good enough as kids who played no league for a bit, developed and came back to do well as pro's. I'd be willing to bet we could find a few of them with this idea. I think sometimes we need to think outside the box a bit. Ian Wright is one prime example, there are others like DJ Campbell (Wycombe to the Premiership in one move and didn't do badly there) who've either been told no as kids or never got spotted so play as semi-pro's now and do a "real" job who could well be decent at this level and we could get them for nigh on zip. Let's face it mate, have you seen our "top target" today? a guy from Boro who has 2 goals from 24 starts and who sky describe as "struggling for form" is not inspiring me much.

We could do worse than holding some open trials for local semi-pro and amateur lads who might never have had a chance before and see if they have what it takes.

It isnt just ability - its fitness, attitude, there is a good reason why they didnt make it in the first place.

You cite DJ campbell as an example, he went from a Professional Club, Wycombe to premier league. He was always a professional wasnt he?

i know a few people who where on the cusp of being pro's and the difference in ability to those who i know have been decent semi-pros is massive. Its such a leap. Even a non-league conference player would wipe the floor with a semi-pro.

Clegg I appreciate what you're saying and for the most part I agree BUT at this juncture we need to be looking at new ways to either bring in some talent or at least generate some revenue. By the way when he played for Wycombe he WAS a semi-pro, they were in the conference and still part time.

I agree Sunday League to Football League is a massive jump but I'd bet there are a few crackers out there who never made it earlier because they were never spotted or never allowed to try out because their parents wouldn't let them. I know my own parents really put their foot down when I wanted to go for a trial with Lancashire Cricket under 18's. They said I wouldn't make it and I needed a proper education and proper job. I know football's a different sport of course but I'd be willing to bet there are some lads in their late teens or early twnties who've NEVER been seen because they never had the chance to try. I don't say this would DEFINITELY work but at this juncture, especially given our finances I'd say it's worth investigating.