Just 22 out of 48 teams appear to have bought an apprentice this season.

31 apprentices in total joined SESL this past season.

Does that mean apprentices are not popular, or just the way it is and all is OK?

The way i see it if you try and train an apprentice/s in div1 chances are you
will be a div2 team the next season

not sure how many div1 teams trained up apprentices this season

HIB may well yet have to buy an apprentice though, as you only have 15 eligible players for next match Peter!

5 div1 teams trained up apprentices this season

AYR   0/5 DF Juan Luis Carrica (400k) 
 BER   0/5 GK Roy Carroll (400k) 
 DUU   0/5 MF Gary Kenneth (400k) 
 INV   0/5 GK Manuel Almunia (400k) 
 INV   0/5 MF Abou Diaby (400k) 
 QOS   0/5 GK Richard Barnard (400k) 

Many many more will have been procured via auctions however.

It has been pointed out a number of times, isnt there a glut of Age 1 players at the moment, so as a result theres not enough TP to go around.

If you dont have TP then theres no need to hire a new apprentice, in fact its probably wasted money hiring them, unless you need cover for injury.

I'd say the surfeit of Age 0 acquisitions is a temporary glitch for this season only, I'd expect next season that it will rise significantly.

Just a guess....

GMcD.

I agree with the bearded one above actually.

To complete the apprentice purchase summary:-

11 brought in to Div 2 this season.

14 brought in to Div 3 this season.

"Beardy one above" being our Lord and Saviour above us in heaven?

I've never heard of Livingston described that way....... Nice in parts, but "heaven"?

GMcD.

If my memory does not decieve me, the league "handed out" one or two apprentices to each club last season.
These players are now age 1 and may explain the lower than usual signings of apprentices this season.

Yoav is right, all teams got a 0/3 and 0/1 season before last, to encourage more youth into SESL and help deal with small squads causing a software error of 12 men on field when players suspended.

That is all sorted now.

I think many more apprentices will be bought next season, especially in lower division.

Lets wait and see how THIS season pans out.
My guess is managers will only buy apprentices once the auctions are nearly done.

... or like Ricky at STE, go on and on and on about trying to get a Div 3 team to buy him a 0/5 GK.

The rest of us try luck at auction first, obviously.

SM have bought 2 apprentices now and will see how it pans out.

ive had 3 apprentices so far, and might buy another depending on how the season pans out.