Premier League Nonsense

Arsenal's Youth Cup winning squad 1999/2000? With the Arsen having won the 2009 edition, their 3rd triumph in a decade, what can we expect from Bouldie's Boys? And what has happened to those who have similarly triumphed? Obviously winning the Youth Cup ins't the start of a flourishing football career as these tales indicate.

Graham Stack - now 27 years old, managed to play 62 league games in a creer that has seen him play for Millwall, Reading, Leeds, Wolves, Plymouth and Blackpool. Scored a pen for the Arsenal in a League cup tie

Craig Holloway - impeccable North London name but still never made the grade

Israel da Silva - no idea

Liam Chilvers - also 27 and also never played in the league for the Arsenal. Spent time on loan with Northampton Town, Colchester United, Notts County and is now with Preston. Like Stack played in Belgium with Arsenal's partner club there Beveren

Niccola Galli - Italian, his father was good mates with Liam Brady from his time there. Towering centre back he sadly died aged 17

John Halls - Islington boy but failed to make the grade. Like others he spent time with Bevern, Colchester as well as Reading, Stoke City, Preston, Crystal Palace, Sheffield United and most recently Brentford. But still only managed a pissy 120 league games

Moritz Volz - German full back who managed to carve out a decent career for himself at Fulham before going on loan to Ipswich. Probably happy in East Anglia 'cos he likes a bit of cycling does Moritz

Steve Sidwell - despite being a ginger has gone on to have a reasonable career including four years at Reading and one season bench warming at Chelsea. Now with Aston Villa but, like the aforementioned, never played a league game with the Arse

Stephen Santry - no idea

David Noble - one problem faced by silky young midfielders is they always get compared with Liam Brady and Noble was no different. Moved to West Ham after failing to get a game with the Arse, then Boston and Bristol City as well as loan spells with Watford and Yeovil. Now released by Bristol City

Rohan Ricketts - left the Arse to join Tottenham but they should have known we would never let them have the cream of the crop. A few games on loan at Coventry and Wolves before apermanent move to Wolves then loan again to QPR. A handful of games with Barnsley but now he plays for Toronto in the US MSL

Graham Barrett - actually managed a couple of league games with the Arse but still left. Spent time on loan with Bristol Rovers, Crewe, Colchester and Brighton before signing with Coventry. Represented the Republic of Ireland, after three years at Cov he moved to Scotland, initially with Livingstone then Falkirk and St Johnstone.

Jay Bothroyd - temper tantrums saw him sold by Arsenal to Coventry City where he spent three reasonably productive seasons before becoming an Englishman in Italy when Perugia signed him. Never settled there and returned to England initially on loan with Blackburn before signing for Charlton then Wolves. A loan spell with Stoke now he is with Cardiff City

Jerome Thomas - North London boy but had to move to QPR on loan and Charlton before he could get game time. Now with other Arsenal boys Richard Hughes, Lauren, Sol Campbell, Kanu at Portsmouth

Jo Kuffour - went on to represent Ghana at full international level, like so many of the class of 2000 he was forced to leave the Arsenal in search of first team football. Swindon on loan first then Torquay, Brentford, Bournemouth and now Bristol Rovers.

Jeremie Aliadiaire - French striker probably had the longest Arsenal career of any of the class of 2000, playing the most games, including 29 in the Premier League. More than the rest of his erstwhile teammates put together. Loan spells with West Ham, Wolves and Celtic before joining Middlesbrough

Carlin Itonga - disappeared into non league football