It has emerged this morning that Crystal Palace have added yet another name to their much-envied youth system, by signing Dulwich Hamlet defender Michael Chambers for around £80,000.
It is in indictment to how highly rated the 17 year old defender is that Manchester United were leading an array of Premier League clubs, including Arsenal and Tottenham, for his signature a couple of months ago, but it is Crystal Palace, living up to their Eagle name in a manner Eddie would be proud of, who have swooped in for his signature.
Chambers, who plays for the cutely named Dulwich Hamlet in the Ryman Premier League, tier seven of the non-league system for all you at the top, has been gaining a reputation for his ability on the ball and the 6ft 2 inch defender looks to be the second addition to Palace’s January recruitment of defenders, after Paul Mcshane joined on loan from Hull last week.
Dulwich are highly fond of in the amateur leagues for producing talents who have shot up into the professional ranks; Ian Wright is the most omniscient example, it was at Dulwich where the striker began his career before being noticed by Palace and 17 year old striker Paul McCallum joined West Ham last January.
In fact, Chambers is not the first centre half to make the short move between clubs, with Dulwich being an extension of the Crystal Palace area of sarf’ London, to give you all a small geography lesson, oh no, as it was Quade Taylor, another 17 year-old centre half who made the move to Selhurst Park last March.
Palace have dipped into their Dulwich goldmine yet again to obtain another product to place alongside a fertile academy, which has produced the likes of Victor Moses, Nathaniel Clyne and Wilfried Zaha in recent years.
The faith in kids has been an admirable policy which has worked wonders for Palace boss Dougie Freedman and Chambers has been given another chance to make a league footballer after being formerly rejected by both Millwall and Reading’s youth sides. Can he do it? Oh, this page doesn’t do spoilers, so you’ll have to wait and see.
@AdamGray1250