neither response is the "right" answer- and I'm not even asking for reasons or for anyone to state what their vote is.

I read a lot of talk about giving the kids a chance, but I suspect it's, for some, just a stick to beat the club with- the same people who complained about youth being blocked out will switch to complaining about a lack of big name signings.

I think it's probably true that one could feel under pressure to conform to what the general consensus is perceived to be, so I'd hope an anonymous vote would better reflect what people actually believe.

I read people wanting us to sign the young players in other sides, because some writer for goal.com says he's good- often it's obvious the poster has never seen the player in question. then there is arbitrary talk about the age of the squad, which I find confusing, a little.

what I'm asking is would you be willing to surrender some experienced international squad players, and possibly win a few less trophies in return for a path from the youth sides into the first team squad for the players who could be good enough? it comes down to priorities, what you think is the ultimate aim of a football club (i.e. what it seeks to achieve), and also what, if any, responsibility it has towards the local community and towards football itself.

I can think of so many reasons for buying and developing youth, but can't think of a single reason not to... voted yes.

what I'm asking is would you be willing to surrender some experienced international squad players, and possibly win a few less trophies in return for a path from the youth sides into the first team squad for the players who could be good enough? it comes down to priorities, what you think is the ultimate aim of a football club (i.e. what it seeks to achieve), and also what, if any, responsibility it has towards the local community and towards football itself.

Weve moved on two 'experienced international squad players' in Bridgey and SWP, and were starting to bring through our youth. Thats the way I want us to head, wether we win silverware or not.

I read a lot of talk about giving the kids a chance, but I suspect it's, for some, just a stick to beat the club with- the same people who complained about youth being blocked out will switch to complaining about a lack of big name signings.

That's something I'll never do - I've always preferred to see youth players coming through to paying out for so-called superstars.

what I'm asking is would you be willing to surrender some experienced international squad players, and possibly win a few less trophies in return for a path from the youth sides into the first team squad for the players who could be good enough?

Yes I would - especially if those experienced international squad players include the likes of Ferreira, Deco, Malouda, Alex and Drogba.

It's far more satisfying to win trophies with players who have graduated from the youth team - when Chelsea won the FA Cup in 1970, five of the winning side had come through from the youth side (it would have been six if Alan Hudson had been fit). Maybe that's why I regard the 1970 Cup win as a bigger achievement than everything that followed?

I want to see youth players breaking through, establishing themselves and providing the fans with something the club can be proud of. A player almost entirely nurtured by the club, not bought in for a hefty wedge once they have established themselves elsewhere. That isn't to say that I am opposed to signing players, just saying that it is much more satisfying and exciting to see a player deliver week in week out who you have followed since they were a teenager and who hasn't moved from pillar to post in search of a bigger contract or what they perceive to be guaranteed silverware.

Football is now obviously a massively different beast from the creature it was say 25-40 years ago - then, as fans, you saw these players and you could be forgiven for thinking they are a little like you just slightly better paid and certainly better football players. Their lives weren't so ridiculously far removed from the punter in the terrace that you saw them as alien to you. They were largely home born, although wealthier they weren't stinking rich and although players still moved on you did feel there was a little more stability in your club in terms of the faces you would see from season to season.

Now footballers lead lives we can't begin to imagine - we can't really imagine them having a laugh in the same pubs we do and we have long ago lost any sense of kindred affiliation with the players who pull on the jersey. Just once in a blue moon a player rises through the ranks and makes his mark at the club and you maybe get an inkling of how things used to be. OK they still take home a salary that is staggering but a little part of you sees them as a thrown back to the day where you had a genuine connection with the players - when that happens you forgive that player far more than you would forgive anyone else, you give them more chances and you celebrate their success with more fervour than you do other players.

Love to see the youths coming through they are the bloodline of the club we follow.Trouble is I like a few remember back in the 70s when it was the norm to develop your own talent alongside a few imports,todays game though is more financially orientated and us having reached now the dizzy heights of the 'top 4' it is imperative that we maintain that position otherwise the youth talent we do develop will end up in the new 'top 4 without us' bit of a catch 22 situation really ...do u want to be a feeder or a fed ?

Yes, of coure I care. I'm always happy when Di Santo and Stoch get their chance to prove themselves. I just hoped after their important interventions for both goals, I hoped they'd get more playing time. Stoch has had maybe one, 2 minute sub appearence since then, and Di Santo wasn't on the bench vs. Ipswich...

Sort it out, man!

i think we should get rid of any player younger than 20. we`ll never play any of them and will sell them to arsenal for nothing......etc etc....blah blah blah.....

It has to be a definite YES.

We've all enjoyed the ride since seeing the likes of Gullit, Vialli and Zola arrive. But in recent times, the players being signed have not been right for us. For whatever reason - whether their best days are behind them, not enough hunger or just plain not good enough, we have made some bad decisions and taken the wrong route.

It will mean so much more, seeing a Chelsea first team with players that have come through our own youth system. The days of signing players like Sheva, Deco & Ballack have to be a thing of the past.

As I write this the poll stands at 20 saying yes and one saying, "no. It doesn't matter to me"

Unfortunately for all us yessers, the one "no. It doesn't matter to me" could be either Mr Scolari or, even more likely, Mr Roman.

As I write this the poll stands at 20 saying yes and one saying, "no. It doesn't matter to me"

Unfortunately for all us yessers, the one "no. It doesn't matter to me" could be either Mr Scolari or, even more likely, Mr Roman.

Or even more alarming - Frank Arneson!

The obvious answer is to have a good balance between experience and youth.

thing is, in which areas? the team may have great defenders comming through but your defensive line is fine it's the middle of the park where you would like to introduce youth but there aren't any decent players comming through.

a good/great manager would cope.

I voted yes, but realistically it is unlikely that more than the odd one will come through. If you look around England and Europe it is quite rare for a youth team player to make the break through and become a superstar at the same club. We have JT, Liverpool have Gerrard, Arsenal have no-one, Man U have some from the Scholes, Beckham, Giggs era but no-one since then.

I voted yes, but realistically it is unlikely that more than the odd one will come through. If you look around England and Europe it is quite rare for a youth team player to make the break through and become a superstar at the same club. We have JT, Liverpool have Gerrard, Arsenal have no-one, Man U have some from the Scholes, Beckham, Giggs era but no-one since then.

Perhaps things are about to change? If our spending is a thing of the past then we have to bloody well hope a few of these youngsters meet expectations.

We need to do a West Ham - only keep our decent youngsters and not sell them to bigger clubs!

It could be Nibs. There is more of an emphasis towards acquiring players at a younger age now and so the chances of one or more making good should increase.

We definitely have some excellent prospects at the moment and some of them are ready to step up and be tested.

Given how poor we are out wide I'd want to see Stoch, Sinclair and Kaku given a proper chance in proper matches. At least we'd then know if they are good enough.

But are Stoch, Sinclair and Di Santo really youth products?

Not to me. Stoch came from (Ithink) Slovakia, Di Santo from South America and Sinclair was bought from Bristol Rovers aged 16 after we'd failed to land Walcott. We're increasingly trying to "do a Wenger" and poach teenagers from foreign clubs on the cheap and then claim they are youth products.

To me they aren't genuine youth products in the way that JT was and Mcreadie's blue babes of the late 70s etc

To sustain a period of dominance, to have players that are honest and can kiss their badge in a way that all us fans would if we had the ability to go with the passion we'd have for our beloved blue shirt, teams simply have to have players coming through the ranks.

In fact going through our yester year we can find countless players that have helped us get through the bad times, the likes of Clive Walker spring to mind immediately.

For younger supporters, even those my age will not think of the 1960's Tommy Doc' kids that evolved into the 1970 Dave Sexton team of Ossie and the rest who the majority of Chelsea fans back then ancestors now follow Chelsea today.

Without JT I firmly believe we would have not won back to back titles and it isn't solely for what he done on the pitch, team bonding and spirit isn't a manufactured thing but it sure can rub off on people.

It pains me to say it but Alex Ferguson, unlike Arsene Wenger I hasten to add, seems to strike the right balance year after year.

From the kids that grew into Champions with the likes of Beckham, Scholes and Giggs, he added the class acts like Cantona, Sherringham and recently Berbatov and last year Tevez to make the difference.

In the post Hoddle era, in my mind only Ruud Gullit gave youth a chance which like the 60's gave the platform to Luca Vialli to claim the plaudits.

JT and Chopper Harris might be rare, but with the right scouting network and LOCAL school talent and London Borough matches to watch, there is no reason why a few gems couldn't be unearthed.

Scolari doesn't seem to me to be a Manager ready to take risks, at the moment that is.

Portuguese signings a plenty seems to match Benitez and his Spanish lot.

(However,in the same breath i'm still amazed Jose with all his Portugal knowledge let Fergie snare a certain Christian Ronaldo !)

For that reason despite Stoch getting some playing time, Di Santo a few , the real diamonds in our make up Gael Kakuta and Michael Mancienne ( our only true local product ! ) (Look how Wolves have slumped since his departure) have not been given a look in despite the likes of Burnley and Southend causing us Prima Donna problems.

We can only hope.