LIAM BRADY'S prediction that Albion youngsters would make the grade have come true.

Brady picked out FIVE Albion centre of excellence under-13 players for the top when he was manager three years ago. No.1: Hove's Michael Standing, 17, has signed a three-year professional contract with Aston Villa during his first season as a YTS trainee. The midfielder is in the England under-16 squad for Norway at Lilleshall next Monday. No.2: Defender Gareth Barry, 17, from Hastings, has also completed a three-year deal with Villa. He has captained England under-16s this season and is in Monday's squad. No.3: Defender Ben Andrews, 17, made his Albion first team debut in the goalless draw against Cardiff on Saturday after signing a professional contract. No.4: Striker John Rattray, 17, from Rye, should clinch a pro contract with Chelsea but wants to finish his education this season. No.5: Midfielder Danny Davis, a first-year YTS at Albion, is tipped for success, although he had an injury setback this season. Brady had intended to groom all of them for the Albion first team by the age of 18. He said: "I did pick some out three years ago and the predictions don't look too far away. But it wasn't just me. There was George Petchey, Steve Avory and Vic Bragg too who recognised their talents. "The club had a good youth set-up and the fact it produced those boys demonstrates the importance to anybody of the youth policy we tried to put in place. "I told them to stay with the club because they would progress into the first team when they were 17 or 18. They would flourish. "But that was before I discovered the club didn't have the ambition or the finance. It's a pity as they have lost a few of the youngsters. In fact I could still be there now had Messrs Archer and Bellotti not been running the club the way they were." The Arsenal youth development officer, who lives in Hove, saw Standing and Barry impress against his own side. "It was a Southern Floodlit semi-final and they showed up very well. I follow all those boys' development." Brady backs chairman Dick Knight to turn it around but insists the priorityis to get the first team back to Brighton. He said: "The first step must be to play at Withdean with the help of the council."

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