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Blackburn Rovers win race to sign Arsenal wonderkid

10:18am Tuesday 14th October 2008

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ROVERS boss Paul Ince has strengthened his commitment to youth development by winning the race for schoolboy star Jason Banton.

The England youth international striker agreed to join Rovers after cutting ties with Premier League rivals Arsenal.

And the signing is seen as a major coup for Ince, with Manchester City reportedly among the clubs keen on recruiting the promising 15-year-old.

Banton’s arrival bares a similarity to Blackburn’s swoop for David Bentley in January 2006, when the England wideman left Arsenal for Ewood Park in a permanent deal.

While Rovers want to avoid comparing Banton to Bentley – who switched to Spurs this summer for £15million – club officials are delighted at securing the teenager’s services.

Rovers managing director Tom Finn believes the signing emphasises the club’s commitment to nurturing the best talent at their Academy – before giving them an opportunity at first-team level.

Already this season, Ince has blooded young Irish winger Keith Treacy in the Premier League, while Swedish full-back Martin Olsson started in each of Rovers’ previous two league games, against Newcastle and Manchester United.

“Jason has signed with us and we are delighted to have him here,” said Finn. “He’s a young England international, playing a year above his own age group.

“Obviously, it has been good to see some of our young players develop at the Academy and make it through to the first-team.

“That has happened over the last few years. We’ve seen Matt Derbyshire come through, and this season, Keith Treacy and Martin Olsson have been given opportunities at first-team level.

“These are players that have come through our system and been recognised by the first-team manager.

"It’s good to see them getting that opportunity.”

Finn is certain that more talented youngsters will be encouraged to join the Blackburn set-up, where they can identify a viable route from the Academy to the first-team.

It is not the same situation elsewhere, however, particularly at the Premier League’s so-called “big four”, including Arsenal, where league opportunities are restricted for their up-and-coming players.

“There’s no doubt that, here at Blackburn, there is a route through to the first-team from the Academy,” said Finn.

“That can only help us reach out to promising young players.

“If they can see that the manager is prepared to put his faith in young players - because they are good enough - then it helps enormously.”

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Your Say YourBlackburn Citizen

Burger, kenilworth says...
10:29am Tue 14 Oct 08

good luck to you jason.admittedly i know nothing about you but wish you all the best none the less.

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Jim Wilkinson, Penwortham says...
10:39am Tue 14 Oct 08

Arrivals "bear" a similarirty, they don't "bare" similarities.

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Lee0r, Blackburn says...
10:43am Tue 14 Oct 08

Let's hope we haven’t given Arsenal another 40% Sell on Fee!!!

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Robbie, Manchester says...
11:32am Tue 14 Oct 08

Jim Wilkinson wrote:
Arrivals "bear" a similarirty, they don't "bare" similarities.
hmmmm no

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Spanish_Rover82, España says...
12:05pm Tue 14 Oct 08

Good to see Ince's commitment to youth, can't help but think that's due to no funds but still good none-the-less. Great to see British youth too in Keith Tracey and Alan Judge. The question is weather Ince will still be here when Banton is ready for the first team. Still say we're short of several players: R/M & STR and not convinced at all by Andrews, Fowler. Can't see us finishing higher than 9th for the forseeable future..

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Captain Reality, Realsville says...
12:32pm Tue 14 Oct 08

Yet again, shoddy writing denigrates the good news. 'bares' ??? Where in the article does Tom Finn compare him to Bentley, other than in the empty head of the fellow that cobbled ('wrote' is too high a compliment) this together? Finally, Judge & Treacy aren't British are they? Irish!

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hazy, bury says...
12:34pm Tue 14 Oct 08

news going out on sky sports and 365,roque quoted as saying "he would ike to join robinho in his team"

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Robbie, Manchester says...
1:20pm Tue 14 Oct 08

hazy wrote:
news going out on sky sports and 365,roque quoted as saying "he would ike to join robinho in his team"
if roque wants to go then i would let him go for 20 million

money in the bank. money for a new striker. and money for a right winger..
jobs a gooden

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makaveli96, Blackburn says...
1:26pm Tue 14 Oct 08

Why would RCS want to join a smaller club?

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Morst the 88th min Heartbreaker, Accrington says...
2:30pm Tue 14 Oct 08

hazy wrote:
news going out on sky sports and 365,roque quoted as saying "he would ike to join robinho in his team"
Tell Santa we are not convinced Robinho is good enough for Rovers.

30 YEARS AND COUNTING!

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hazy, bury says...
2:48pm Tue 14 Oct 08

Morst the 88th min Heartbreaker wrote:
hazy wrote: news going out on sky sports and 365,roque quoted as saying "he would ike to join robinho in his team"
Tell Santa we are not convinced Robinho is good enough for Rovers. 30 YEARS AND COUNTING!
like it

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ripleywonder, Chester says...
3:12pm Tue 14 Oct 08

I am really massively disappointed by Santa Cruz's comments. I thought he was different to most other players - showing loyalty, but these comments just prove how wrong we were. And lets be honest, Santa, with the money City have got I dont think you will be top of their pile! You have been relatively poor so far this season - so buck up sunshine!

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dt1807, Tyldesley says...
3:23pm Tue 14 Oct 08

hazy wrote:
news going out on sky sports and 365,roque quoted as saying "he would ike to join robinho in his team"
Listen up Hazy, this is to you and all your cronies at Ewood. Facts are Santa is comin to Eastlands, where he will get silverware and lots and money. Something he will not get at Ewood. DREAM ON HAZY!!!!

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msrx6mas, Landan says...
3:23pm Tue 14 Oct 08

quel surpreese, more media $hit on overs players. Woteva.

BUT, to contradict myself by now making a comment, if offerred, I'd take £30M+ for him - hell if Berbatov's worth that.... And as if he'd got to Citeh - big 4 or abroad, not some random club in the shadow of ManUre.

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ripleywonder, Chester says...
3:30pm Tue 14 Oct 08

To be fair, its not like Mark Hughes isnt a boring c*nt and has won numerous silver wear as a manager.....f*ck manchester city

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king Monkey, blackburn says...
4:09pm Tue 14 Oct 08

Splash the cash from RSC if he goes,
on Amir Zaki from Wigan,he looks
SH#T HOT

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ripleywonder, Chester says...
4:19pm Tue 14 Oct 08

I really hate Mark Hughes and Manchester City. Classless scum. And if what is quoted is what roque really said, then I have absolutely no respect for him anymore.

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bed and breakfast man !, dewsbury says...
4:56pm Tue 14 Oct 08

i hope this kid,BANTON isnt trouble,he was at arsenal,fell out then went to tottenham ,then went back to arsenal,and this time thrown his teddy out the pram,and coming to blackburn.....and has for santa if the comments in the press are true ,it will be the money at city (wages)that will call him ,not the bull$hit chance of playing with robiniho,he proberly never heard of him till someone said 32 million.the more clubs that go tits up like newcastle,spending what they dont have will be better for blackburn in the long run...and if mr hughes goes spending in january,i wonder how long before the arabs expect the european cup ? 3 weeks a month,cos they will want it faster than a camel with a rocket up its ar$e.... and do you think hughes will fit in with there long term plans, cos eriksson didnt ,and bloody hope hughes lasts just as long......

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jeppo, huddersfield says...
5:25pm Tue 14 Oct 08

gents, about every ten days, there is a piece of evidence that shows players and staff at ewood are as close and committed to each other/the management as they could be. Yet every time a new shred of media provocation crops up, you all come on here pulling every thing to pieces...can we not learn from this?

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Morst the 88th min Heartbreaker, Accrington says...
5:50pm Tue 14 Oct 08

dt1807 wrote:
hazy wrote:
news going out on sky sports and 365,roque quoted as saying "he would
ike to join robinho in his team"
Listen up Hazy, this is to
you and all your cronies at Ewood. Facts are Santa is comin to
Eastlands, where he will get silverware and lots and money. Something
he will not get at Ewood. DREAM ON HAZY!!!!
Arn't you just the same as those Dingles but the Corrie version?

30 YEARS AND COuNTING!

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bed and breakfast man !, dewsbury says...
5:55pm Tue 14 Oct 08

morst,the last time they one anything silver at eastlands,it was a SILVER TEA TROLLY,in a raffle !!!

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richest club in the world, darwen says...
9:59pm Tue 14 Oct 08

Can't understand why Santa Cruz would like to play for a manager who has developed him as a player and he admires? Why he would want to play for Man City when they are generally recognised as the richest club in the world with financial resources to compete with any club in the world for top players. Why he would want to play at a fantastic 50,000 seater stadium that is soon to be bought wholly be the owner and extended. Why he would want to play for a club without any debt whatsoever attached to it in these bleak financial times? Peraphs it might be the fact that he's going to be paid a whole lot more than what he's being paid at the moment and he has an ounce of ambition. Oh and the boy at left back doesn't look that bad either you can throw him in as well.

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A Game of Blue & White Halves, Blackburn says...
10:14pm Tue 14 Oct 08

richest club in the world wrote:
Can't understand why Santa Cruz would like to play for a manager who has developed him as a player and he admires? Why he would want to play for Man City when they are generally recognised as the richest club in the world with financial resources to compete with any club in the world for top players. Why he would want to play at a fantastic 50,000 seater stadium that is soon to be bought wholly be the owner and extended. Why he would want to play for a club without any debt whatsoever attached to it in these bleak financial times? Peraphs it might be the fact that he's going to be paid a whole lot more than what he's being paid at the moment and he has an ounce of ambition. Oh and the boy at left back doesn't look that bad either you can throw him in as well.
Speaking of bleak times - the outbreak of WWIII would put your dreams of Global Football domination firmly back
up your rear!

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clitheroe blue, clitheroe says...
10:23pm Tue 14 Oct 08

ripleywonder wrote:
To be fair, its not like Mark Hughes isnt a boring c*nt and has won numerous silver wear as a manager.....f*ck manchester city
Grow up.If you can.CITEH and Mark Hughes in time will only make you more angry.So put your comments to more positive things like buttercups. ripleyNOwonder

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bed and breakfast man !, dewsbury says...
10:33pm Tue 14 Oct 08

mmm.richclub,last season you spent a bundle of money,were did it get you ?i can understand how right now your on cloud 9 with the arabs,but when they get fed up,and camel racing becomes popular again,and they leave with a mountain of debt it will be sorrows all round,but lets be fair your used to countless different owners at man city coming in with a bag full of promises,then at some point getting you religated,so live the moment now,and sod the future...your used to that..who knows noel and liam might show there faces a bit more now your back in the money,yours fickle comments from a fickle fan..

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clitheroe blue, clitheroe says...
11:04pm Tue 14 Oct 08

bed and breakfast man ! wrote:
mmm.richclub,last season you spent a bundle of money,were did it get you ?i can understand how right now your on cloud 9 with the arabs,but when they get fed up,and camel racing becomes popular again,and they leave with a mountain of debt it will be sorrows all round,but lets be fair your used to countless different owners at man city coming in with a bag full of promises,then at some point getting you religated,so live the moment now,and sod the future...your used to that..who knows noel and liam might show there faces a bit more now your back in the money,yours fickle comments from a fickle fan..
mmm.b&b,camel racing nice.Admit it your scared of the future.Say the arabs don't get fed up and CITEH become the best in the land.How sick will you feel.Get yourself a potty and keep it with at all times.You will need it.C.T.I.D.

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bed and breakfast man !, dewsbury says...
10:19am Wed 15 Oct 08

i hate to say this but you could never be the best in the land why ?as you will always be in shadow of that big club in manchester in red.lets face it the trophies they have one,you never stand a chance of topping that...so the best thing you can do is keep an eye on the intertoto ,thts about as far as you will ever get,,,as for blackburn been scared,scared of what that mad arab from the cannon ball film wanting to buy everthing !!!!!!or are not old enough to get that one....

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jimluftas, blackburn says...
10:20am Wed 15 Oct 08

2 city fans, one from Clitheroe, one from Darwen. Have they turned into Utd all of a sudden?

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A Darener, Darwen says...
11:01am Wed 15 Oct 08

No player is bigger than his club IF RSC wants to leave for ManC then ok but under the clubs terms. £20 million minimum, but really let's start the bidding at £50M I wold be sorry to see him go, but there are other Roque's out there and we do have a knack of finding them.

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kevin e, portugal says...
11:39am Wed 15 Oct 08

City are a joke. Always have been a joke. Always will be a joke.

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rovers tel, blackburn says...
12:40pm Wed 15 Oct 08

Morst the 88th min Heartbreaker wrote:
dt1807 wrote:
hazy wrote: news going out on sky sports and 365,roque quoted as saying "he would ike to join robinho in his team"
Listen up Hazy, this is to you and all your cronies at Ewood. Facts are Santa is comin to Eastlands, where he will get silverware and lots and money. Something he will not get at Ewood. DREAM ON HAZY!!!!
Arn't you just the same as those Dingles but the Corrie version? 30 YEARS AND COuNTING!
city are just not good enough to win anything you will not get silverware this or next year

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rovers tel, blackburn says...
12:48pm Wed 15 Oct 08

jimluftas wrote:
2 city fans, one from Clitheroe, one from Darwen. Have they turned into Utd all of a sudden?
the only problem with that is they will never be as big as utd they are just a second rate team in manchester

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clitheroe blue, clitheroe says...
10:31pm Wed 15 Oct 08

bed and breakfast man ! wrote:
i hate to say this but you could never be the best in the land why ?as you will always be in shadow of that big club in manchester in red.lets face it the trophies they have one,you never stand a chance of topping that...so the best thing you can do is keep an eye on the intertoto ,thts about as far as you will ever get,,,as for blackburn been scared,scared of what that mad arab from the cannon ball film wanting to buy everthing !!!!!!or are not old enough to get that one....
mmm. b&b man. cannon ball run nice.do you look like burt's mate.you keep your eye on the coca-cola.good lad, glad i've got you going. mad arab has just bought all metal polish in the world, we gonna need it.

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bed and breakfast man !, dewsbury says...
1:28pm Thu 16 Oct 08

i like the metal polish one.!!!but you carnt polish turds with it,as thats all you will pick up at arab eastlands,,,,and at least eastlands points the write for the new owners to pray for silver......

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YOUTHFUL PROMISE: Striker Jason Banton YOUTHFUL PROMISE: Striker Jason Banton

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