2011 Squad
1 GK Jack Butland 10 March 1993 (aged 18) 0 0 England Birmingham City
2 DF Blair Adams 8 September 1991 (aged 19) 0 0 England Sunderland
3 DF Nathan Baker 23 April 1991 (aged 20) 0 0 England Aston Villa
4 FW Saido Berahino 4 August 1993 (aged 17) 0 0 England West Bromwich Albion
5 MF Reece Brown 1 November 1991 (aged 19) 1 0 England Manchester United
6 DF Ben Gordon 2 March 1991 (aged 20) 0 0 England Chelsea
7 DF James Hurst 31 January 1992 (aged 19) 0 0 England West Bromwich Albion
8 MF Billy Knott 28 December 1992 (aged 18) 0 0 England Sunderland
9 MF Jason Lowe 2 September 1991 (aged 19) 1 0 England Blackburn Rovers
10 FW Callum McManaman 25 April 1991 (aged 20) 0 0 England Wigan Athletic
11 FW Josh Morris 30 September 1991 (aged 19) 1 0 England Blackburn Rovers
12 FW Michael Ngoo 23 October 1992 (aged 18) 3 0 England Liverpool
13 GK Lee Nicholls 5 October 1992 (aged 18) 0 0 England Wigan Athletic
15 MF Dean Parrett 16 November 1991 (aged 19) 1 0 England Tottenham Hotspur
16 MF Matt Phillips 13 March 1991 (aged 20) 1 0 England Blackpool
17 DF Adam Smith 29 April 1991 (aged 20) 1 0 England Tottenham Hotspur
18 DF George Taft 29 July 1993 (aged 18) 0 0 England Leicester City
19 DF Reece Wabara 28 December 1991 (aged 19) 1 0 England Manchester City
20 MF James Wallace 19 December 1991 (aged 19) 1 0 England Everton
21 GK Jack Alnwick 17 June 1993 (aged 18) 0 0 England Newcastle United
2009 Squad
1 GK Jason Steele 18 August 1990 (aged 19) England Middlesbrough
2 DF Kieran Trippier 19 September 1990 (aged 19) England Manchester City
3 DF Jordan Parkes 26 July 1989 (aged 20) England Watford
4 MF Adam Clayton 14 January 1989 (aged 20) England Manchester City
5 DF Martin Kelly 27 April 1990 (aged 19) England Liverpool
6 DF Ben Mee 3 November 1989 (aged 19) England Manchester City
7 FW Febian Brandy 4 February 1989 (aged 20) England Manchester United
8 MF Josh Walker (c) 21 February 1989 (aged 20) England Middlesbrough
9 FW Alex Nimely-Tchuimeni 5 November 1991 (aged 17) England Manchester City
10 MF Michael Woods 6 April 1990 (aged 19) England Chelsea
11 MF Paul Marshall 9 July 1989 (aged 20) England Manchester City
12 MF Matty James 22 July 1991 (aged 18) England Manchester United
13 GK Mark Oxley 2 June 1990 (aged 19) England Hull City
14 DF Matthew Briggs 9 March 1991 (aged 18) England Fulham
15 DF Gavin Hoyte 6 June 1990 (aged 19) England Arsenal
16 DF Nana Ofori-Twumasi 15 May 1990 (aged 19) England Chelsea
17 FW Jon Obika (on loan to Yeovil Town) 12 September 1990 (aged 19) England Tottenham Hotspur
18 FW Sam Baldock 15 March 1989 (aged 20) England Milton Keynes Dons
19 MF Gary Gardner 29 June 1992 (aged 17) England Aston Villa
20 MF Andrew Tutte 21 September 1990 (aged 19) England Manchester City
21 GK Elliot Parish 20 May 1990 (aged 19) England Aston Villa
So yeah, it means FCK ALL.
Sad isn't it? I can count maybe three from both squads that have had much in the way of top flight action. Might have missed a couple out, but none have torn up trees and made England squads regularly. Butland looks most likely, but that probably says as much about the paucity of English keepers at the moment as anything else.
The FA have obviously put a lot of faith (not to mention cash) into St James Park. It would be good if they could improve the conversion rate from good young 'un to good old 'un because at the moment it's awful, and looking at the clubs represented in each squad it's not like the best teams are not letting players into the squads.