Football FanCast columnist David Mooney lauds the Man City youth and feels that long term they could save the club a small fortune.

The future's bright for Manchester City. And I'm not talking about the money that there is floating around the boardroom, or the quality of players Mark Hughes has brought into the squad, or even they style of football we've seen City capable of in recent weeks.

City's youth academy is booming. It always seems to be missed by TV pundits and match analysis experts, but City's current first team squad hasn't all been bought for big bucks. Richards, Onuoha, Johnson, Ireland, Wright-Phillips, Schmeichel, Evans and Sturridge have all been in or around the first team this season and they have all progressed through the academy.

Suddenly, it seems Mark Hughes has a big headache - and that's a headache caused by which players to pick, not which big name he wants to sign. There are only limited first team places and the youngsters are certainly giving the foreigners a push for them. Hughes has shown he's not afraid to pick young Sturridge or Evans and they both have to step up to the plate to show what they can do.

Sturridge scored his first of the season against West Ham, added to his few goals from his few appearances last season, and they boy certainly looks like he has an eye for goal. And City owe their continued UEFA Cup campaign to Ched Evans, who forced the equalising away goal at Midtjylland.

But with the likes of Robinho, Jo, Elano, Petrov et al at the club, surely the youngsters won't have any chance of developing? Surely with the money City have, they can buy a talented foreigner rather than risk an unproven youngster?

Well, that's not quite right. I'm a firm believer of the adage: "if you're good enough, you'll old enough". And that's certainly true of City - Hughes is no mug. He will know that when Michael Johnson is fit, if he's training better and playing better than one of the foreign midfielders, then he'll get his chance.

Stephen Ireland came through the academy under Stuart Pearce and has kept a regular place in the team since then, despite some indifferent performances. Too often he would blow hot and cold and he was often a target for blame on at least one message board. But Pearce and Sven stuck by him, explaining he was one of the best players at the club.

And now, this season, we can all see it. He's been the same forum's player of the month for both August and September and he's been one of the most creative players in the current team - that's putting him on a par with Elano and Robinho.

So it just goes to show that the youth won't be ignored at City. Sturridge and Evans may have to wait a little while for their chance, but if they prove themselves to be up to it from their substitute appearances, then they will get that chance.

And as for the future of the academy, well, with Jim Cassell churning out the quality of youngsters he has been doing for years, the club won't necessarily have to spend millions of millions to get a superstar. The future, just like the third kit, is bright.

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