Martin Smith Column: How long can city keep David Brooks, George Hirst and Co?

Born in Hillsborough, raised at Bramall Lane, the Everton and former Sheffield United protege became only the third Englishman to score in a football world cup final with his 34th- minute winner against Venezuela in the World Under-20s Cup Final in South Korea.

Glorious, wonderful stuff. Congratulations to he and his family.

But we can’t help but have pangs of regret that the Sheffield lad who took on the world doesn’t still belong to Sheffield.

So far his move to Goodison Park has worked out brilliantly as manager Ronald Koeman continues to trust his young players in the Everton first team.

To have him as part of the Blades champions’ squad would have been a huge boost to club, fans and city. But modern football isn’t like that.

The biggest clubs’ money and allure means they have their pick of top youngsters - many of whom end up back on loan to lower division teams anyway.

They do it because they can, greedily snapping up and stockpiling emerging talent to prevent their rivals from doing likewise.

Another Blade, David Brooks, scored in the 1-0 win for England over Ivory Coast in the final of the Toulon youth tournament.

Brooks was named Player of the Tournament while Wednesday striker George Hirst was joint top scorer. How long will we be able to hang on to that pair as their talent blossoms?

Likewise Regan Slater and Jordan Hallam and the rest of United’s championship-winning U-18s side or Wednesday lads Connor Kirby, Fraser Preston, Jordan Lonchar and their teammates in the Owls U-18 and U-23 squads.

Sell to survive? Inevitably. Reality is tough.

All our clubs can do is to keep winning and offer more success to their best young players.

So why would a terminally ill Wednesday fan stick a Blades flag at the top of Everest?

Cancer battler Ian Toothill conquered the world’s highest peak last week, raising money for the Macmillan Cancer Support charity.

Despite being a devoted Wednesdayite, 47-year-old Ian celebrated by planting a Blades flag in the snow after a friend promised to donate £1,000 if he carried out the stunt 29,029ft above sea level.

A truly heroic effort by Ian and a great gesture by both. Power to you, lads.