TWO stories this week stirred up a debate among Town fans as to how they would like to see their team structured.

On Monday we ran a piece about Lee Power’s insistence that he could rebuild the squad regardless of whether they are promoted, his connections with clubs further up give him confidence in the club’s ability to attract top youngsters on loan.

It is a policy that has borne fruit this season, with Jack Stephens, Jordan Turnbull, Harry Toffolo and John Swift all starring.

However, reaction suggested many fans would prefer to see the team made up by more permanent members, the argument being that they could build up a better rapport with permanent signings rather than a raft of loanees.

On Tuesday, Rochdale boss Keith Hill waded into the debate on Town’s loan contingent, questioning the legitimacy of their position in the table on the basis of the squad’s temporary nature.

It saw many commenters defending their loanees and the rules allowing Town to assemble their team in such a manner, arguing it allows them to compete with financially stronger clubs.

It led me to ponder the merits of both points of view.

Town’s model is innovative and, I believe, may be the ultimate solution to the problem Greg Dyke has been trying to answer. How to progress top English youngsters.

Though fundamentally the idea of teams being official ‘nursery sides’ for clubs with top academies is wrong, encouraging tier one youth systems to use the Football League to school youngsters is a good idea. As Town have shown, done properly it can benefit clubs and players.

However, the success of Jermaine Hylton and Ben Gladwin suggest smart recruitment from non-league can stock a squad at a reasonable price. Gladwin is evidence of a development in affinity between a contracted player and the fans - improving performances increasing affection from the stands.

I think the answer lies somewhere in the middle and without the backing of a sugar daddy with deep pockets, Town have actually got it right.

Outside of the Premier League football seems to be moving slowly towards a more financially responsible state. It seems Town are ahead of the curve.