West Brom academy awarded category one status by Premier League
The West Brom Academy has been awarded category one status for at least the next two years, as confirmed by the club website.
The Baggies’ academy setup has held category-one status since the Elite Player Performance Plan was introduced by the Premier League in 2012, so the news following an audit that the academy remains one of the best in the country will be welcome news to fans.
It is shared that West Brom were only handed another one-year extension, as opposed to the usual three, following an inspection last year to see whether the club had made necessary improvements to retain its status.
The audit performed by Premier League officials was an assessment of four main functions: games programme, education, coaching and elite performance – and the academy was successful in all four.
Holding category-one status at the academy means that West Brom’s under-18 and under-21 development teams can continue to play in Premier League competitions – where the U21s play in the PL2 Division 2. This status also allows the academy to recruit from further afield, and receive more compensation should players leave to sign a deal elsewhere.
Category one academy status means that young players will still be given the best opportunities to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Dara O’Shea, Ashley Williams, Chris Wood and Danny Gabbidon, all of whom graduated from the West Brom academy and went on to represent their national football teams.
West Brom academy boss Richard Stevens commented: “Our players will continue to benefit from the programme, playing against the very best teams in the country, which is imperative for their development. Category One is the gold standard for football clubs and means players are provided with everything they need on and off the pitch.”
In other West Brom news, Carlos Corberan has reacted to the changes made to the board