CONTACTS • CONTENTS • WELCOME • THE ACADEMY SYSTEM • PARTICIPATION • ACADEMY PERFORMANCE PLAN • PLAYER RECOGNITION SYSTEM • PLAYER DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESSION PLAYER AND SAFEGUARDING WELFARE • INDEPENDENT ADVICE • FEEDBACK • KEY CONTACTS • THE FA RESPECT PROGRAMME • YOUNG PLAYERS RESPECT CODE OF CONDUCT • SPECTATORS RESPECT CODE OF CONDUCT EFL EQUALITY STATEMENT • REPORTING DISCRIMINATION • FA EDUCATION AND WELFARE STATEMENT • APPRENTICESHIPS • TRIALS • EFL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT RULES • CONFIRMATION OF RECEIPT CHARTER FOR ACADEMY PLAYERS AND PARENTS EFL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PLAYERS’ AND PARENTS’ GUIDE SEASON 2020/21 CONTACTS • CONTENTS • WELCOME • THE ACADEMY SYSTEM • PARTICIPATION • ACADEMY PERFORMANCE PLAN • PLAYER RECOGNITION SYSTEM • PLAYER DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESSION PLAYER AND SAFEGUARDING WELFARE • INDEPENDENT ADVICE • FEEDBACK • KEY CONTACTS • THE FA RESPECT PROGRAMME • YOUNG PLAYERS RESPECT CODE OF CONDUCT • SPECTATORS RESPECT CODE OF CONDUCT EFL EQUALITY STATEMENT • REPORTING DISCRIMINATION • FA EDUCATION AND WELFARE STATEMENT • APPRENTICESHIPS • TRIALS • EFL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT RULES • CONFIRMATION OF RECEIPT ENGLISH FOOTBALL LEAGUE (EFL) STAFF CONTACTS CONTACTS CONTENTS EFL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT (YD) DEPARTMENT EFL CHARTER Youth Development Director EFL House T 10-12 West Cliff Dave Wetherall 07552 166367 1 THE ACADEMY SYSTEM 6 Preston Youth Development Business and Operations Manager Lancashire OUR VISION 6 Jim Briden T 07711 077267 PR1 8HU OUR MISSION 6 Youth Development Co-ordinator YOUR OPPORTUNITY 6 T Pauline Hothersall T 01772 325814 01772 325800 THE PERFORMANCE PATHWAY 7 efl.com Senior Regional Manager UNDERSTANDING ACADEMY CLASSIFICATION 7 Phil Stant T 07703 273844 LEAGUE FOOTBALL EDUCATION (LFE) EFL House 2 EFL (YD) REGIONAL MANAGERS PARTICIPATION 8 10-12 West Cliff T JOINING THE ACADEMY SYSTEM 8 North – Graham Mitchell 07436 812345 Preston T ACADEMY REGISTRATION 9 North West – Dave Robertson 07918 151246 Lancashire T SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS 10 North East – Adrian Shaw 07736 668056 PR1 8HU East – Darren Bloodworth T 07768 322258 ACADEMY INDUCTION 12 T 01772 326870 South West – Bob Bloomer T 07760 788687 E T [email protected] Central – Ben Smith 07795 677078 3 ACADEMY PERFORMANCE PLAN 16 lfe.org.uk South & London – John Clayton T 07760 616865 COACHING PROGRAMME 16 South East – Ken Oram T 07436 562220 THE PREMIER LEAGUE (PL) GAMES PROGRAMME 18 EFL PLAYER ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT Brunel Building FESTIVALS TOURS AND TOURNAMENTS 20 57 N Wharf Road EDUCATION PROGRAMME 20 Head of Player Administration London Debbie Birch W2 1HG 4 PLAYER RECOGNITION SYSTEM 23 Player Admin Manager T 0207 8649000 Louise Smith 5 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION premierleague.com PLAYER DEVELOPMENT Player Admin Officers’ AND PROGRESSION 24 THE FA RESPECT PROGRAMME 30 Gill Banks T 01772 325828 THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION (FA) YOUNG PLAYERS RESPECT CODE OF CONDUCT 31 Jake Sanders T 01772 325972 Wembley Stadium 6 PLAYER AND SAFEGUARDING SPECTATORS RESPECT CODE OF CONDUCT 32 E [email protected] PO Box 1966 WELFARE 25 EFL EQUALITY STATEMENT 34 London REPORTING DISCRIMINATION 35 EFL PLAYER RECOGNITION SYSTEM SW1P 9EQ (PRS) DEPARTMENT 7 INDEPENDENT ADVICE 27 FA EDUCATION & WELFARE STATEMENT 36 T E 0844 9808200 [email protected] APPRENTICESHIPS 36 TheFA.com 8 FEEDBACK 28 TRIALS 37 EFL COMPETITIONS DEPARTMENT THE PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS’ FEEDBACK AND OPEN COMMUNICATION 28 Competitions Manager ASSOCIATION (PFA) COMPLAINTS 28 EFL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT RULES Paul Snellgrove T 01772 325833 20 Oxford Court EFL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT RULES 2020/21 39 Fixtures Officer Bishopsgate 9 CONFIRMATION OF RECEIPT 81 KEY CONTACTS 29 Alex Neary T 01772 325978 Manchester E [email protected] M2 3WQ EFL SAFEGUARDING DEPARTMENT T 0161 2360575 thepfa.co.uk Safeguarding Manager Alex Richards T 01772 325940 E [email protected] EFL INCLUSION DEPARTMENT The EFL Youth Development would like to thank the following clubs Inclusion Manager for providing the photographs included in this guide: Barnsley, Aneel Javed T 01772 325800 Colchester United, Ipswich Town, Middlesbrough, MK Dons, Northampton Town, Peterborough United, Queens Park Rangers, E Rochdale, Southend United, Sunderland. [email protected] 2 EFL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CHARTER FOR ACADEMY PLAYERS AND PARENTS EFL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CHARTER FOR ACADEMY PLAYERS AND PARENTS 3 CONTACTS • CONTENTS • WELCOME • THE ACADEMY SYSTEM • PARTICIPATION • ACADEMY PERFORMANCE PLAN • PLAYER RECOGNITION SYSTEM • PLAYER DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESSION PLAYER AND SAFEGUARDING WELFARE • INDEPENDENT ADVICE • FEEDBACK • KEY CONTACTS • THE FA RESPECT PROGRAMME • YOUNG PLAYERS RESPECT CODE OF CONDUCT • SPECTATORS RESPECT CODE OF CONDUCT EFL EQUALITY STATEMENT • REPORTING DISCRIMINATION • FA EDUCATION AND WELFARE STATEMENT • APPRENTICESHIPS • TRIALS • EFL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT RULES • CONFIRMATION OF RECEIPT WELCOME Joining the academy system is a wonderful opportunity for any young player. On behalf of everyone at the English Football League (EFL), we wish you good luck as you begin your journey. You should expect the quality of coaching, the standard of education and the all-round experience to be outstanding. We expect all Academy Players to show commitment to and respect for their fellow players of all ages, for their coaches and their Club, and for both the rules and the spirit of the game. The EFL operates the Academy system on behalf of its Clubs, and also works closely with, the Premier League, The Football Association (FA) and the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA). There are many things you will need to know as an Academy Player or as a parent of a player. This Charter is designed to provide you with an introduction to the Academy system and information on how it works. 4 EFL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CHARTER FOR ACADEMY PLAYERS AND PARENTS EFL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CHARTER FOR ACADEMY PLAYERS AND PARENTS 5 CONTACTS • CONTENTS • WELCOME • THE ACADEMY SYSTEM • PARTICIPATION • ACADEMY PERFORMANCE PLAN • PLAYER RECOGNITION SYSTEM • PLAYER DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESSION PLAYER AND SAFEGUARDING WELFARE • INDEPENDENT ADVICE • FEEDBACK • KEY CONTACTS • THE FA RESPECT PROGRAMME • YOUNG PLAYERS RESPECT CODE OF CONDUCT • SPECTATORS RESPECT CODE OF CONDUCT EFL EQUALITY STATEMENT • REPORTING DISCRIMINATION • FA EDUCATION AND WELFARE STATEMENT • APPRENTICESHIPS • TRIALS • EFL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT RULES • CONFIRMATION OF RECEIPT 1 THE ACADEMY SYSTEM OUR VISION OUR MISSION THE PERFORMANCE PATHWAY WHAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE WHAT WE DO We call the development journey of an Academy Player the Performance Pathway. We want to produce more and better home-grown The aim of the Academy system is to help young players Players can join and leave at different ages or points and can progress into the professional game or another career. players and for the experiences in the Academy system maximise their potential in football, education and life. Your Club coaches, backed by a wide range of other specialist services, support Academy Players through each phase to be positive in helping to develop the person as well as It puts well-being and personal development at the of the Pathway. the player. heart of everything we do. Our aim is to develop well- We want our players to be technically excellent and rounded individuals as well as high quality players. THE PERFORMANCE PATHWAY HAS 3 PHASES tactically astute independent decision-makers on Clubs provide expert services, support and advice to and off the field, equipped for a successful career as FOUNDATION PHASE Under 9 (U9) to Under 11 (U11) Academy Players and their parents, and every young professional footballers. We want to develop the world’s player should enjoy and value their Academy experience. YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PHASE Under 12 (U12) to Under 16 (U16) leading youth coaches, provide inspirational facilities and world-class support services. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PHASE Under 17 (U17) to Under 21 (U21) YOUR OPPORTUNITY WHAT IS THERE FOR YOU Participating in the Academy system is an achievement to be proud of, however it is important to maintain UNDERSTANDING ACADEMY CLASSIFICATION a balance between the demands of life outside of football, including your education. Ensure that you Each Academy is independently audited and categorised from 1 to 4. The EFL works closely with its Clubs in between maintain interests beyond the football pitch and audits to ensure that standards are maintained and improved where required. The different categories of Academies manage expectations of a professional football career reflect the type of programme provided. because only a few Academy Players will go on to The environment at an Academy will differ according to the categorisation, but all categories of Academy will become professional footballers. have a track record of producing successful professional players. Your Club will be able to provide you with their categorisation status. ACADEMY CLASSIFICATION DEFINITION PERFORMANCE PATHWAY This is the highest classification awarded to an Academy. It is an elite environment where Academy Players are provided with additional access to CATEGORY 1 coaching and the potential of full time education U9 to U21 from U12. Category 1 Academies can recruit nationally from U14 provided the Academy Player is guaranteed access to a full time education programme. This is an elite development environment where Academy Players are typically recruited locally but CATEGORY 2 U9 to U21 gain access to additional coaching opportunities and education support. This is a development environment where Academy CATEGORY 3 Players are provided with professional coaching