West Ham United is delighted to announce that the Club’s Academy has been awarded continued Category One elite status for the next three seasons.
Following completion of a Full Audit Assessment conducted by the independent Professional Game Academy Audit Company in November 2021, the Hammers have been granted a full three-year Category One licence from the 2022/23 season.
The licence means that the West Ham United Academy at Chadwell Heath can continue to provide the highest tier of youth football provision for its young players, including coaching, education, child welfare and medical care.
It follows the £4million redevelopment project at Chadwell Heath, completed in 2019, which saw the upgrade of an enhanced indoor pitch, followed by a completely new interior construction containing state-of-the-art medical, fitness, analysis and education facilities and offices, along with a parents and coaches viewing gallery offering unrestricted views to the playing arena.
Earlier this year, a new development pitch was opened in honour of recently-retired Club Captain Mark Noble – a state-of-the-art, all-weather surface that has the FIFA Quality Pro mark, specifically tested to mimic the high performance and safety requirements for professional football, providing our Academy scholars of all ages with a first-class training facility all year round.
With no fewer than 13 Academy players making a senior first-team debut in the three years since the Chadwell Heath redevelopment, the benefits of the enhanced facilities are already clear, and will ensure that West Ham United continues to attract the best young talent in London and beyond.
Academy Manager Ricky Martin said: “This is a fantastic achievement for the Academy and for West Ham United, and something we are all very proud of. It enables us to continue growing and enhancing our development programme in the years ahead to ensure we can build on the fantastic success we have already had.
“We have a holistic approach to youth development here at the Academy. The statistics show how difficult it is for a young player to progress all the way to establishing himself in the Premier League. For that reason, we take very seriously our responsibility to our Academy scholars and their families.
“As well as developing players, we are also developing people. Our commitment is to ensure that, whatever path their future career takes, our scholars progress from the Academy ready and prepared for what lies ahead. The continued award of Category One elite status means that we can continue to provide our young players with the very best development, on and off the pitch.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of our staff here at the Academy, who work so hard and show such devotion and commitment in their efforts to develop our young players, across many areas and departments.
“I would also like to thank the Board of Directors for the constant support and backing they have given to the Academy, and everyone at the Club for their continued drive and determination to ensure that West Ham United’s Academy is regarded as one of the very best in English football.”