A recent review of Academy productivity at football clubs has ranked Leeds United as the second highest in the country. It’s a legacy, says Head of Academy Paul Hart, which the club is "determined to build on".

The nation-wide review, which gathered data from all 92 clubs in England’s top four divisions, showed that just one club (which wasn’t named as club’s only receive their own figures) has managed to better United’s productivity levels with young players since the introduction of the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) at the start of the 2012/13 season.

There has been no shortage of recent examples, with seven Thorp Arch graduates – Charlie Taylor, Lewis Cook, Sam Byram, Alex Mowatt, Kalvin Phillips, Lewie Coyle and Bailey Peacock-Farrell - all involved in the matchday squad for January's Sky Bet Championship trip to Ipswich Town.

Coyle is the latest to have made his first-team breakthrough, joining a list of homegrown talent at United, including the likes of Cook, Taylor and Mowatt, that is regarded as some of the finest in the country.

The review also takes into account those who have left the club and gone on to play regular first-team football elsewhere. In United’s case, many of those are now Premier League players and fully-capped internationals.

“It shows that we continue to produce young players and we’re determined to build on that legacy,” Hart said.

“If you took a 10-year view it would still definitely stand up. If you took a 20-year view it would be massive.

“If you took a 60-year view, right back to the days of Lorimer, Gray, Hunter, Cooper, Madeley, Reaney and all those great players – the club’s Academy system would still be at the top.

“It continues to be a huge part of this football club and it really is something to be proud of.

“What separates the Leeds United Academy from many of our rivals is that we actually put people in the first team.

“The review also takes into account people who have left the club to play in the first team for other clubs.

“It shows that we continue to produce players that are mentally tough enough to play at a senior level and players that have the talent.”

This article first appeared in the matchday programme for Saturday's visit of Nottingham Forest.