Derby County’s Academy has retained its Category One status following a re-audit earlier this year.

Category One is the highest ranking for Academy set-ups under the Premier League’s Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP), which was introduced four years ago.





Having operated as a Category One Academy since the summer of 2014, the club has been re-audited by the Premier League and have once again matched the relevant requirements to retain their status for another year.





Derby’s youth system is headed up by Academy Director Darren Wassall and the 24 months since the club first achieved Category One status has proved to be a successful time, with the Under 21s achieving promotion to Barclays Premier League – Division 1 after being crowned Division 2 Champions at the end of the 2015/16 campaign.





Up to 10 different factors are considered in the grading, including productivity rates; training facilities; and coaching, education and welfare provisions - with Derby scoring excellent marks.





A considerable amount of work across various levels of the club has been put in to meet the EPPP’s strict guidelines and demonstrates Chairman Mel Morris’ continued commitment towards youth development.

Derby’s Academy has built a strong reputation in recent years and the club’s aim is to build on those excellent foundations in both the near and long-term future.





The likes of England Under 21 international Will Hughes, Republic of Ireland international Jeff Hendrick and Jamie Hanson have graduated through the youth set-up and into the first team squad in recent years, as well as the Championship’s Scholar of the Year for 2014, Mason Bennett.





In addition to the day-to-day running of the Academy, the club has continued to invest heavily in its facilities and infrastructure at the Training Centre, which has seen the club complete the installation of state-of-the-art artificial and grass training pitches with floodlights, while further developments are still in the process of being completed.





The benefits of Category One status include the ability to recruit players from further afield, while Derby’s Under 21, 18 & 16 sides will continue to compete in the Premier League of their respective age groups.





Derby County’s President & Chief Executive Sam Rush said: “We’re all delighted that we have retained our Category One status and a huge amount of work has gone into making this happen behind the scenes.





“Credit goes to Darren Wassall, Pat Lyons, John Barton and the team behind them at the Academy for this achievement, aided by the great investment from our Chairman Mel Morris into the facilities which are unrecognisable from 18 months ago.





“It’s great news for everyone and especially for all those who are associated with the Academy. We look forward to seeing more players coming through our system and into the first-team squad in years to come.”







Derby County’s Academy Director Darren Wassall said: “We’re thrilled that Derby County will, once again, be a Category One Academy for the 2016/17 season.





“It really is a big tribute to everyone involved in the Academy that, after achieving Category One status back in 2014, that we have kicked on and raised the bar on so many levels.







“We’ve certainly not stood still in that time and we’re always looking to improve and evolve wherever possible, which is backed up by the fact that the auditors were extremely impressed with the way that we operate.





“The facilities have improved dramatically in the last two years. Our Chairman Mel Morris is extremely committed to youth development, as we have also seen with the launch of Own The Region earlier this year, and it’s there for all to see in terms of the time and investment that he has made into the Academy.





“Being a Category One Academy means we can test ourselves against the very best teams in the country on a weekly basis. Everyone in the Academy has risen to the challenge in the last few years and we’re looking forward to what the coming season holds.”





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