Huddersfield academy in danger of being axed

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN are contemplating shutting their academy, with the club’s youth set-up under review. Two well-placed sources have told Sportsmail that chairman Dean Hoyle has discussed the possibility with Premier League bosses amid concerns surrounding the lack of youngsters making their first team. Philip Billing is the only graduate in David Wagner’s squad and the central midfielder was signed from Esbjerg in Denmark as a 16-year-old in 2013. Young full back Jordan Williams was handed a debut in the Carabao Cup last month before being sent on loan to Bury. Huddersfield believe it may be better to spend money elsewhere, although the academy structure could stay unchanged after talks. Another option would be to downgrade their status from Category 2 — one beneath the top level. Huddersfield have been without an academy manager since Steve Weaver’s departure a week before their first Premier League campaign started. Some clubs have looked into the changes made at Brentford, who were the first to ditch their academy in 2016. The Championship side now operate with a B team for players between the ages of 17 and 21 instead, handing out seven professional debuts in 12 months. Managed by club legend Kevin O’Connor, Brentford B face some of the top sides in Europe, taking on Valencia, Villarreal, Bayern Munich and both Manchester clubs. Brentford, previously fighting a losing battle with top-flight clubs to attract youngsters, have pencilled in six 10-day training camps this season at a cost of £30,000 each. They will take in three matches per trip, a fraction of the £2million previously spent on the academy each season. Brentford sources insist they are in a position to land the likes of former Arsenal trainee Ilias Chatzitheodoridis, the 19-year-old who has played in Dean Smith’s first team. Former Celtic winger Theo Archibald was also signed for a nominal fee in the summer, with the academy landscape beginning to change. Huddersfield were last night unavailable for comment.