The Football League Paper

GARETH TO GET YOUTH BOOST

- By Pippa Field

WYCOMBE Wanderers have announced plans to re-launch their youth academy.

The Chairboys closed the previous youth scheme in 2012 and are currently one of only two Football League clubs without any youth developmen­t programme.

However, they now hope to create a Profession­al Developmen­t Phase (PDP) scheme for players under 21, and chairman Andrew Howard praised manager Gareth Ainsworth and his staff for their efforts this season without youth players available.

“[They] have done an outstandin­g job working with the smallest squad in the Football League and have rightly received plaudits from other clubs on the progress that young players have made under their tutelage,” said Howard.

The club’s former academy produced Premier League performers such as Jordon Ibe and Matt Phillips.

Ainsworth’s side are fifth in League Two, despite having only 18 full-time players.

The club even had to recently play goalkeepin­g coach Barry Richardson, 46, between the posts.

 ??  ?? PRAISE: Gareth Ainsworth
PRAISE: Gareth Ainsworth

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