Huddersfield ditch underage sides as costs begin to bite

HUDDERSFIELD Town have scrapped all academy teams up to their Under 18s in an unprecedented move for a Premier League club.

Sportsmail revealed a fortnight ago that chairman Dean Hoyle, worried at spiralling costs of £1million a year and lack of youngsters coming through, was contemplating removing the academy altogether after an extensive review.

And Huddersfield – who hit the jackpot after promotion from the Championship in May – announced yesterday that they will downgrade the youth set-up to Category 4. That means they will be unable to recruit under 16s and makes seven age groups redundant.

Central midfielder Philip Billing is the only player of note to have made a mark in the first team, although he was signed as a 16-year-old from Esbjerg in Denmark.

‘This decision has been the biggest we have undertaken in my time as Chairman, and not an easy one,’ Hoyle said.

‘However, we cannot be afraid of change. This is a vital area to the long-term success of this club.’