Dale Academy set to be downgraded
THE Rochdale AFC production line which moulded stars such as Scott Hogan, Will Buckley and Jamie Allen has been downgraded – restricting the club’s ability to develop young players in their formative years.
A reduction in Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) funding has forced Dale to downgrade their highly successful Category 3 Academy, severely hampering the club’s ability to develop young talent through their youth system.
Dale became synonymous with nurturing talented young footballers and selling them on to keep the club in the black during the glory years of Keith Hill’s management and Chris Dunphy’s chairmanship.
The club, recently taken over by the Ogden family, insists it ‘remains fully committed to youth development.’ But the the costs of fighting off a hostile takeover and the subsequent drop into nonleague took a heavy toll financially – and with (EPPP) funding cut by 50 per cent after one year outside of the EFL, the decision has been taken to drop from Category 3 to Category 4.
As a Category 3 Academy, which includes age groups from U9 upwards, Dale produced the likes of Aaron Morley and Ethan Brierley, who have gone on to clubs further up the footballing pyramid.
But Category 4 Academies only operate from the Under 17 age group upwards.
So, while the club’s youth team will remain in The EFL Youth Alliance next season, Rochdale AFC teams from U9-U16 will no longer compete in The EFL fixture programme.
The move exposes the shortcomings of the system when a youth set-up ranked the eighth most productive Category 3 Academy in the UK only last year is forced into a downgrade.
A statement on the club’s website said Dale did plan to offer some degree of provision for the U9-U16 year groups next season, but the club made their disappointment clear.
The statement read: “It is with regret that Rochdale AFC can confirm for the upcoming 2024/25 season, our Academy will operate at Category 4 level. This extremely difficult decision has been made as a direct consequence of funding restrictions imposed by governing bodies due to our first team remaining in The National League for the 2024/25 season. For context, in the 2024/25 season, the only National League clubs permitted to operate an academy at any category are ourselves, Hartlepool United, Sutton United and Forest Green Rovers. Academy players’ parents and Academy staff have been briefed of these changes.
“Under current Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) rules, any club relegated from The EFL can only operate an Academy for a maximum of two seasons outside of the EFL, regardless of category. However, central funding in the second of these seasons is significantly reduced. Should we remain a National League member club in the 2025/26 season, current regulations mean that we would not be able to operate an Academy of any category until promotion back to the EFL was achieved.
“Directors, staff, and all other Academy stakeholders here are united in the view that there is only very limited correlation between the divisional status of any clubs first team, and a club’s ability to develop talented young footballers through its Academy system. As such, we do not accept that the current youth development rules are fit for purpose.
“Fundamentally, we do not agree with any regulatory framework that mandates the closure of successful Academy programmes, either here or elsewhere, within two seasons of relegation from the EFL. As our divisional colleagues Oldham Athletic and Southend United made clear in their respective statements on 25/04/24 and 09/05/24, ongoing lobbying by ourselves and other National League clubs is underway. This will be vocal and sustained.
“In our most recent Academy Annual Report (issued by The EFL at the conclusion of the 2022/23 season), over the most recent three season period for which there is data, our Academy ranked as the 8th most productive Category 3 Academy in the UK. The achievement is even more exceptional when this is extended out to include Category 1 and 2 Academies, typically operated by Premier League and larger Championship clubs. Via these measures, our Academy was ranked 18th out of all 72 EFL member clubs, and 29th out of 92 when this measure is extended to include Premier League member clubs. Yet we face a bill of more than £400,000 to continue operating at Category 3 for next season, with full closure the season after if the first team is not promoted to the EFL. This cannot be right.
“We thank all of our current foundation phase and youth development phase players and parents for their unwavering commitment to the club, and wholeheartedly apologise that we cannot continue our journey together at Category 3 level next season. We will do our very best to assist with securing alternate pathways for players, whether that be at other clubs, or whether they remain attached to ourselves in some form.
“Each and every member of staff that has worked for our Academy in recent seasons deserves an immense amount of credit. Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that we will be able to retain everyone as we transition from Category 3 to Category 4, and again, we will offer full support to all staff affected by these changes through no fault of their own.
“The club remains fully committed to youth development and providing aspiring young footballers from the region with the opportunity to represent Rochdale AFC.
“As stated in our announcement last week, the aim of the Club is to achieve promotion back to The EFL as soon as possible, and within 3 seasons. Once promotion is achieved, or should National League constraints change, we will review the situation again, with a view to reinstating a highly successful Category 3 Academy operation.
“We will publish full and detailed plans in relation to future youth development programmes over the coming weeks. The timing of this announcement is of course unfortunate, however last week’s change of ownership had to be completed prior to a final decision being made.”
Under current EPPP rules, any club relegated from The EFL can only operate an Academy for a maximum of two seasons outside of The EFL. After the first season is completed, funding under EPPP is automatically reduced by 50 per cent for any club wishing to continue operating its Academy for a second season. At present levels, for a club operating a Category 3 Academy such as Dale, this is a reduction in funding of £249,500 per season.
Coupled with the current minimum club contribution of £154,000 per season required to draw down EPPP funding, the cost to the club to maintain a Category 3 Academy in 2024/25 would be at least £403,500, in order to maintain 2023/24 spending levels, which were the minimum club contribution of £154,000, plus EPPP funding of £499,000, for a total spend of £653,000.
A club statement added: “This figure of £403,500 is a conservative one, with the true figure likely to be significantly higher due to a wide range of factors such as inflationary pressure on the rental price of training facilities, and statutory wage increases for staff and players. It should also be noted the parachute payments from The EFL (£635,000 in 2023/24) will be reduced by 50 per cent, another huge drop in funding for the club to try and make up elsewhere.
“We found ourselves in the unenviable position this season of being unable to offer Scholarship deals to the most talented players in our U16 age group. Under present rules, there was no available mechanism to retain U16 players.
“This situation would only have worsened should we have made the decision to continue at Category 3 next season, and then not been promoted back to the EFL. The most talented players in each age group would have been cherry picked by other clubs in the surrounding area even more frequently.
“With only limited contractual protection for players, and with only 12 months of Academy status guaranteed, the club has made the decision that a bill of over £400,000 for 2024/25 regrettably cannot be justified.
“For next season, youth development at the club will consist of our Category 4 Academy, and a series of U9-U16 development centres, run in conjunction
with Rochdale AFC Community Trust.
“If we remain in The National League in 2025/26, the youth development arm of the club will need to become selffunding. At this stage, it is envisaged that a BTEC programme for 16–19-year-olds will replace Category 4 provision, with this team to compete in The National Leagues NLFA North Division at U19 level, rather than The EFL Youth Alliance, which we would no longer be eligible to join. We also envisage RAFC teams from U12-U16 competing in the JPL, with teams from U7-U11 playing up to 10 fixture per season in school holidays against local Academy sides, whilst remaining registered with their grassroots teams.
“Should we regain EFL status for 2025/26 or at any stage beyond that, it is likely that the above youth development system would remain, but with an elite strand consisting of a Category 3/4 Academy alongside.
“The commitment of
our new ownership group to secure a Community Sports Hub will certainly aid youth development in the immediate future, as all teams associated with the club will have a permanent home.
“We certainly hope this will help us to attract and retain talented players within the local area.
“2023/24 saw a total of 3198 competitive first team minutes played by Academy graduates, with debuts for Bradley Kelly, Luke Mann, Corey Edwards, and Isaac Burgess. We remain committed to building on this in future seasons.”