EFL clubs told to give kids a chance

ENGLISH Football League clubs will have to name at least one “club-developed” player in their matchday squads from the start of the 2018-19 season.

A club-developed player is defined as a player who has been registered to the club for at least a year before the end of his under-19 season.

The new rules were agreed at a meeting of all 72 EFL clubs in February.

“I am confident that this decision will have a positive and lasting impact,” said EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey.

“It is imperative that we provide young players not only with a platform, but also with the belief that opportunities will be made available to progress from youth to senior football.”

As part of the rule changes, clubs will now also have to include one more “homegrown” player in their matchday squads from next season.

Teams have previously had to include six home-grown players, defined as those registered with a club in England or Wales for three seasons, or 36 months, before their 21st birthday.

Meanwhile, Chris Hughton knows Brighton’s promotion rivals will not let up in their pursuit of the Seagulls as they look to go back to the top of the Sky Bet Championship with victory at QPR tonight.

Newcastle are once again the division’s leaders having defeated Burton 1-0 on Wednesday night, though it was thirdplaced Huddersfield’s victory over Norwich that commanded Hughton’s attention.

The Terriers had lost back-toback fixtures and appeared to be stuttering, but got back on track against the Canaries to move nine points behind Brighton, whom they have a game in hand over.

And Huddersfield’s triumph showed Hughton that his side cannot afford to ease up.

“I watched a chunk of the Huddersfield game,” he said.

“They were on the back of a couple of defeats and it was a difficult time for them, which we’ve all been through, but good sides bounce back from that.

“They bounced back against a top team.”