Any updates on our plan to regain Cat 1 status for the academy?

Not sure how quickly the improvements would show, but it would be a major step up for our youth progress in the longer term.

Am i led to believe that with Cat 1 we can get young players from far a field and not local, because in the old days when it was school of excellence you could only sign lad's from round about and if they were any good they used to leave and some i remember picked up by those down the road...

We have had the audit I believe

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 10:57 am

We have had the audit I believe

Any idea on when we expect to get the results Tony?

NewClaret wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 11:59 am

Any idea on when we expect to get the results Tony?

Hard to say but last time it was July when it was announced although that was a strange year because of the pandemic.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 12:13 pm

Hard to say but last time it was July when it was announced although that was a strange year because of the pandemic.

Thanks. Fingers crossed. Would be great to have this back to further cement everything positive happening at Academy level. Would be great to see where it could take us under Chris Casper's leadership.

NewClaret wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 12:23 pm

Thanks. Fingers crossed. Would be great to have this back to further cement everything positive happening at Academy level. Would be great to see where it could take us under Chris Casper's leadership.

I believe Alan P sees a lot of potential in bringing through youth system products. Fans will always love a player that comes through the system too.

I don't see there being any problems in getting Cat1 if we were serious about getting it. We've had it before, we know what to do

GetIntoEm wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 5:35 pm

I don't see there being any problems in getting Cat1 if we were serious about getting it. We've had it before, we know what to do

Think we only had before provisionally pending full audit which was subsequently undertaken and failed

taio wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 6:03 pm

Think we only had before provisionally pending full audit which was subsequently undertaken and failed

Not quite, we lost it because we cocked up.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 6:36 pm

Not quite, we lost it because we cocked up.

Did we not only have it provisionally due to Covid? My point being that we didn't go through the full process when awarded Cat 1 status.

taio wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 6:40 pm

Did we not only have it provisionally due to Covid? My point being that we didn't go through the full process when awarded Cat 1 status.

Everyone gets it provisionally but it was set up by Jon Pepper (then academy manager) and be assured there was no way we wouldn't have got a longer licence. I can assure you that we cocked up following Pepper's removal.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 6:42 pm

Everyone gets it provisionally but it was set up by Jon Pepper (then academy manager) and be assured there was no way we wouldn't have got a longer licence. I can assure you that we cocked up following Pepper's removal.

Whether we cocked up or not wasn't my point. My point was that we hadn't been through the full process because it has only been awarded to us on a provisional basis.

taio wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 6:40 pm

Did we not only have it provisionally due to Covid? My point being that we didn't go through the full process when awarded Cat 1 status.

Yes, can't remember the exact details but we didn't have a full inspection when it was awarded due to COVID. Think about half the teams who were awarded it in that process subsequently lost it.

No idea of our specifics though.

taio wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 6:45 pm

Whether we cocked up or not wasn't my point. My point was that we hadn't been through the full process because it has only been awarded to us on a provisional basis.

So you know we hadn't been through the full process do you? I believe we had and I believe everything was in order under Jon Pepper and given his background, it would have been a surprise had it not been so. All licences are in effect provisional or have a limited time after which you apply again. When we did so, we'd cocked up and lost it, that I can assure you.

taio wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 6:40 pm

Did we not only have it provisionally due to Covid? My point being that we didn't go through the full process when awarded Cat 1 status.

Originally it was a paper exercise without a visit
When we had a visit we failed
Some will want you to believe otherwise.

Row x wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 7:24 pm

Originally it was a paper exercise without a visit
When we had a visit we failed
Some will want you to believe otherwise.

I think it is irrelevant whether it was a paper exercise or not the first audit, it is clear that we would have passed it even if it was a full one based on who was in charge of the academy and what his previous job was. When we had the second inspection we had messed everything up by then and was not ready the second inspection, I don’t understand why some find it hard to get.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 6:36 pm

Not quite, we lost it because we cocked up.

Spot on as usual Tony, it was mainly down to staffing levels and mismanagement on the part of Paul Jenkins, as you say would not have happened under John Pepper who had previously worked as an fa assessor himself so knew what was expected.

JarrowClaret wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 7:55 pm

I think it is irrelevant whether it was a paper exercise or not the first audit, it is clear that we would have passed it even if it was a full one based on who was in charge of the academy and what his previous job was. When we had the second inspection we had messed everything up by then and was not ready the second inspection, I don’t understand why some find it hard to get.

Because it's not true?

Row x wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 8:00 pm

Because it's not true?

What isn’t true? Wasn’t Jon pepper in charge of or part of the inspection team in a previous role? You would
Like to think he would have passed a full inspection common sense suggests he would have!

JarrowClaret wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 8:06 pm

What isn’t true? Wasn’t Jon pepper in charge of or part of the inspection team in a previous role? You would
Like to think he would have passed a full inspection common sense suggests he would have!

Had we had a full inspection at the time of the covid one, we would have failed it. Some people disagree.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 7:22 pm

So you know we hadn't been through the full process do you? I believe we had and I believe everything was in order under Jon Pepper and given his background, it would have been a surprise had it not been so. All licences are in effect provisional or have a limited time after which you apply again. When we did so, we'd cocked up and lost it, that I can assure you.

You can assure me all you like that we cocked it up. But that wasn't my point and I'm not disputing that. Yes I do know that we hadn't been through the full process.

Row x wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 8:23 pm

Had we had a full inspection at the time of the covid one, we would have failed it. Some people disagree.

They disagree because you've just made it up.

Come on mate, there is absolutely no virtue to making things up on the internet. Just stop it.

Row x wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 8:23 pm

Had we had a full inspection at the time of the covid one, we would have failed it. Some people disagree.

We wouldn't I can assure you.

Row x wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 8:23 pm

Had we had a full inspection at the time of the covid one, we would have failed it. Some people disagree.

What makes you think that though? Essentially that would mean that Jon Pepper was utterly incompetent if he would put the academy through the tests for it knowing full well they would fail if tested, when he put us forward he would have expected a Full inspection surely.

JarrowClaret wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 10:47 pm

What makes you think that though? Essentially that would mean that Jon Pepper was utterly incompetent if he would put the academy through the tests for it knowing full well they would fail if tested, when he put us forward he would have expected a Full inspection surely.

I’d take no notice of Row x, he’s wrong.

doesn't matter If it's Cat 1 or school of excellence in the old days if the club looks after you your parents will be happy if not you find somewhere else..

Is Pepper the one who moved on to a job in Nigeria before landing roles at Chesterfield and Lincoln City?

JarrowClaret wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 8:06 pm

What isn’t true? Wasn’t Jon pepper in charge of or part of the inspection team in a previous role? You would
Like to think he would have passed a full inspection common sense suggests he would have!

From what I remember Jon Pepper worked for a third party doing assessments (Double Pass). The FA then brought the assessments in house.

https://archive.trainingground.guru/art ... udit-cycle

Bordeauxclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 25, 2025 8:00 am

Is Pepper the one who moved on to a job in Nigeria before landing roles at Chesterfield and Lincoln City?

Yeah, he has left his role at Lincoln City which included the womens team and now is at Sheff Weds, his CV doesn't read half as good as his reputation on here.

claretonthecoast1882 wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 25, 2025 8:08 am

Yeah, he has left his role at Lincoln City which included the womens team and now is at Sheff Weds, his CV doesn't read half as good as his reputation on here.

His reputation on here is based on the job he did at Burnley. He took over a failing Cat 3 academy that was very close to being closed down by the club and in no time got it to Cat 2 and then Cat 1. He was rated very highly by people at Burnley prior to the takeover but the new owners wanted Paul Jenkins (who was part of ALK prior to them buying the club) in the role so Pepper had to go. Wherever he's gone since and whatever he's done since isn't relevant at all, the work he did at Burnley was outstanding.

Any news on the Cat 1 status?

This would be a major boost with the Premier League reputation added to the pulling power for young players.

We would all love to see some gems start coming through the system, I certainly am very keen to see that step up for the youth.

If/when we attain Category 1 status, is it more likely that our games will be watchable online?

burnley007 wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 30, 2025 3:09 pm

If/when we attain Category 1 status, is it more likely that our games will be watchable online?

No. The club have said there are no plans to stream them.

burnley007 wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 30, 2025 3:08 pm

Any news on the Cat 1 status?

This would be a major boost with the Premier League reputation added to the pulling power for young players.

We would all love to see some gems start coming through the system, I certainly am very keen to see that step up for the youth.

I was told we have basically passed the audit although there is one thing needs to be put in place. If that’s the case then I expect us to move back up to Cat 1.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 30, 2025 4:07 pm

I was told we have basically passed the audit although there is one thing needs to be put in place. If that’s the case then I expect us to move back up to Cat 1.

Excellent news. That wouldn’t be far behind promotion on this list of positive achievements for this season in my opinion.

Let’s hope our finances need lots of academy investment to support our PSR position too!

burnley007 wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 30, 2025 3:09 pm

If/when we attain Category 1 status, is it more likely that our games will be watchable online?

Possibly away games.

Leisure wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 30, 2025 5:31 pm

Possibly away games.

Do you know why we don’t stream ours? Drives me mad! I’m sure we used to.

NewClaret wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 30, 2025 5:51 pm

Do you know why we don’t stream ours? Drives me mad! I’m sure we used to.

Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe they can't be ar**d or they think nobody would be interested? Obviously there's a minority interest but surely they video it for playing back to the players later.

Blondeclaret wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 24, 2025 7:55 pm

Spot on as usual Tony, it was mainly down to staffing levels and mismanagement on the part of Paul Jenkins, as you say would not have happened under John Pepper who had previously worked as an fa assessor himself so knew what was expected.

This is bang on the money.

I posted on here a long time ago about the mess we got ourselves in to, we had players turning up that scouts had arranged only to find out we didn't have the coaches to take sessions etc. It was very much after Jon Pepper left that it went pop.

Leisure wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 30, 2025 6:01 pm

Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe they can't be ar**d or they think nobody would be interested? Obviously there's a minority interest but surely they video it for playing back to the players later.

Well they screen and have commentary on the women’s team. Just my opinion, but I’d expect higher interest in the Academy judging by the number of posts on here.

I’d love us to have a proper TV channel, would definitely pay a subscription because I’d watch it more than I do Netflix - U18s, U21s, women’s games, pre/post game shows, comms cam commentary, player interviews, etc. Anyway, I digress.

Can someone explain the benefits of cat 1? Someone further up stated we can get lads from further a field but we already have lads in the academy from all over the country.


Is it expensive to maintain? Is it something we can only maintain with prem money?


I always think we will struggle being so close to well established academies with track records of progression.
Having said that we should still aim for the top

Inchy wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 30, 2025 6:31 pm

Can someone explain the benefits of cat 1? Someone further up stated we can get lads from further a field but we already have lads in the academy from all over the country.


Is it expensive to maintain? Is it something we can only maintain with prem money?


I always think we will struggle being so close to well established academies with track records of progression.
Having said that we should still aim for the top

boyyanno wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 30, 2025 6:10 pm

This is bang on the money.

I posted on here a long time ago about the mess we got ourselves in to, we had players turning up that scouts had arranged only to find out we didn't have the coaches to take sessions etc. It was very much after Jon Pepper left that it went pop.

Seems some don’t seem to want to acknowledge that losing Cat 1 was self inflicted.

NewClaret wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 30, 2025 5:51 pm

Do you know why we don’t stream ours? Drives me mad! I’m sure we used to.

We have done in the past

Why did Jon Pepper leave?

They wanted their own man.

How does that Jenkins chap still have a job. Kt was under his watch wasn't it?

Goliath wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 30, 2025 10:52 pm

How does that Jenkins chap still have a job. Kt was under his watch wasn't it?

I've not really been following it that closely but isn't the youth setup doing pretty well now?

A few players making first team appearances, playoffs and cup finals.

Doesn't seem to be have done that bad a job. He came from Boro with about twenty years experience in their youth setup.

Not to be a downer, but our academy does not seem to produce first team players. So it is really pointless.