Town have failed in their application to upgrade their academy to category one status. The club was told earlier today that it had missed the required 75 per cent mark in April's audit by just 0.3 per cent.

“We’re obviously disappointed to miss out on category one this time,” academy director Bryan Klug told the club website.

“The staff, in particular Helen Broughton, worked tirelessly to prepare for the audit and we felt confident that our structure is good enough to be granted category one status.

“We’re all disappointed, frustrated but we go again. Getting to category one is our aim and everyone is fully committed to getting there.

“I have spoken to Marcus [Evans, club owner] and he’s as disappointed as the rest of us but he’s fully supportive of us moving forward and continuing to push for category one.

“We have made a lot of progress over the past year and we will continue to make progress.

“We will be audited again next season and we will be doing everything we can to achieve category one status because that puts us in the best position to produce young footballers for Ipswich Town.”

The academy will remain at category two which means, amongst other things, that they will face the likes of Colchester United and Brentford at U21 and U18 levels next season. They will also receive a Premier League grant of £480,000, compared with a category one grant of £775,000.

Photo: Action Images

blueboy1981 added 13:32 - Jul 25 Jaffe ............ !!!!!!
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MattinLondon added 13:52 - Jul 25 Prehaps a little off topic. The only way players (especially younger players) get better is to play regular first team football. I will be interested to know how many under 20s have been brought by Premier League clubs from Football league clubs (say in the last ten years) and have developed to become good premier league players. I would guess that most, from playing first team football in Leagues 1 or 2 have suffered from being stuck in PL reserves. The Acadamies seem to be creaming the top talent and then spitting them out if they can't compete with top established internationals.

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Seasider added 17:14 - Jul 25 I believe OFSTED tells schools where they are failing,similarly the NHS;so does this biased Prem League scheme do the same so that emphasis can be put on the weaker points(the 25.3%) I think it should,and in view of the very small margin of failure,the club should be allowed to scrutinize the Audit. This is a new system which is still bedding in.The club seems to accept the result,have they considered enquiring if there is an appeals procedure,as .3% could be within the margin of error. I dont know the rules but hope the club will be pro-active now and in the future.

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blueboy1981 added 17:16 - Jul 25 It is essential for the future of this Club (if we are to move forward) that we acquire Cat 1 status - I am totally amazed at how many seem to have a blase' attitude to the fact that we have failed to achieve it. Can only be that these people lack any kind of ambition for the Club - or they totally under estimate the consequences of not doing so. Only they know which it is - or do they ?

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blueboy1981 added 17:25 - Jul 25 Seasider - the criteria to be met is made very clear to Clubs , and adequate timescale given to comply.We FAILED. Whether we agree with the system, or not, is irrelevant - that's how it is. Here we are again - looking for (reasons/ excuses) for 'bringing up the rear' - that philosophy helps nothing and indeed no one..
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Bluebongo added 19:57 - Jul 25 See that Derby got cat.1. they,re obviously more ambitious than we are.We,ll have to make do with Narwich castoffs for another year.
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blueboy1981 added 20:49 - Jul 25 Well done Bobblehat - nothing changes hey ?
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blueboy1981 added 21:04 - Jul 25 Bluebongo ...... you're right Derby succeeded where we failed - I'm waiting for someone to suggest the criteria to be met was different for us .... !!!
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theobald1985 added 21:23 - Jul 25 its basically a premier league stitch up the whole thing-football league clubs were threatened with having solidarity money withdrawn if they did not vote it through and they seem now to make every effort to keep smaller clubs out of cat 1, i bet there annoyed we even had the temerity to apply. the whole thing stinks to high heaven
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bluelodgeblue added 09:23 - Jul 26 Has anyone ever got close to a 100%? and if so who? Must admit it smacks of itfc trying to do it on the cheap once again!
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bluesman added 19:39 - Jul 27 Failing by 0.3% has to come under category of a fix
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