Leicester City’s Academy has attained Category One status under the Premier League’s Elite Player Performance Plan.
City, who passed a strict audit, are one of five Football League clubs alongside Bolton, Middlesbrough, Reading and Wolves to be placed in the top tier at academy level.
Academy Director Jon Rudkin said: “This is a project the Academy and wider club has been focusing on over 15 months. It is part of the combined vision of the club and its owners.”
From the start of the 2012-13 season, the EPPP has seen Premier League and Football League Academies independently audited and placed in to one of four categories. The new system replaced the original two-tier model of Academies and Centres of Excellence.
“It’s a very exciting development for the club and the Academy,” added Rudkin. “It will bring the players some excellent and tough challenges, which will be a significant benefit to them as part of their own development, as well as the long-term benefit of the club.”
