Town academy graduates have played nearly as many League One minutes as their counterparts at the six other clubs at the top of the division combined this season, according to Opta statistics.
Speaking after Tuesday’s game against Burton Albion manager Paul Lambert said "We’re the team in the division that’s had 26 per cent young players playing.”
Town have now given the context of that comment with the figure quoted drawn from an Opta statistic which shows that Town academy players account for 26.5 per cent of the Blues’ first-team minutes this season.
Town have had 10 academy graduates appear in their League One fixtures in 2020/21: Andre Dozzell, Teddy Bishop, Jack Lankester, Flynn Downes, Brett McGavin, Armando Dobra, Tyreece Simpson, Liam Gibbs, Luke Woolfenden and Myles Kenlock.
Dozzell, 21, has made most appearances, 15, and has played the most minutes, 1,332, among the 10 with only skipper Luke Chambers having played more, 1,620 minutes in 18 matches.
"It’s great long-term for the club and for the young ones that that they are getting so many games,” Lambert told the official website.
"There are some really good young players here. You have to be brave to throw them in when they are that age and we’ve done that.”
| Total games played | Academy players used | Total minutes | % of total minutes | |
| Ipswich Town | 66 | 10 | 4703 | 26.5% |
| Hull City | 31 | 5 | 2054 | 12.2% |
| Portsmouth | 27 | 3 | 1684 | 9.5% |
| Charlton | 21 | 5 | 1439 | 8.9% |
| Lincoln | 6 | 1 | 470 | 2.8% |
| Peterborough | 7 | 3 | 341 | 1.9% |
| Doncaster | 5 | 2 | 254 | 1.6% |
League One appearances only. Stats from Opta up to 17 December.