Town have confirmed that the academy has been awarded category one status.

The Blues announced their intention to move from category two, the level they have been operating since the introduction of the EPPP [Elite Player Performance Plan] in 2012, to category one in March last year following the investment from Bright Path Sports Partners.

Having been audited by the Professional Game Academy Audit Company (PGAAC), Town’s Playford Road set-up met all the requirements - the Blues having added to their staff over the last year - and will operate at Category One level from the start of the 2025/26 campaign.

Town have become the 29th category one club with Birmingham City and Burnley also elevated from category two this summer.

The Blues’ U21s, coached by John McGreal and Chris Casement, will play at Premier League 2 and the U18s, run by David Wright and Matt Pooley, in the U18 Premier League next season, facing academy sides from the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham, rather than clubs largely from outside the Premier League as was the case in category two’s Professional Development League Two South.

“This is an important step forward for the club,” Town chairman and CEO Mark Ashton said.  

“Since we arrived in 2021 we have consistently said we would look to move the academy to category one status when the time is right.

“We’re delighted to have now achieved that and this is testament to the hard work of Dmitri Halajko [academy director], his team, and all at the club.

“Moving to category one gives us the best chance of recruiting, developing, and retaining the best young players, aided by an elite-level games programme.

“This status, as well as the significant and ongoing investment in industry-leading facilities at Playford Road, is an exciting step for the cademy as we continue to grow all areas of the club.”

Academy director Dmitri Halajko added: “To gain category one status from the Premier League is a huge achievement which puts Ipswich Town in the top bracket for youth development in this country. 

“Staff at the club have worked incredibly hard to achieve this status, which will help us recruit, retain, and develop better young players with the ultimate aim of helping them progress to our first team.

“For our young players to now have the opportunity to play against the best teams in the country week in and week out is an extremely positive step which will stretch and develop every player and help them reach their highest possible level.”

Town, who are in the process of upgrading their training ground, previously applied for category one status in the summer of 2014 but missed out by 0.3 per cent in the audit with the lack of players having come through into the first team in the immediately preceding years among the factors.

Since then, the requirements both from a facilities and staffing perspective have moved on significantly.

Photo: Action Images

BotesdaleBlue added 14:53 - Jul 11 FANTASTIC. This is what we have all wanted for so long. Let's hope this brings on a new dawn of home grown youth talent.
21

Vic added 14:54 - Jul 11 Excellent news
15

Gforce added 14:59 - Jul 11 This is excellent news for the club.Will definitely help us attract superior quality young players, just like we did all those years ago,with the likes of Beattie,Wark,Burley etc.
12

WhoisJimmyJuan added 15:00 - Jul 11 I know this is good news so forgive my ignorance: but what does this mean in practical terms? Does it just attract a better calibre of young players because it's like a 5* rating?
4

PortmanTerrorist added 15:00 - Jul 11 Well done all concerned and that we put the BS that it didn't matter (not current leadership) behind us. It always did and does today. More pressure on the Academy to deliver 1st team players too, which is also good news
9

Gforce added 15:05 - Jul 11 Just a query but does anyone know how many championship clubs currently have Category one status ?
0

Miaow added 15:06 - Jul 11 Finally!
5

Bobbychase added 15:11 - Jul 11 Great work. Nice after all the "the Americans are no longer interested" stuff to see this milestone plus us bidding £11m for a player. Onward and upwards
6

Broadbent23 added 15:15 - Jul 11 Well done. Fully deserved.
5

Cheltenham_Blue added 15:16 - Jul 11 @Gforce - 7 others in the Champ, one in L1. Blackburn, Derby, Ipswich, Leicester, Scum, Southampton, Stoke, West Brom. Also Reading. We'll play in Premier League 2 and can from 2026/27 enter a team into the EFL trophy (if invited)
8

blues1 added 15:20 - Jul 11 Getctjexfeelingc, thst maybe that this happening could be part of term reason that tere seems to be a refresh of the backroom staff happening at the moment. I know a couple have gone to new jobs but maybe they've applied for those jobs having been informed of the plans to find new blood.(not sure if I worded that right. Prob not). I'm just guessing of course, but does seem a bit of a coincidence that 3 or 4 move on just as this is happening.

4

billlm added 15:25 - Jul 11 This is the only good news since march time, excellent,
2

bluesissy added 15:27 - Jul 11 Well done ITFC
4

Gforce added 15:44 - Jul 11 @Cheltenham blue......Thanks for that,interesting. Looks like it's mainly the bigger clubs of the division with cat one,with the exception of Norwich of course (don't know how they managed to get it !)
0

Suffolk_n_Proud added 15:50 - Jul 11 Swansea and Birmingham are also cat 1 while. I think Brentford, Forest and Leeds are the only cat 2 teams in the Premier league
0

Suffolk_n_Proud added 15:52 - Jul 11 And crystal palace
0

flykickingbybgunn added 15:54 - Jul 11 Pleased. Just shows the ongoing commitment of game changer to do things the right way.
3

EricGatesShinpad added 15:56 - Jul 11 A wrong has at last been righted. Uppa Town!
5

Mark added 16:00 - Jul 11 Brilliant news! We have waited years for this and at last have a Category One academy. This puts us in a very good position for the future, as far better to develop young players rather than buy them in at huge transfer fees.
6

victorysquad added 16:23 - Jul 11 Well done Mark Ashton, ownership and anyone else for making this happen.
5

Marcus added 17:23 - Jul 11 This is huge. It just isn't something for short term appreciation.
4

coolcat added 17:34 - Jul 11 Great news!
4

blueoutlook added 17:42 - Jul 11 What made Ashton change his mind, he wasn’t interested in Cat one for ages. Every time a reporter put it to him he said it wasn’t important? Be interested to hear why he changed his philosophy or did the Yanks say they wanted it and that was it ?
-1

armchaircritic59 added 17:57 - Jul 11 At last, been waiting to hear this for ages, now it's here. Let's crack on and get back to doing what we were once lauded for, producing our own talent, whilst still making sensible and affordable moves in the transfer market of course. Players bought in do not stop young talent from getting selected for the first team anywhere, if they are genuinely good enough they will play, simple!

2

Monkey_Blue added 18:11 - Jul 11 Great news and as an aside that’s two stories today where Dmitri Halajko has been mentioned and I can honestly say I had never heard of him until today.
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