Oldham Athletic to close Academy after promotion hopes ended

Following their elimination from the National League playoffs, Oldham Athletic is closing their Category Three Academy.

Ten days ago, the Latics’ 2-2 draw with Halifax Town sealed their fate to play in non-league football for a third consecutive season. This implies that they forfeit Premier League funds for their Academy via the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP).

Additionally, they would not be compensated if any of their Academy players signed with other clubs, and they would no longer be eligible to participate in the EFL Youth Alliance for Under-18 teams.

Last year, Oldham finished at 56th out of 80 teams in TGG’s Academy Productivity Rankings for 2021/22. Recent graduates Will Sutton, Harry Vaughan, Benny Couto, and Junior Luamba have advanced to the first team.

The youth program for the Latics will now be housed in a self-funded Development Center that will feature women’s and girls’ football.

“We have always been proud of our Academy structure and value our commitment to developing talented young players,” the club stated in a statement. We have given young players the chance to develop in a professional setting over the years, and we have had the honor of witnessing many of them succeed under the direction of outstanding coaches.

“The Academy has been operating on less financing from the EFL for the past year. The Board has put a lot of effort into persuading the government and football authorities that our Academy’s standing should be determined by its own merits rather than by the club’s standing in the league since the takeover.Even with the backing of football and political heavyweights, we haven’t been able to effect change in this area. Consequently, starting with the 2024–2025 season, modifications to our academy system will be implemented.

“The organization is still dedicated to developing new players and nurturing homegrown potential. The club plans to run a top-tier, self-funded academy structure going ahead, and we’re committed to keeping

“Young athletes who currently compete in our U8–U15 divisions have the choice to stay in the new system, and summer evaluation days are planned to bring in more participants.

“After being selected through open trials, the first-year players in the current U18 team have performed exceptionally well, and Nicky Adams’ football development program will now have more chances to develop.”

“As a club, we are committed to giving young football players in our community a bright future, and we look forward to supporting the next generation of players as they develop.”