Academy chief outlines progress in Fleetwood Town quest for 'category two'

Town announced their intentions to step up from category three more than a year ago but were waiting on planning permission to construct a dome containing an indoor pitch.

Higgins told The Gazette: “The application for category two is ongoing. We’re expecting an audit from the Professional Games Academy Audit Company post-Christmas.

“That will be a full investigation into how we operate as an academy and the pivotal point of that is the dome.

“That is on course to be built before the end of the season. That’s something I’m working with the club on and we’re all contributing towards it.

“It will add another element to our programme and act as a further attraction for young players on the Fylde coast to come and join us.

“It’s the same situation we were in last season – we’ve had the audit and were very happy with where we were, but we did not have the indoor dome or the framework for it to be built.

“For us to access that category two status, the dome has to be near to completion.”

Fleetwood recently ranked 65th in a list of England’s most productive academies – the biggest climb in the country since the previous rankings five seasons ago.

The Fleetwood youth team take on Liverpool this evening in the third round of the FA Youth Cup. The tie kicks off at 5.30pm at the Reds’ training base.

There has been an increased emphasis on bringing youth players through to the first team at Highbury this season and Higgins feels opportunities are key.

The club takes pride in its facilities at Poolfoot Farm and he added:“The pathway is everything for the development of a young footballer.

“You can have all the ability in the world, you can be the best character, you can have all the determination for success but that is nothing without opportunity.

“This football club has always given opportunity – to its staff, its players and to its community.

“With the pathway and the facilities here combined, we have one of the best programmes around and all on-site.

“Everything we have for a young player is here to access and help them train at their maximum between the ages of 16 and 20, when they might make their (first-team) debut.

“We’ve seen that those debuts are coming younger and younger because there are those opportunities.”

Thanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 for your first month. Try us today by clicking here