Learn more about the work going on at PPG Canalside
- Huddersfield Town to focus on the Club’s Academy this week
- Coverage all week about the Town’s U17, U19 and EDT sides
- Learn more about the changes made to the Town Academy
With their being no First Team match this coming weekend, Huddersfield Town is shining the spotlight on its Academy and the progress being made with a number of youngsters.
At the start of the current campaign, the Town Academy re-established itself across the board and switched its age groups to echo the European model, creating an Under-17s team, an Under-19s team and an Elite Development Team.
The focus is on building on the previous work in the higher age groups, which has seen great success in the past with Philip Billing and Tommy Smith both progressing into the First Team after joining Town post 16-years-old.
During the 2018/19 Premier League season a number of youngsters have moved into the First Team and made their debuts for the Club. Demeaco Duhaney started in the win against Wolves and Aaron Rowe made his debut against AFC Bournemouth before starting a week later away at West Ham United. Matty Daly has also been in the Terriers’ match day squad.
As many fans will have seen, the EDT/Under-19s play a bespoke games programmes, which has been specifically put together in order to challenge the Young Terriers tactically, mentally, and physically, forcing the players to play against a wide variety of opposition, that differs in their footballing culture.
This has seen Dean Whitehead’s youngsters take on European sides like Bayern Munich, Celta de Vigo and Sevilla, whilst also taking on senior opposition facing teams like Harrogate Town, Scunthorpe United and Bradford City.
As for the Under-17s, the side is consistently receiving tactical tests and physical stimulus by playing against the older Under-18 sides in the Youth Alliance League. Alongside this, the youngsters will play bespoke games or in bespoke tournaments against sides their own age, which allows them to play with more freedom.
Alongside this, a number of youngsters have also gone on various work experience and loan spells to play senior football for the first time.
This week, due to the international break, htafc.com will be covering the Academy in full detail, showing how it’s progressed, how the Young Terriers are developing, and work Leigh Bromby and his coaches have been doing.
