Ipswich Town Football Club is currently engaged in the process of establishing a sustainable business model that will deliver improved standards for the supporters, commercial partners and local community through investment across the whole Football Club. Youth development is part of this strategy and the carefully managed process of investing in homegrown talent aims to stabilise, strengthen and ultimately grow the Club’s fortunes and reputation both on and off the field of play.

From the First-Team ManagerPlaying attractive, attacking, exciting football and winning matches is what first-team football is all about. The production line of young players coming through the Academy, capable of performing at the highest level of competitive football, is key to producing a winning team with a winning mentality.

With this in mind: an enhanced Academy investment can only be good for the future playing resources of the Club. Ipswich Town has a great history and tradition of unearthing talented young players and I hope to be able to work with the next generation of starlets as we all strive to return to the Premier League through winning ways.

Mick McCarthy

From the Academy Manager Our goal at the Ipswich Town Academy is very simple; we want to offer the best players in this region the opportunity to develop into top class footballers and play for a great club.

I believe that in order to achieve this goal Ipswich Town must have a Category one Academy. The benefits are listed below:

• Improved games programme – Matches against Premiership opposition including Chelsea, Arsenal & Spurs etc. Plus various International Academy games
• Increased access to players – more coaching hours at all age groups
• National Recruitment – not limited to recruiting players from only our area, plus additional safeguarding of our best players from other Cat One Clubs.
• Increased staffing and full time Sports Science and Match Analyst department.
• Additional facilities and Education Programme for up to U21 level.
• ITFC Academy will be back in line with our two closest Cat One rivals – West Ham and Norwich. It will also help us to continue to compete with the other Cat One clubs for the players from Ireland and Europe.

The coming season marks the start of a new era and the Academy has devised a five year plan which includes

• Improvement of  facilities and equipment at the Academy on the Playford Road site
• Attract best players in the region by being a Category One Academy
• Widening our recruitment area with links to International teams and Scouts
• To develop players capable of playing regular 1st team football for ITFC in the FAPL or, if unsuccessful, who would command a transfer fee from clubs playing in the Football League.
• Maximize number of ‘home grown’ players at 1st team level (to an optimum of 50% of the 1st team by 2017-18.)
• Deliver an improved sports science and match/player analysis programme
• Conduct player/match analysis of all games at all age groups
• Improve standard of coaching by developing highly qualified staff
• Take part in European Tours so players are aware of continental styles of football.

Having returned to Ipswich, I am confident that by implementing this five year plan Ipswich Town will once again have one of the best Youth Academies in England.

Bryan Klug

Ipswich Town Academy Association - Five year Academy Plan.
Every Ipswich Town supporter loves to see home grown players playing in the first team. The move from Academy Category Two to Category One will improve the development of our Academy, its coaches and players in line with the best Premier League Academies in the country.

Ipswich Town have an Academy Fundraising plan to raise £500,000 per season from local supporters and businesses. This £500k will support the future of the Academy and go towards the direct running costs of the Academy. Our Academy budget will increase to £2.5m when we are accepted as a Category One Academy. We have to run as a Category One Academy during this season so we are ready for the new audit when it is confirmed. Raising the £500,000 from local businesses and supporters will also mean that our owner, Marcus Evans will be able to put an additional £500,000 into
our ITFC First Team Budget.

Benefits of Category One Academies...

• Improved games programme – matches against Premiership opposition including Chelsea, Arsenal & Spurs etc. Plus various International Academy games
• Increased access to players – more coaching hours at all age groups
• National Recruitment – not limited to recruiting players from only our area, plus additional safeguarding of our best players from other Cat One Clubs.
• Increased staffing and full time Sports Science and Match Analyst department.
• Additional facilities and Education Programme for up to U21 level.
• ITFC Academy will be back in line with our two closest Cat One rivals – West Ham and Norwich. It will also help us to continue to compete with the other Cat One clubs for the players from Ireland and Europe.
  
  

Supporters and Businesses who sign up to the Academy Association will all have played their part in the development of the Academy players and ensure the long term future of the Football Club. The Club is only as good as the Youth Players it produces and we have a long tradition of producing players with the talent and ability for our first-team and even the National Team.

The ITFC Academy have produced a brand new five year plan to support our application for Academy Category One. We are looking for Supporters and Businesses to support our five year plan by signing up as sponsors for the next five seasons.

The Five year plan includes.....

• Improvement of  facilities and equipment at the Academy on the Playford Road site
• Attract best players in the region by being a Category One Academy
• Widening our recruitment area with links to International teams and Scouts
• To develop players capable of playing regular 1st team football for ITFC in the FAPL or, if unsuccessful, who would command a transfer fee from clubs playing in the Football League.
• Maximize number of ‘home grown’ players at 1st team level (to an optimum of 50% of the first-team by 2017-18.)
• Deliver an improved sports science and match/player analysis programme
• Conduct player/match analysis of all games at all age groups
• Improve standard of coaching by developing highly qualified staff
• Take part in European Tours so players are aware of continental styles of football.

Please join the Academy Association and be part of one of our new fundraising schemes and support the future of Ipswich Town Football Club through its Youth Academy. 

Simon Milton

CLICK HERE to see how you can help as a Business
CLICK HERE to see how you can help as a Supporter