West Ham United today officially opened their new Academy facility at the club’s Chadwell Heath training ground, as a host.
And among those attending a special event was Declan Rice, Sir Trevor Brooking, Alvin Martin and Tony Cottee, Mark Noble, Grady Diangana and current Academy coaches Steve Potts, Jack Collison and Paul Konchesky – all who started their brilliant careers as shoolboys and youth players at Chadwell Heath.
Also present were Mannuel Pellegrini, former long-serving Academy Director Tony Carr and the families of legendary managers Ron Greenwood and John Lyall, Academy Director Terry Westley, Joint-Chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold, and Vice-Chairman Karren Brady.
The £10 million two-phase programme has seen the upgrade of an indoor pitch, a new interior construction containing medical, fitness, analysis and education facilities, along with new parents and spectators viewing gallery, and a coaches’ office.
Image via www.whufc.com
Speaking to the official site joint chairmen David Gold and David Sullivan said:“With Declan Rice making a fantastic start to his senior England career last week, four Academy graduates making their first team debuts in Manuel Pellegrini’s team this season and a number of Academy scholars representing their countries at junior international level, the future is looking extremely bright.
“As a Board, we are absolutely committed to ensuring the Academy goes from strength to strength and that we continue to recruit and develop the best young players.
“Not only that, but we want the young players and their families who come here to know that they are walking into an environment of excellence and care, where they will develop and grow as people as well as players, benefit from first-class facilities and see a clear pathway to Premier League football in a claret and blue shirt.”
Academy Director Terry Westley said: “This redevelopment is fantastic news for the Academy and the future success of our football club. I would like to place on record my thanks to the owners and the Board for their support and commitment in creating this magnificent facility.
“It will enable us to provide our current Academy players – and those who join us in the future – with the best possible facilities and working environment for their development, while still retaining the wonderful history and tradition of Chadwell Heath, where so many great players and coaches have developed their careers.
“From the likes of Bobby Moore, Sir Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters and Sir Trevor Brooking, through to Frank Lampard Sr, Alvin Martin, Tony Cottee, Paul Ince, Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard Jr, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole and, in recent years, Jack Collison, Mark Noble and Declan Rice – not to mention the great leaders such as Ron Greenwood and John Lyall, whose influence and philosophy lives on to this day.
“Being able to offer our young players the opportunity to tread in the footsteps of those figures gives us a huge sense of pride, and this significant investment ensures we can continue to build upon the legacy of the West Ham United Academy.”
Claret and Hugh say:
With the first team and West Ham women now at Rush Green, Chadwell Heath is mostly for Under 23’s, Under 18’s and Under 16’s although Little Health is also still in use for U16’s to play their games at.
The Under 23’s Development Squad now called the Premier League 2 squad are based at Chadwell Heath but often train at Rush Green along the first team so split themselves between the two bases. The latest announcement is related to the £4m investment at Chadwell Heath with a promise to spend another £6m across the other training grounds.
There are 121 full time and part time members of staff within the Academy with 29 professional players under the age of 23.
There are 178 Academy School boys and Scholars from the Under 9’s up to the Under 18’s.
With the likes of Declan Rice, Grady Diangana, Ben Johnson and Connor Coventry making their first team debuts in the last two seasons the Academy is starting to regain its former glory and reputation. However, further investment is still required and we remain a long way behind the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs, Manchester United, Manchester City and Everton.