Decision on Youth Team Payments expected Tomorrow

A decision on how much Football League clubs might receive from the Premier League for their youth set-ups is expected to be taken tomorrow (Thursday). Representatives of the 72 Football League clubs are to vote on a plan that would make it easier for Premier League clubs to recruit young talent from League clubs and if the FL clubs agree more money will be forthcoming from the PL.

In effect the plan will make it easier for Premier League teams to sign up young talented players without having to pay as much compensation. Another effect is that the travelling distance rule, which meant under 16's had to live within 90 minutes travelling of a Premier club, will be abolished.

"If a club wants a player that badly then they pay what he's worth, and he goes," the director of a leading Football League academy told the Guardian. "But with the derisory compensation they're proposing I'm not sure the clubs will want all the players they're getting. They may just be casting the net."

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore is reported to have said that the new plans known as EPPP's can't be stopped. Football League clubs will have to agree to his organisation's plans or part of their annual payment will be withheld.

The amount of money involved is £5.4M. If the deal is not agreed clubs will get no more than £120,000 each. If agreed clubs can expect higher payments from the start of next season.

FL clubs are likely to vote for the plan but some who work in the youth sector are wary.

"Football League clubs have met on a regular basis to discuss it," the director of one highly regarded academy told the Guardian.

"Initially there wasn't enough information, now I just think there's a feeling of unrest, that this isn't good. But it's beyond our control now, it's almost been passed."

Hereford United will be one club who should benfit from the deal financially but could find it harder to hang on to good players under the new rules.

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