Huddersfield downgrade academy status to focus on Under 18 and 23s following a lack of youngsters breaking into the first-team

• e-mail

Huddersfield Town have scrapped all academy teams up to their Under 18s in an unprecedented move for a Premier League club.

Sportsmail revealed a fortnight ago that chairman Dean Hoyle, worried at spiralling costs of £1million a year and lack of youngsters coming through, was contemplating removing the academy altogether after an extensive club review.

And Huddersfield - who hit the jackpot after promotion from the Championship in May - announced on Saturday that they will downgrade the youth set-up to Category 4.

Huddersfield have changed their academy structure following an extensive review

That means they will be unable to recruit players under 16 and as such makes seven age groups redundant.

Central midfielder Philip Billing is the only player of note to have made a mark in the first team, although he was signed as a 16-year-old from Esbjerg in Denmark.

'This decision has been the biggest we have undertaken in my time as Chairman, and not an easy one,' Hoyle said.

Chairman Dean Hoyle had been considering shutting down the academy

'However, we cannot be afraid of change. This is a vital area to the long-term success of this Club and we must make every effort to get this right.'

A club statement read: 'Huddersfield Town is acutely aware of the impact this change will have on its existing players in the Under-8 to Under-16 groups in the Academy currently, as well as the impact on Academy staff.

'A consultation programme has already begun with those people affected and the Club will offer as much support as it can over the coming weeks to aid the transition.'