AS many as seven Academy products could feature for Colchester in their League Two play-off semi-final against Exeter tonight. Academy Recruitment Officer Sam Thompson outlines how the club identifies and develops players in a highly competitive catchment.

MANCHESTER UNITED Academy Manager Nick Cox lays out the key tenets of the club's youth programme, including the belief that there is a higher purpose than just producing professional footballers.

STUDENTSHIPS are becoming increasingly popular in pro football. Sofie Kent-Ryan reflects on her experiences with a Category One Academy and offers advice to those following in her footsteps.

SHEFFIELD UNITED are looking for a new Under-23 boss following the departure of Andrew Hughes after just one season at the club.

MANCHESTER CITY are set to make significant changes in their Academy this summer, with both the Under-23 and U18 lead coach roles becoming available.

BARRY LEWTAS has been promoted to Under-23 boss at Liverpool, while Marc Bridge-Wilkinson steps up to take charge of the U18s.

LEICESTER CITY Under-18 coach Trevor Peake, who is retiring after 17 years at the club, looks back on his four decades in professional football.

DR PERRY WALTERS says new Development Coach roles are prescient, because they chime with the latest findings from developmental neuroscience.

THE Premier League will begin regulating pre-Academy football for the first time from next season, but there will be no minimum age at which players can train with clubs.

THE Premier League has announced that its games programme from Under-9s to U23s is being cancelled for this season, meaning there will be no conclusion to Premier League 2 or the U18 Premier League.

BAYERN MUNICH have announced they are scraping their Under-9 and U10 teams, meaning entry level to their Academy will be at U11s from the summer of 2022.

FOR the fifth consecutive season, Chelsea have topped Youth Hawk's table for call-ups to England youth sides. However, for the first time, they share top billing with another team.