LES FERDINAND charts his journey from star player to Director of Football at QPR and laments the fact that bigger clubs are now “stockpiling” young talent.

MATT WOOD was never paid in his role as Bury's Head of Academy Sports Science and is now looking for a new job after the club's expulsion from the Football League.

JEREMY SAUER is taking up the new role of Assistant Academy Manager at West Ham next week after 12 years at AFC Wimbledon.

FORMER Huddersfield Town first team coach Andrew Hughes has been appointed Under-23 coach at Sheffield United.

ASTON VILLA Academy coach Kevin MacDonald has left the club “with immediate effect” following an investigation into allegations of bullying that had been made against him.

ARSENAL loaned rising star Eddie Nketiah to Leeds United last week following a series of presentations to a committee made up of loans manager Ben Knapper, chief negotiator Hussein Fahmy and the player himself.

FORMER Sheffield United Academy Manager Travis Binnion explains the philosophy that shaped Harry Maguire - and a host of other top players.

OXFORD UNITED have given a squad number to every player at the club, from first team to Under-9s, in an effort to foster a ‘one-club mentality’.

MANCHESTER UNITED gave the most minutes to homegrown players in the Premier League last season, with champions Manchester City propping up the table.

ANDREW CROFTS has been appointed to an innovative Under-23 player-coach role by Brighton.

SHREWSBURY first-team coach Eric Ramsay has been appointed as Chelsea Under-23 assistant.

NICKY BUTT has taken on a new Head of First Team Development role at Manchester United, with Nick Cox stepping up to replace him as Academy Manager.