Hough pays tribute to staff after Accrington Academy closure

Writing on LinkedIn, Hough said: “It’s hard to find the right words to describe the past two weeks, but in the midst of the most difficult and emotional professional circumstances imaginable, I’ve had the privilege of watching a group of staff demonstrate what true professionalism, selflessness and care really look like in Academy football.

“Since we were told about the closure of our Academy, the response from our staff has been nothing short of exceptional. Every single member of the team made one immediate and unanimous decision to put the players first and work relentlessly to support them and their families.

“Whilst facing the reality of losing their own jobs and the uncertainty of what comes next personally, every member of staff has thrown themselves wholeheartedly into supporting our players.

“Quietly and without fuss, they’ve worked extremely early and extremely late hours, taken on significant extra responsibilities, spoken with families around the clock, reassured players, offered a shoulder to cry on, and done everything possible to ensure our final week and final fixtures gave our players and their families the best platform and experience before leaving the football club for good.

“Our staff did it because they genuinely care. And because, for all of us, this has always been more than just a job.”

The news came as a surprise, because Stanley had previously said their vision was to have the best Category Three Academy in the country.

Earlier this year, the club was recognised as one of the top six most productive Academies in the EFL by being invited to, and winning, the inaugural EFL Under-13 National Finals.

On LinkedIn, at the time, Hough had said: “Our inclusion is a reflection of the club’s commitment to youth development and our Academy’s progress in recent years.”

He went on to point out that in the 2023/24 season, Stanley had at least one Academy-developed player in every first-team matchday squad and two or more in 85% of the squads.

Hyndburn Borough Council said they were also shocked to learn the Academy was closing and offered a grant of £140,000 to keep it going for 12 months, saying: “We are deeply concerned about the impact this decision will have on young people and families from Hyndburn.”

However, Holt dismissed the offer as “just a gesture”.

He added on LinkedIn: “If the club goes bust there will be no Academy. It’s like cutting your overgrown toenails when you’ve got a broken leg. A leg that they broke. The club has been stopped from trading by the council. There’s an £850,000 shortfall as a result. Losses have to be reduced.”

On Tuesday 20 May, Stanley said that while they appreciated the council’s offer, “a detailed review of the club’s financial situation and immediate challenges has made it clear that this support would not address the wider issues we are facing” and that the Academy would be closing.

They added: “After careful consideration, the Board has concluded that continuing to operate the Academy at this time is not a viable option, even with the council’s proposed financial assistance.”

In TGG’s Academy Productivity Ratings table for the 2023/24 season, Accrington came 74th out of the 86 clubs ranked.