Clarets academy achieves Category One status

Burnley's academy has been awarded Category One status ahead of their return to the Premier League.

Chris Casper, who was appointed academy manager six months ago and whose own son Charlie is in the academy, says the achievement is a big fillip to the club, shortly after they won promotion under Scott Parker.

He told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It will open a massive door for the games programme, recruitment of players and extra funding, so it's massively important for the club and testament to the staff and to the ownership who have backed us.

"Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City are all going to rock into town next year. When we were Category One three or four years ago, the atmosphere on a matchday is a different level.

"The pathway shows what you're trying to achieve and how you're trying to achieve it. It shows productivity, and Burnley's productivity over the last 20 years, with players coming through the academy to play in the first team, hasn't been very good.

"Scott has been really good with the young players, takes a lot of interest in them, and they train regularly [with the first team], generally on the day before a game so he gets to see them.

"There's a real desire to produce young players for our first team."