Football League clubs are to consider the introduction of a 'Home Grown Players' rule at the forthcoming meeting of clubs at Derby County on December 18. Clubs will vote in a specially arranged EGM, with the changes, if approved, set to take effect from the beginning of next season.
In announcing the proposals Football League Chairman, Lord Mawhinney, said, "We believe it is time for The Football League to make a clear and unequivocal statement of intent about the importance of developing young players in the domestic game."
The new rule would require at least four players from clubs' sixteen man matchday squads to have been registered domestically, for a minimum of three seasons, prior to their 21st birthday.
Mawhinney said, "The aim is to establish this principle by setting a threshold that our clubs can accommodate and then to consider raising that level over time.
"It is important we demonstrate that, as a body of clubs, our commitment to youth development is total," he continued. "Therefore, not only are we pulling out all the stops to develop these young players in the first place, we are also ensuring that they have the opportunity to show their talent in the first team.
"Fourteen of the 23-man England squad that beat Germany in Berlin, last week, were developed by youth development programmes at Football League clubs. Looking ahead, we want to increase that proportion even further."
The proposal, which is being put forward by The Football League Board of Directors, is in line with the approach favoured by UEFA rather than the '6+5' approach being proposed by FIFA. The Board has concerns over the legality of the latter in European law. This means that players will be considered as 'home grown' regardless of their nationality.
Mawhinney believes the adoption of a 'Home Grown Players' rule will send out a positive message to supporters and the wider game. He said, "Local fans watching locally developed players at their local club is at the very heart of what The Football League is all about. I believe that by introducing this rule League clubs, once again, will be taking a lead that others will want to follow."
Young players schooled at Football League clubs are making a growing contribution to the national team. Around half of the players chosen to represent England - across all age groups - in the most recent round of international matches were developed, in full or in part, at League clubs.
