The Academy of West Ham United F.C. is historically one of the most productive football academies in British football. This success has resulted in its nickname the Academy of Football.
The introduction of the FA's new academy system in 1998 has placed even more emphasis on the development of young homegrown players, and today the youth system at West Ham is more important than it has ever been. With the influx of many foreign players in the Premier League during modern times, West Ham United has been regarded as one of the few remaining clubs in the top flight to continue producing and playing homegrown English players.
The Under-21 team is the most senior of West Ham's youth squads. The Under-21 team is effectively the club's second-string side but is limited to five outfield players and one goalkeeper over the age of 21 per game following the introduction of new regulations from the 2022–23 season. They play in Premier League 2 and also compete in the Vertu Trophy.
The Academy of Football
300px|left|thumb|"Academy of Football" livery at [[Boleyn Ground|Upton Park]]
<nowiki/>'The Academy of Football' , or just 'The Academy,' is a nickname of West Ham United. The title pays homage to the success of the club in coaching talented young players. The title, originally attributed to the club by the press, has since been officially adopted by the club and is displayed in several prominent places around the stadium such as being printed beside the club crest on the artificial surface surrounding the pitch at Upton Park.
The original tribute intended to reference the entire culture of the club in much the same way as the Liverpool "Boot Room". It was not solely reserved for the education of young players but also for the development of a modern approach to football from the roots up, as inspired by the success of the Hungarian national team featuring Ferenc Puskás that had humiliated England 6–3, and the great Real Madrid side of the late 1950s that dominated the European Cup.
Academy history
The 'Academy of Football' term was first used in the early years of Ron Greenwood's reign as West Ham manager (1961–1974). Greenwood had inherited a young team of players from Ted Fenton, and the club was noted for its reliance on homegrown talent with Bobby Moore, Martin Peters, Geoff Hurst, John Lyall, Ronnie Boyce, John Sissons, Alan Sealey and Harry Redknapp all in the first team or periphery. Further foundations had been laid with stalwart Ken Brown at the back, Malcolm Musgrove on the left wing (who was to leave in the second season), and the addition of John "Budgie" Byrne upfront.
The true heritage of this side, however, owed its pedigree to the practices put in place by the previous manager.
Fenton was praised as a forward-thinking manager. He pushed for the establishment of "The Academy," which brought through a series of young players to augment a side that could not be improved with the limited finances available. Two of the signings he did manage to make were those of John Dick and Malcolm Allison. Other players of the day included John Bond, Dave Sexton, Jimmy Andrews and Frank O'Farrell (later swapped for Eddie Lewis) and Tommy Moroney all part of an original 'Cafe Cassettari' club started by Fenton as a result of the restrictive budget.