Dolan predicts exciting period for Royals youth

We may be making some big name signings in the transfer market, but let’s not forget the youth coming through!

Reading’s youth system and academy is constantly growing under the stewardship of Eamonn Dolan and are striving to gain Category One academy status through the EPPP, the Elite Player Performance Plan. The Royals are yet to gain this status yet after a few attempts, but are still working to achieve this tag.

Speaking to the Official Reading FC website, the former caretaker manager said: ‘The EPPP has been very stringent, but has given us a great opportunity to look at the philosophy of how we develop players. The level of detail is very high. We have a philosophy here that we’ve really revised over the last two years.’

‘It’s great that we have a manager in Nigel Adkins who is clearly passionate about youth development – he and Andy Crosby couldn’t be more encouraging about the Academy. The young boys all have a spring in their step because of the manager’s attitude – and that gives them a great incentive to succeed.’