PREMIER LEAGUE

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT RULES
TALENT IDENTIFICATION AND RECRUITMENT
219. A pre-registration agreement shall be in PLYD Form 4 and shall include an undertaking by the
Club to enter into a Scholarship Agreement with the player upon the Club having acquired the
player’s registration and
219.1. in the case of a player in his Under 16 year, upon his having reached the statutory school
leaving age applicable in England; or
219.2. in the case of a player in his Under 17 or Under 18 year, upon his ceasing Full Time Education.
Unless authorised in writing by the Board, a breach of such an undertaking will constitute a
breach of these Rules.
220. Clubs shall submit to the Secretary copies of all pre-registration agreements within five days
of their being entered into.
221. A written coaching programme shall be annexed to each pre-registration agreement and the
player shall not be coached by or at the Club’s Academy or participate in its matches, tours,
Festivals, Training Camps or Tournaments until the programme has been approved in writing
by the Board and then only to the extent set out in the programme.
Registrations
222. Except for Trialists attending trials in accordance with Rule 213, and players attending
Development Centres and players with whom a Club has entered into a pre-registration
agreement in accordance with Rule 218, no player shall be coached by or at an Academy or
participate in matches, tours, Festivals, Training Camps or Tournaments in which the Club
operating that Academy is involved unless that Club holds his registration.
223. Subject to Rule 224, players in age groups Under 9, Under 10, Under 11, Under 12, Under 14 and
Under 16 shall be registered for one year and those in age groups Under 13 and Under 15 for
two years.
224. The registration of an Academy Player engaged in the Full Time Training Model shall endure
until he reaches the statutory school leaving age.
225. The registration of Academy Players will be undertaken by the League.
226. Registrations of Academy Players undertaken by the Football League which are held by Clubs
promoted to the League shall be treated as having been undertaken by the League provided all
circumstances surrounding that registration comply with these Rules, failing which the League
shall be at liberty to reject that registration unless otherwise determined by the Board.
227. An application for the registration of an Academy Player at an Academy shall be made by
completing and submitting to the Secretary PLYD Form 5 signed on behalf of the Club by an
Authorised Signatory together with a copy of the Code of Conduct referred to in Rule 237.
228. A Club shall request each Academy Player (or if he is a minor his Parent) to complete PLYD
Form 6 at the same time that he completes PLYD Form 5. If he does so the Club shall submit
the completed PLYD Form 6 to the Secretary at the same time that it submits PLYD Form 5.
229. An application in PLYD Form 5 shall be refused if it is made in respect of a player with whom a
Club (or club), other than the applicant Club, has entered into a pre-registration agreement
which remains current.
230. Except in the case of a Scholar, a player shall not be registered as an Academy Player unless he
is in Full Time Education.
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