The 'Cardiff City Journey' begins at an early age, when young players are recruited from the age of 6years old into our Academy ranks. This is done through our comprehensive Community scheme and Advanced Development centre programme (which caters for students aged 8-11 years of age).
Young players within the Academy between the ages of 9 to 16 attend school during the day and are coached two or three times a week prior to a Sunday fixture. At the end of their school life, players may then be offered a scholarship for another two or three years. +
During this period, the elite players will spend time with the first-team squad and hopefully be considered for first-team involvement. Players who make the grade in the first team ranks, if considered good enough by senior first-team management, are offered senior contracts. This effectively becomes their first step into the world of professional football.
The aims of the Cardiff City Academy are:
* To identify and develop players for our first team squad.
* To develop players who can make a career out of professional football.
* To develop players in order to minimise club expenditure and create talent from within.
* To develop players who, should they eventually move on to a higher level, will earn the club revenue in transfer fees.
* To develop players who, should they not make the grade, have the skills and education to make a career outside football.
* And most importantly, to offer players of all ages the opportunity of experiencing the best development programme possible.
