"Thorp Arch is a conveyor belt" - Claim made on Leeds United's academy with Harry Gray named | OneFootball

FLW's Leeds United fan pundit is happy with the consistent ability to churn out young talent.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Leeds United are famed for their ability to produce and develop young talent, with a clear pathway to the first-team a part of the fabric of the club for decades now.

In recent seasons, academy products such as Crysencio Summerville, Pascal Struijk, and Mateo Joseph have become fundamental pieces of the team, and were two key players for Daniel Farke's side in 2023/24.

On top of that trio, there were a number of young players on Leeds' books who had come through their academy set-up, who would have been hoping for more chances this season in the Championship, and that has proven to be the case, namely with Archie Gray.

Famously, Leeds have tended to afford their young players opportunities, from Gray and his well-documented rise last season, to the likes of James Milner, Kalvin Phillips, Fabian Delph, Jonny Howson, Lewis Cook, Jack Clarke, and Jonathan Woodgate in the recent past as well.

There are a number of young players on Leeds' books now who have come through their academy set-up, who will be hoping for more chances this season in the Championship, despite the club's ambition of promotion. That is due to the Leeds academy being renowned across Europe for producing talent.

The current crop of talent includes the likes of Charlie Crew, Harry Gray, Sam Chambers, James Debayo, and Luca Thomas among the best that the academy currently has to offer and will all be hoping to break through into the first-team at some stage in the next few years.

The Leeds United view on their academy and youth development

We asked FLW’s Leeds United fan pundit Kris Smith for his thoughts on the academy and whether it is producing at a quick enough rate now following Gray's success last year.

He said: "I do think outside of the very top and elite academies, like Manchester United, Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool that there are very few in the country better than Leeds United.

"The volume of players that come through the academy and into our first-team, but also the ones that have left before then and gone onto bigger things elsewhere is quite remarkable.

"There are so many players dotted around the EFL and in the Premier League that you know who have spent time in Leeds' academy.

"There are that many, but it's really great to see when a homegrown player makes it into the first-team like Archie Gray.

"While it is gutting that he left, and it is a once in a blue moon to see a player that good, the optimistic perspective from our point of view as Leeds fans, is that it is not usually that long of a wait for us to see someone else come through.

"Funnily enough, Archie's little brother, Harry, is emerging from the youth ranks and that is sort of proof to me that Thorp Arch is a conveyor belt of consistent talent."

Leeds' youth recruitment strategy in 2024/25

Although Kris is spot on with his assessment that Leeds' academy produces at a reliable rate, there has been less emphasis on that side of things in the last few years.

Prior to relegation, youth recruitment was a key feature during Victor Orta's time with the club. For all his faults, Orta had an excellent eye for young talent and Leeds produced some excellent players during those seasons, with the biggest hits becoming key first-team players.

At some stage, they will want to put more emphasis on that again, with fewer outstanding players coming through beyond Harry Gray and a handful of others. Comparing that to Charlie Cresswell, Joe Gelhardt, and Crysencio Summerville's U-21 side highlights that there is a need for some added U-21 quality if they make it back to the Premier League.

That will help to future-proof them with the next generation of talent on top of Gray, Chambers, and the like.