We are The Academy of Football!

West Ham United honour The Academy of Football at Tuesday's fixture with Aston Villa
Over the past 65 years, West Ham United has become synonymous with producing some of the finest footballers in English football history.

The Academy of Football has earned a reputation for excellence and professionalism, on and off the pitch, producing no fewer than 145 first-team players since it was founded by manager Ted Fenton with the publication of the seminal book ‘Youth Soccer with the Hammers’ back in 1950.

On Tuesday, 20 Academy graduates and former staff members, including long-time Academy Director Tony Carr, U18s coach and Hammer of the Year Steve Potts and both FA Youth Cup and FA Cup winners, will be at the Boleyn Ground as guests of the Club.

While it always has been and always will be the players themselves who take the headlines, there are dozens of full and part-time staff behind the scenes who make the Academy of Football what it has been, is today and will be in the future.

West Ham TV met six of those special people who make The Academy of Football what it is – one of the finest producers of young footballers and young people anywhere in the world.

To find out more about The Academy of Football, and our six staff members, check out Tuesday’s Official Programme for the Barclays Premier League visit of Aston Villa. Order your copy here.