There is a certain nostalgic element to seeing a young talent develop through an academy and make it to the top of professional football. Most fans will tell you that they feel great pride and pleasure from seeing their team perform well based around a nucleus of homegrown talent. However, beside this emotional element lies some very informative and interesting information about how clubs can best approach the development of these future stars. As football tries to move away from an era of huge transfer fees and inflated player wages, youth development is seen as a key element to the development of the game. But how much do we really know about youth development and would not a better understanding of its current reality be beneficial to enhancing the overall game?