Training centre awarded Category One status

Brighton & Hove Albion FC's training ground has been awarded the prestigious Category One status, the highest level under the Premier Leagues Elite Players Performance Plan (EPPP).

The new EPPP initiative brought in at the start of the 2012/13 season has seen Premier League and Football League academies independently assessed to determine the standard of each clubs training facilities. Categories are split into four; with Category One being the highest. The Championship club passed the rigorous auditing process which focused on 10 factors including training facilities, coaching and education provisions.

Category One status confirms the long term vision of the club to create a legacy of producing the best home grown players in the country. The award is a huge step forward for the Seagulls with the club now able to compete at under-21, under-18 and under-16 level against some of the biggest Premier League clubs in England. Head of Football Operations David Burke highlighted the progress the club has made in the last two years, “It is fantastic news. We have worked long and hard to get here and we are delighted with what we have achieved”.

After years of scrupulous planning and significant financial investment in the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre, the Category One status is fantastic news for the club and local community.