The full extent of West Ham’s inability to modernise has been exposed by a brilliant piece of journalism from The Athletic.
The analysis examines the average age of each Premier League team and the number of academy graduates used, with results for West Ham that are nothing short of embarrassing.
According to the data, the Hammers sit bottom of the pile, with not a single academy-trained player featuring for even a minute this season. Adding further insult to injury, West Ham currently boasts the second-oldest team in the Premier League—exactly where the club has been for the past two seasons.
Despite spending nearly £140m in the summer transfer window, the squad remains an aging one desperately in need of younger reinforcements.
Perhaps the most damning statistic is that West Ham has allocated zero minutes to club-trained players this season. This is particularly shocking given the club’s success in winning the FA Youth Cup. For some reason, there has been no clear pathway for these promising young players, though it’s unclear who should shoulder the blame for this dire situation.
Other clubs with less successful academies manage to integrate youth players while maintaining strong performances in the league. League leaders Liverpool, for instance, are second in the charts, with 17% of minutes played by academy graduates, while Brighton ranks third with 16%. A striking correlation exists between clubs utilising homegrown talent and those excelling in the Premier League.
Damning statistic expose geriatric Hammers
West Ham: The Academy of Football in name only
Promoting young players is evidently working for teams like Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, Brighton, Aston Villa, and Liverpool—yet West Ham appear to think otherwise.
It would be easy to place all the blame on Julen Lopetegui, who came with a reputation for not prioritising youth development. However, this issue is more deeply rooted. Even last season, with Ben Johnson’s limited appearances and George Earthy’s debut, it barely concealed the club’s long-term neglect of our once-famous academy.
If there isn’t an internal inquiry underway immediately, there should be. Without urgent action, West Ham risks turning “The Academy of Football” into nothing more than a nostalgic relic of the past.
