Developmental plans

There is still the small matter of lease on Thorp Arch which we are contractually obliged to pay for a number of years yet regardless of any new academy we would like to build.

The way things have been done since AR took over I don't think he's to worried, he'll more than likely be talking to the owner and telling him what his plan is!..

Maybe plans are already in place for Thorp Arch and the owner could make more on Leeds vacating!..

The training ground closer to the Stadium means not to much of hiring a Helicopter every time AR wants to know whats what and where!..

Save a bloody fortune!.

I think the current owner would be delighted for Leeds to leave

In that area, he’ll make a killing

Adler's smiling already.

If the article is correct and the current rent is in excess of £600K and goes up 3% per year, then we've already paid about £7million back for the £4million sale.

So, for his £4million, Adler's had £7million in rent and still owns a piece of prime real estate. With the developers queuing up to bite his hand off, he'll have a very big grin on his face!

A few points regarding moving the academy and it being "world class":
1. Matt Child first began talking about this to the council. It is not the present owners idea.
2. It not only makes sense from a rent point of view but from a geographic one too. Thorpe Arch is hard to get to for inner city/less fortunate kids whose parents can't take them or are not that interested. Getting there is generally two buses from most places in Leeds.
3. We have a lease but talking to the council may help Adler get planning permission for houses that would be more attractive than our rent.
4. It is not just our academy product that is all over the Premier League. Key personelle in the recruitment of players such as, Aaron Lennon, Danny Rose, Lewis Cook (et al), are now in Premier League academies. The most interesting being Dave Harrison (previously LUFC head of recruitment) who after a spell being at Man City is now head of recruitment for Manchester United and is restructuring their academy and global scouting system to help develop more quality players. He would walk back to Leeds in bare feet if the offer came.
My (general) opinion: I hope they move the academy. Generally we would see hungrier working class kids from 8-13 who are not reliant on middle class parents with cars and jobs with good hours, to get them there. It can only improve the quality coming through.
ALAW

A dumb ass question from a clueless dumb ass!..

Who out there has a rough idea as to what it costs for parents to get their kids into the academy?..

If you consider the grounds aswell at Matthew murray, I think there's enough or more than enough room to build an academy, off the top of my head I think they had 2 rugby pitches & 2 maybe 3 football pitches plus hockey pitches I would say it was at least as big as my old school

To get to thorp arch can be a pain, for most it'll be catching 2 busses or a train and a bus but the busses upto TA are not as often from town, not sure whether Harrogate busses go there

Thrope Arch is about 30 acres of land, in house building terms that's a million an acre approx = 30m for the owner and that's if he sold it to a development firm.

Seen the area from above

Doesn’t look enough space to build

Car park
8-10 pitches
Indoor pitch
Swimming pool
Gym
Training area etc etc