Ashworth: "This will be one of the best centres in the country and I firmly believe it will make us first choice in the Midlands in years to come."

ALBION'S new indoor facility is shooting up and Academy director Dan Ashworth insists: "It will make us the first choice club in the Midlands in years to come."

The showpiece, just off Halfords Lane, will feature the latest generation artificial grass provided by Fieldturf.

And Ashworth stressed it will be the flagship of the Baggies' youth set-up, which he believes has made tremendous progress over the last two years.

"The club made a massive move this season by switching from a Centre of Excellence to an Academy club," he said.

"The Academy system insists on improved facilities, having a higher number of staff and coaching staff in key positions.

"When I came here we were based at a high school with an old astro-turf pitch and holes in the fence.

"We were using a maths classroom as a first aid room - and we were trying to complete with Villa, Blues and Wolves to attract players.

Ashworth: "When I came here we were based at a high school with an old astro-turf pitch and holes in the fence."

"The club recognised it needed the facilities to enhance its chance of producing future Premiership players.

"Now we've got an indoor facility being built which will be one of the biggest in the country and the best in the Midlands.

"This will be one of the best centres in the country and I firmly believe it will make us first choice in the Midlands in years to come.

"Of course we may be hard pressed to persuade a young Villa fan to join Albion, all things being equal.

"But I hope that we have one or two things in our favour which will attract players.

"Parents talk about the culture we have here. The coaches are welcoming, the work we do with the youngsters is serious but we maintain a sense of fun.

"The lads are treated like adults, we know everyone's name.

"Little things go a long way, everyone needs to feel part of something.

"One of the seven human needs is to be part of something bigger than ourselves."

Albion's Academy now caters for 122 players in teams from under-eights to under-18s level competing amongst the country's elite clubs.

But Ashworth realises success rests on how many youngsters break through to senior level.

And this season alone rising stars Jared Hodgkiss, Rob Davies and Stuart Nicholson have made first-team debuts, with Jeff Forsyth and Rob Elvins also signing pro contracts.

"The youngsters get to play in the elite games programme so this season the fixtures have taken on a whole new emphasis as we've been playing the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool," the Academy boss added.

"Those are fantastic fixtures to be playing but there is a responsibility that goes with it, we know we've got to produce players who can play at a different level.

"With the youth policy you get judged on how many players come through to the senior team.

"The club is making an investment and wants a return on that, so you will be judged on how many eventually make it through to the first team and how many are sold to other clubs.

"We have to make sure there is a structured development from under-sevens right through to under-18s.

"When I first arrived here in March 2004 I was told it was difficult because we were in fifth place in the Birmingham area, behind Villa, Blues, Wolves and Walsall, in terms of attracting young players.

"One of the things I noticed was there was a defeatist attitude here that we were made to pick up people's leftovers.

ON THE BALL...Ashworth and Academy coach Craig Shakespeare have progressed Albion's youth set-up

"We had a combined under-nines and under-tens team, but things have changed now. We've got a total of 122 players from eights, nines right through to 18s.

"We see a lot of players now."

It is an exciting time for youngsters to be joining Albion's Academy with overseas tours figuring prominently in the schedule.

The under-11s and under-13s have recently returned from successful indoor tournaments in Germany, finishing seventh and third respectively.

And there are plans to take teams to Holland at Easter, Denmark in May and July, and Japan in August, where Albion will compete against the likes of Sao Paulo, Borussia Dortmund, River Plate and Barcelona.

Ashworth beamed: "Most Academies wouldn't take lads away that young.

"Something we're really proud of is our tour programme and the way it helps the players develop on and off the pitch.

"There aren't many ten-year-olds that have played in front of 2,000 and I've learnt a lot about how the players can perform under pressure, how they can perform when they're tired because they play five or six games in a day and how well they sleep and do with diet and nutrition.

"It's also a great learning experience for the players."

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