Home grown rule introduced

The Premier League have announced that a new 'home grown' rule will be intorduced for the 2010/11 season:

"As of next season clubs will be required to have a squad named of up to 25 players, of which no more than 17 can be over the age of 21 and not home grown," Scudamore said.

"The definition of home grown is trained for three years under the age of 21 by somebody in the English and Welsh professional system.

"Clubs will have to declare their 25 at the end of August when the window shuts and then again at the end of January."

In some ways it perhaps doesn't go as far as many hoped, given that there is no requirement to actually field the 'home grown' players either in the starting eleven or on the bench, and the danger is that some players (not necessarily with ourselves) will solely be kept around to make up the numbers.

It could also affect the decision by the club to loan a number of the Academy players to other sides which has been a key part of the development of players.

Despite the array of signings made during 2009, a look at the squad as it stands indicates we should meet this comfortably, and I'm guessing that over time this will also includes any of the foreing players brought in at the age of 15 or 16.

How this affects future transfers is up for debate, but, if the club are thinking long term, this is a ruling that they would have to comply with in Europe so I'm guessing it is something that will be easily absorbed.