Long-serving general secretary Mike Foster has seen countless changes during his time with the Premier League - but nowhere more than at youth level.

When he first started with the fledgling organisation in 1992, out-dated FA regulations meant clubs had access to boys just from the age of 14 - and then only for one or two hours per week.

Since then the empahasis on clubs producing their own players has seen a massive expansion in youth development.

Now virtually every top-flight club has its own Academy, boasting state-of-the-art facilities with fully qualified coaching, educational welfare and medical staff.

He said: "The youth set-up now is unrecognisable from when the Premier League started in 1992.

"It has been a gradual progression with standards and facilities improving year on year.

"There are 40 Academies across the country, 17 of them in the Premier League. All of them are closely monitored by our staff to ensure a continued excellence of care.

"They have good structures in place to ensure the boys get the right education both on and off the field and the advances in sports science mean that the boys are given the best possible chance to succeed.

"The youngsters are not only given top-quality coaching to improve their basic skills and knowledge of the game but they are also taught the importance of nutrition, fitness and proper preparation.

"Statistics show that only a small per centage of young hopefuls will make it to the top so it is vital that we help them learn to cope with lifes' challenges.

"It is a very demanding criteria and all credit to the clubs who maintain the highest standards and look after those who fail as well as the ones who succeed.

"Many clubs have taken on careers advisors to help the players who are not offered contracts.

"We also stage exit trials for those who are released. These are always well attended by club scouts and provide a second chance for hopefuls to be picked up by other clubs."

Those who do stay on the books enjoy superb facilities including: full-size grass and artificial pitches (outdoor & indoor), intermediate and mini-size pitches,fully equipped changing facilities, homework and study areas including computer facilities, canteen, gymnasium and medical centre and parents' lounge.

With so much at stake, clubs spend more than £30m a year in total to ensure their scholars and students get the best possible chance to make it.

Standards have had to rise in order to keep pace with the rapidly-changing face of English football.

And the Premier League is about to take another major step forward with the appointment of Ged Roddy MBE as its new Director of Youth.

Roddy joins the Premier League after 17 years overseeing the University of Bath's sports department in the role of director of sport.

Under his leadership students were encouraged to combine quality sport development with academic and vocational qualifications. His role included overseeing the European Youth Olympics, held in Bath in 1995, and the creation of the Team Bath concept that includes 16 elite sport training squads.

Foster added: "It is a great pleasure to welcome Ged to the Premier League as our new Director of Youth.

"He brings with him a wealth of experience in elite talent development which will be of huge benefit to the League and all 20 clubs at a time when youth development is more important than ever.

"Before the Premier League came into being, youngsters just had to be the best in their region in order to be signed on.

"Now they have to be among the best in the world because the demands are so much higher.

"There is much more competition and it is harder than ever for youngsters to make it but that has led to an overall improvement in standards which has to be good for the national game."

Soon it will become more important than ever for clubs to produce their own talent.

The Premier League is to introduce a squad cap of 25 players and a quota on home-grown players from the 2010/11 season.

From next season, clubs must include eight home-grown players out of a squad of 25. Click here for details.

A home-grown player will be defined as one who, irrespective of his nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to the Football Association or the Football Association of Wales for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday (or the end of the Season during which he turns 21).

Clubs will be able to supplement their squads with unlimited additional players under the age of 21 on 1st January in the year in which the season commences.

Changes to the squad list of 25 may be made during the period of a transfer window.

And Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore believes the England team will ultimately reap the reward of the new ruling.

He said: "We think it will give clubs an extra incentive to invest in youth. We think that one of the benefits will be that it will help the England team."

Premier League Academies have 320 scholars aged between 16 and 18 and a further 2,486 students aged under 16.

Over 85 per cent of Academy scholars (16 - 18 years of age) are British, a proportion that rises to around 95 per cent for students (under 16 age groups).

Academic standards, as judged by Ofsted, are good and the welfare of the young people is of paramount importance to the Premier League and its clubs.