Leeds United under 21s convincingly beat Nottingham Forest's under 21s side 3-0 on Monday night in a winner takes all play off final in front of over 12,000 Leeds United supporters. The win sees the young Whites promoted to Premier League 2 Division 1 and will put them up against the bigger sides next season.
Such a triumph should not be understated, as it shows a distinct strength within Leeds' youth set up which will be integral regardless of whether the senior side stay up this season or not.
The next step
The natural progression for a lot of these young players may mean that Leeds fans could see many of them in the first team come next season; their success at youth level will have given them ample experience and confidence to carry their skills into the senior side.
Players such as Archie Gray, Darko Gyabi, and Mateo Joseph have all tasted first-team football this season in cup competitions and on the bench, so it would be no surprise to see them feature for Leeds next season. It would be an earned opportunity, too, with those particular youngsters excelling at youth level this season. Gray and Gyabi have both been vital in the midfield and Joseph is top scorer at under 21 level for Leeds, proving their worth to the club.
Focus on youth
In recent transfer windows, a lot of Leeds' younger signings have gone under the radar simply because they haven't instantly starred for the first team.
Mateo Joseph and Diogo Monteiro have both been recent signings for Leeds and have proven themselves invaluable at youth level. While footballing success often hinges on signing the finished product, Leeds United have opted to sign young players in the hopes that they can develop a strong core of youngsters for the future.
The past few seasons have proven that, at youth level at least, this plan has worked. Players like Cody Drameh, Joe Gelhardt and Charlie Cresswell have all been nurtured towards spells out on loan at senior teams, readying them for potentially playing for Leeds' first team next season. The current crop of players in Leeds' U21s may be set for a similar trajectory, which shows the distinct strength in Leeds' youth setup.
Quality over quantity
While many clubs often try to find as many young talents as possible, Leeds have chosen to be selective in their recruitment and development. Gray and Cresswell are testament to long-term planning on Leeds' behalf, having both been at the club from a young age.
The considered additions of the likes of Joseph and Monteiro have proven to be a success, and show that Leeds United look for players that are the right fit for the club at all levels.
This leaves Leeds in good stead when looking towards the future, as it should allow for a seamless transition to first-team football when the need arises. With many of the first-team squad ageing, such as the likes of Liam Cooper and Luke Ayling, Leeds must look to younger players to replace them in the next couple of years.
Track record
Leeds having a strong youth setup is not a recent revelation; the club have consistently produced talented youngsters in recent years. The success story of Kalvin Phillips has shown that Leeds United are able to produce players that are more than capable to reach the top level of English football.
The focus on youth has allowed Leeds United to make their mark at that level and allows them to attract a high calibre group of young players to their academy season upon season.
It is no surprise, then, that the current crop of youngsters have achieved promotion to the top division of youth football. Leeds will be hoping that this success can be carried into the first team and that their work at youth level will amount to first-team success in the near future.