Academy | CAS Elite Status Confirmed

Dundee United are delighted to announce we have maintained our CAS Elite Status for the 2024/25 season following a comprehensive audit carried out by the Scottish FA which will see the club continue as an Elite Level Academy for the sixth consecutive year.  

Club Academy Scotland (CAS) is the Scottish FA’s structure that defines, operates and partially funds the Academy system in this country, alongside a games programme. It governs the development of players from the age of 11 to 18. 

Clubs are assessed against set criteria and a set of Measurable Performance Outcomes, which take into account performance in areas like domestic and international appearances for home-grown players, coaching qualifications, facilities, talent identification and sports science and medicine set-ups.

Building Foundations

Paul Cowie, Academy Director, said "Maintaining the Academy's Elite Club Academy Scotland status was a key objective for the club. This allows our staff and players to continue to play against the best ten academies in the country week in week out. 

“The Chairman and the Board made it very clear in my role that the Academy is the cornerstone of the club and the importance of Dundee United Football Club producing their own players. Last season in the Championship was a great example, where we had thirteen Academy Graduates involved in the First team with three debutants coming from Andy Payne's Under 18 squad.

“The Academy is growing from strength to strength across all departments, and I can't thank the staff enough for their unbelievable commitment, time and effort to create the best possible environment for our players to grow as footballers and young people both on and off the pitch." 

Elite Status

The Elite Status mark distinguishes the top performing clubs within Club Academy Scotland. The programme provides young footballers in Scotland with the best training and development environment to help them achieve their full potential as future professional players. 

The club are closely linked with the Scottish FA's Performance Level in Coach Education works which recognises the steps we take in developing coaches, sharing our best practice with other clubs and using video analysis and many other tools and courses at our disposal to help coaches and players work together to improve player development.

The news comes after a fantastic season for Dundee United, where the club, following a year out in the Championship, returned to the summit of Scottish football at the first time of asking as league champions. The Elite Status mark will be seen as another sign of the club's progress and commitment to developing young players.

Chief Executive, Luigi Capuano continued, "Maintaining our CAS Elite Status reinforces the positive work being done not only across the Academy but the club as a whole, we are grateful for the continued vital financial commitment from the Chairman and the hard work and dedication from all Academy staff.

"We believe as a club we offer one of the best environments in Scotland for our young players to learn and develop, a huge thanks should be paid to all members of the Dundee United Supporters’ Foundation as our partnership has helped create an elite level facility at Foundation Park and their continued support will allow us to ensure we are able to attract the best young talent given we are the only Elite level Academy in the region.

"The future of our Academy is in good hands with strong foundations built which will allow us to produce homegrown players to progress into the first-team and beyond."

The next step for the club will be to continue building on the successful youth program and using our Elite Status to attract and develop the best young talent in Scotland. The club also aims to continue fostering a positive environment for players to develop as both footballers and individuals, and to provide a pathway for them to progress into the first-team.