IT has been a solid season of progression for the young players at Burnley's Centre of Excellence but hopes are high that there is a lot more to come.

Clarets legend Jimmy Robson is in charge of the coaching for the 154 lads aged from nine to 16 who are at the centre and he admitted: "Our goal is to achieve Academy status in the future to help us attract the best young players we can."

But he is already delighted with the improvement in the quality of young players under the guidance of the 18 coaches.

"Recruitment has come on a ton this year," explained Robson, who himself came to the club as a young player during the glory days over four decades ago.

"We cover the whole of Lancashire but also have scouts in Wales, Northern Ireland and Eire, all looking for the best young players to bring through.

"We have not lost many games at any level this season but at this stage it is more important to see how the players develop as individuals.

"What we want is to see the youngsters improve their own performances. We are happy because a lot of them have progressed well and our aim is always to provide a good crop of young talent for the club to pick from for its youth team.

"We are looking for progression all the way through and sometimes you get those players who are capable of playing at an older level.

"We just hope that the youngsters don't suffer from the pressure of playing for us because they are in the world of professional football."

Like the older pros, Robson knows it is important for the youngsters to have a rest and the Centre of Excellence is now starting to wind down ahead of a summer break.

"We will then have the lads and their parents back in July for an induction to the club and the hard work will start again," he said.

Not that the work for the coaches and scouts ever really stops. Throughout the summer they will be travelling all over the North West to watch the many junior tournaments that take place each year.

The club has 18 coaches working with the youngsters every evening and also at the weekend, ten of them ex-professionals who love being involved with the game at schoolboy level.

Robson admitted that the success and high profile that the club enjoyed this season is a plus factor when it comes to bringing in the best young players available.

"It is like at any level, lads would rather come to a club that is going well," he said. "The club is progressing in an upward direction and it is our job to bring the Centre of Excellence along with it.

"The manager's standards have had to be higher and that applies to us. That is why the ultimate aim has to be Academy status."

Like Stan Ternent, Robson and the centre's coaches have had to cope with the problems created by the weather this season.

"We have been forced indoors a lot and been reliant on the Astroturf down at Gawthorpe," he said.

To improve the facilities costs money and, just like everyone else at the club, Robson is hoping that the dispute over television cash will be settled soon and allow the board to plan the developments that are needed to take the youth development programme on even further.

"The funding for next season should be in place but the money situation is a concern to everyone at the club," he admitted. "Whatever happens the youth development will continue. This club always had a good record of bringing young players through and we want to do so in the future."

That is why the close season will still be a busy time for Robson and the rest of the staff.