Here, in his own words, the Academy Director, Gary Issott, who has played a vital role in Crystal Palace's famed Academy production line, talks through what exactly Category 1 Academy status will mean for the south Londoners.
When the owners took over in 2010, the desire was always to achieve an Academy with a Category 1 status.
The Academy’s then-site of Copers Cope Road just wasn’t big enough to house all 10 teams – people may not realise just how big an operation the club is running with sides from Under-9s right up to the first-team.