The Tigers are one of just two clubs in the Premier League not to have Academy status with their youth system instead being a Centre of Excellence.

It means City, despite being the county's highest placed club, trail behind more than half of their White Rose rivals from the Football League with Leeds United, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley and Huddersfield Town all boasting an Academy.

Hull's geographical location in the East Riding also puts the club at a disadvantage compared to those in the south and west of the county.

Paul Duffen is now determined to use the substantial income that comes with being in the top flight to redress this and club officials have spent recent weeks scouring the local area for a suitable 25-acre site that, under the plans, will also house City's training ground and administration staff.

And in a move deliberately intended to open up a bigger catchment area of talent, the Tigers want to locate the new complex to the west of Hull along the A63/M62 corridor in an attempt to attract youngsters from Leeds, Sheffield and Harrogate.

City chairman Duffen last night told the Yorkshire Post: "We are determined to make it happen because a facility such as this would help the club develop. We need facilities that will hold us in good stead for many years to come.

"Being in the Premier League and the income that brings is an opportunity we just cannot afford to miss.

"Of course, we would have to satisfy the Academy criteria (the Football Association have a strict code that includes the provision of indoor and outdoor facilities plus study areas) but we would not envisage that being a problem.

"As for the location, we would look to have the facility to the west of Hull and further along the A63/M62 corridor. One of the provisos is that an Academy can only attract players from within an hour's travelling time of where it is based.

"If, for example, that was to be at the present training ground (in Cottingham) then half of our catchment area would be taken up by the North Sea. And we are not going to sign many players from there!

"But if we were to move to the west, suddenly our catchment area would be extended to include Leeds, Harrogate, Sheffield and many other towns and cities.

"We are determined to make this happen, though I stress there is no timescale. The stage we are at is actively searching for a 25-acre site to house a new training ground, the football administration side of the club and also create an Academy."

The Tigers' playing staff have trained at Cottingham for the past three years after the club had previously rented facilities from Hull Ionians rugby union club.

The decision to base the proposed Academy to the west of Hull is a sensible one as it would suddenly allow the club to compete with the likes of Leeds and the two Sheffield clubs for players.

All three have long-established Academies that have brought through a host of talented players with the current crop including Bradford-born midfielder Fabian Delph, whose performances at Elland Road were this week rewarded with an England Under 21 call-up.

The 18-year-old will be joined in the squad to face the Czech Republic next Tuesday by highly-rated Blades full back Kyle Naughton, while Wednesday have their own homegrown hero in Barnsley-born centre back Marc Beevers.

Academies have been in the news nationally this week following another stunning Carling Cup display from Arsenal as Wigan Athletic, who along with Hull are the only other Premier League club to have Centre of Excellence status, were beaten 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners are far from the only club with rich promise with tomorrow's visitors to the KC Stadium, Manchester City, having reaped the rewards of focusing on youth development.

The Blues may be the richest club in the world following the August takeover by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nhyan but their squad to face Hull is still likely to include homegrown stars such as Micah Richards, Stephen Ireland, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Nedum Onuoha and Daniel Sturridge.

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