London is a Hotspot for Premier League Prodigies
New research has found that children from London have a strong chance of becoming Premier League footballers in the future.
The research team at the sports comparison site, Compare.bet, analysed various factors to determine the final ranking. These factors included the number of sports funding projects in each region, the number of football fields in the area, and the number of Premier League footballers originally from the region.
Based on these factors, the study awarded each UK region a final score out of 100. The areas with the highest final scores then determined the final ranking.
The top 10 UK areas where children are most likely to become Premier League footballers:
Rank
Area
Total Score /100
1
Stevenage
69.25
2
Carlisle
64.61
3
Preston
64.31
4
York
61.22
5
Milton Keynes
59.42
6
Stockport
56.67
7
London
54.56
8
Nottingham
53.65
9
Stafford
52.44
10
Brentwood
52.32
According to the study, children from Stevenage are the most likely to become Premier League footballers in the future. The town in Hertfordshire received a final score of 69.25 out of 100. Stevenage has produced plenty of football talent over the years, such as Jack Wilshere and Ashley Young. Since the 2014 season, six Premier League players have been from Stevenage.
In recent years, Stevenage has also implemented multiple sports funding schemes, including a £1,000 fund to cover the costs of children’s football kits, allowing registration fees to be kept as low as possible. Similarly, the data also reveals that the town has an impressive £7,940,750 football foundation funding scheme, indicating the area’s aspirations to make football an affordable pastime for all children in the local area.
Up next in the ranking is Carlisle, with a final score of 64.61 out of 100. While only two players in recent Premier League seasons have been from the northwestern city, Carlisle has one of the most impressive football funding schemes in the ranking. A total of 45 natural grass football pitches have been planned in the area by the Football Foundation. The city has also been granted a funding scheme of £7,722,250 by the Football Foundation.
Children growing up in Preston are the third-most likely to become Premier League footballers in the future, with a final score of 64.31 out of 100. Sports funding has been a prime focus for the Lancashire city in recent years. In 2022, the city received a £1,000 grant to help introduce new youth and young adult sessions into one of Preston’s local football clubs. The city’s recent ‘Kits for the Lads’ scheme also helped to purchase football kits for children struggling financially, encouraging them to participate in local football leagues. The Football Foundation has also granted Preston a total funding scheme of £9,794,550.
York is in fourth place in the ranking, with a final score of 61.22 out of 100. With a staggering Football Foundation funding plan of £12,828,250, the city is planning to introduce 48 natural grass football pitches in the area. Tesco’s Stronger Starts scheme has also granted the city £1,000 to help maintain football pitches in the local area and protect them from flooding. Another £2,000 grant has helped to upgrade football equipment throughout the city, including switching to portable goals.
