Andrew Strickland, 15, below, is a pupil at Ermy-sted's Grammar School, Skipton, who has been on work experience at the Keighley News this week. He believes the vibrant state of the English football Premiership could have damaging consequences

The english Premiership is fast becoming the richest and most exciting league in the world. The players are earning more in a week than most people do in a year. Thousands of fans are flocking to see their favourite players strut their stuff on the green stage. The game is on the up and up.

However, it is this very success which could lead to the downfall of the British game in years to come. Clubs are becoming so rich that the need for youth development has become redundant. Foreign stars are flooding the game, delighting the fans, being paid extortionate wages and leaving after a couple of years with very healthy pensions. The situation has become even worse in recent years as the Bosman Ruling has meant that British players are more expensive than their more skilful European counterparts.

Unfortunately this change in attitudes means that the England national team's success in the future will be limited. If you look at the current England side, the majority of the players are products of the Manchester United youth team. It is widely accepted that their youth system is by far the best in the country, but there is no way a whole country can rely on one team to supply a nation's stars for the future.

The number of foreigners in British football has two effects; in the short term, players benefit from the challenge of playing with and against quality players, however, in the long term less young players will be taken on by clubs as the risk is too high. As less young players are taken on the incentive won't be there for young David Beckhams to start playing the game. If an eight-year-old doesn't believe in the dream that one day he will lead England out at Wembley, then what incentive does he have to start the game?

It is vital for the success of English football that young players are encouraged to play football, and the amount of foreigners entering our game is something the FA need to look at very closely.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.