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          Ranking the top five Premier League youth systems; Spurs No. 1

          Andros Townsend, Ryan Mason and Harry Kane all came through Tottenham's youth system. Paul Gilham/Getty Images
          • Terry Burton
          Oct 23, 2015, 04:00 PM ET

          Youth development is hugely important to Premier League clubs. Since the inception of the league in 1992, the youth programme has expanded beyond all recognition. The latest stage of that development has seen the creation of the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP), which was implemented in 2012 with the aim of developing "a world-leading academy system" with the ultimate goal of producing better homegrown players.