From Despair To Where? I cant see us getting rid of the academy, Not when Richards, Osho, McIntyre, Rinomhota and Olise (you could possibly add Meite to that list) are looking to be key first team squad members and others like Southwood are on the fringe.
Was Meite ever part of the Academy ? Don’t think playing a few u33 games is at all the same as being any Academy product.
I’d have mentioned the Lijes of Stacey and Tishbola who have generated several million pounds in revenue, which is just as much what there Academy is there for as producing first team players.