The competition has run for the last two seasons and was thought to be an excellent way of providing a competitive framework for developing players.
Sadly , the tournament's organisers have been able to tie down sponsorship for the coming season and so it will be placed on a one-year sabbatical.Mad that there is no @NextGenSeries this year!! 👎
— Callum Robinson (@CallumRobinson7) August 16, 2013
The future of the tournament has been called into question as UEFA plan to launch a youth tournament along the lines of the Champions League called the Youth League. However it's believed than only academies from clubs whose first teams were in the Champions League would be invited to take part.
The NextGen games have proved popular with Villa's support with attendance often outstripping those of Under 21 games.
NextGen Statement - 16th August 2013
It is with regret that the NextGen Series has today announced it will be suspending the tournament for one season due to a lack of definite funding.
Over the past two seasons NextGen has played a major part in the development of European football and has enjoyed great success with many NextGen players including Celtic's Tony Watt, Villa's Gary Gardner and Ajax's Viktor Fischer progressing to their first teams.
Mark Warburton and Justin Andrews, Co-founders of the NextGen Series said:
"The level of support we have received from the football industry, media and fans has been magnificent and for that we are truly grateful. It is hugely disappointing that an event of this nature, designed to assist with the development of Europe's elite players, should have to take such action but we hope to be back next season with an even better tournament!"
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