ERNIE Arathoon has been charged with the task of taking Bristol City's Academy to the next level.

Already an associate director at the Championship club, the Bristolian will be responsible for ensuring the Academy continues to produce first-team players.

Arathoon, who joined the board in February 2008 after two years as a vice-president, will report directly to his fellow board members.

City chairman Steve Lansdown said: "Ernie has worked with us for a number of years now and has always given us valuable input."

"I think it's only right that we have somebody at board level who takes responsibility for the Academy, as we continue to support it financially.

"Enrie's role will be to look at the Academy as a whole to ensure it does its job in developing youngsters and bringing quality players through to the first team.

"The first-team manager needs to see the Academy making a contribution with quality players otherwise he will need to look elsewhere.

"I'm delighted that Ernie has accepted this position and I know he is the right person."

City's Academy system has been criticised in some quarters for failing to spawn enough first-team players.

Of the current first-team squad, Louis Carey, Cole Skuse, Christian Ribeiro, James Wilson, Marlon Jackson and Joe Edwards have all come through the Academy, but new manager Steve Coppell is demanding improvements.

A lifelong City fan, Lockleaze-born Arathoon will work to try to raise standards.

He said: "I was only too happy to accept this role.

"In recent seasons we've only really seen Cole Skuse, Christian Ribeiro and James Wilson break into the first team and it's been a while since we produced players like Leroy Lita, David Cotterill or Matthew Hill.

"That's why I feel it is important to close the gap between the Academy and the first team.

"In seasons gone by, the first-team manager has been forced to look abroad for players and they haven't really done any better than those already here.

"The board is committed to the new stadium and we want to build a side capable of winning promotion to the Premier League."