As Manchester City dominant this summer’s transfer spending, Peterborough United show the rest of the country how to achieve success without the backing of billionaires as they pursue a record breaking three successive promotions.

Led by Sir Alex Ferguson’s son Darren, Posh’s investment in youth has proved to be a winning formula as Peterborough find themselves in the second tier of English football for the first time in fifteen years.

The big spenders at Eastlands have seen summer arrivals such as former Arsenal player Emmanuel Adebayor. The Toga striker has swapped Champions league football to join the fantasy football at Manchester City but lower league clubs don’t have the luxury of being able to offer astronomical wages to attract the world’s best players.

Posh’s Chairman Darragh MacAnthony said: “We go to the lower leagues and we invest in the future”. Peterborough’s philosophy of investing in youth has proved to be a success as a second place finish in League Two in the 2007/08 season then again finishing second in League One the following season has earned the club back-to-back promotions.

The base of Peterborough’s success has come from their transfers from the Conference. £535,000 saw Ferguson land Aaron McLean, George Boyd and Craig Mackail Smith. This trio of signings has helped Posh earn back-to-back promotions. Since his arrival from Grays Athletic in 2007, McLean has netted an impressive 49 goals in 90 appearances. The former Dagenham & Redbridge striker Mackail Smith has managed to match this record as with 43 goals in 97 appearances.

Ferguson has aimed to mirror his success in the transfer market by showing faith in youth players. This summer he has been able to capture the signings of Toumani Diagouraga, Lee Frecklingtn and Tommy Rowe. Ferguson hopes adding players of this calibre to his squad will prepare them for the tough season in the Championship.

A major factor in the club’s success has been due to manager Darren Ferguson. He is quickly building a reputation as one of the best young managers in the football league. Over the summer both West Bromwich Albion and Reading where interested in talking with Ferguson. Despite the interest, Ferguson remained committed to Peterborough as he aims to achieve a record breaking three successive promotions.

Son of Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, it is clear to see he has inherited his father’s genes for being a top manager. Darren Ferguson’s success has even earned him 33/1 odds with online betting ‘Betfair’ to succeed the role of Manchester United manager after his father’s retirement.

With an average squad age of 22, Peterborough hope their youth policy continues to provide success for the club. Having only spent £520,000 so far this summer, questions whether three successive promotions is a step too far? Can Ferguson’s young squad handle the step-up in class to Championship level?  The teams that come up often have momentum and Peterborough certainly have that.

Regardless of the outcome for Peterborough this season, you can only commend the great job Darren Ferguson has done and continues to do. Nowadays, success for a football club usually entails a major cash injection from a billionaire. The days when Brian Clough led Derby County from the second division to win Division One are no longer a realistic prospect, although it is refreshing to see a club investing in young, hungry players also being led by a British manager. This just goes to show success on a football field isn’t determined by foreign investment, which can only be good for English football.