Sheffield United F.C. Academy

Sheffield United Football Club Youth Academy are the youth team of Sheffield United. The Under-18 and Under-23 teams play in Professional Development League 2.

Full nameSheffield United Football Club Youth Academy
Nickname(s)The Blades, Red & White Wizards
GroundShirecliffe Ground
Firshill Crescent
Sheffield
S4 7DW
ManagerDerek Geary
LeagueProfessional Development League 2

The Academy is currently run by Jack Lester while Derek Geary coaches the U18s side.[1] Sheffield United's youth system was given Academy status in December 2002.[citation needed] In July 2017 the academy was recognised, in a study conducted by Press Association Sport, for having the 7th best academy for minutes played in the 2016–17 Premier League. In between Arsenal and Chelsea they placed by far the highest for a club outside the top-flight.[2]

The team plays at the Shirecliffe Ground at Firshill Crescent.

Current squad edit

Updated 26 August 2021[3][4]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
31 GK   ENG Marcus Dewhurst
39 MF   ENG Antwoine Hackford
GK   ENG Callum Hiddleston
DF   ENG Beau Anderson
MF   ENG Josh Smith
DF   ENG Jean Belehouan
35 DF   ENG Andre Brookes
DF   IRL Harvey Cullinan
DF   FRA Nickseon Gomis
38 DF   ENG Femi Seriki
DF   ENG Kamarl Grant
DF   ENG Tristan Skerritt
DF   ENG Luther Williams
No. Pos. Nation Player
DF   ENG Theo Williams
24 MF   ENG Ollie Arblaster
42 MF   ENG Sydie Peck
MF   TUN Hassan Ayari
MF   IRL Leo Gaxha
MF   ENG Frankie Maguire
34 MF   ENG Louie Marsh
MF   ENG Harrison Neal
FW   ENG Will Lankshear
43 DF   SCO Evan Easton
45 FW   ENG Billy Blacker
44 MF   WAL Owen Hampson
46 DF   LTU Dovydas Sasnauskas

Out on loan edit

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
37 GK   GER Jordan Amissah (on loan at Guiseley)
DF   ENG Harry Boyes (on loan at Solihull Moors)
 
The Sheffield United F.C. Academy & Training ground at Shirecliffe

List of Academy managers edit

Name Nationality From To Notes
John Warnock and Ron Reid   England [5]
John Pemberton   England 23 March 2010 7 September 2012 [6][7]
Jamie Hoyland   England 25 September 2012 5 December 2012 [8][9]
Nick Cox   England 1 January 2013 12 May 2016
Travis Binnion   Ireland 1 July 2016 19 July 2019 [1]
Jack Lester   England 19 July 2019 25 November 2021 [1]
Derek Geary   Ireland 11 January 2022 [1]

Notable Academy Graduates edit

The Academy has produced England internationals such as Phil Jagielka, Kyle Walker and Harry Maguire as well as many players who have gone on to have careers in professional football, whether at Sheffield United or at other clubs. Current Sheffield United players are highlighted in green.

 
England International Phil Jagielka made over 250 appearances for United.
 
Defender Harry Maguire made over 150 appearances for his boyhood club.
 
Irish midfielder Stephen Quinn made over 250 appearances for United.
 
Kyle Walker has played for the England national team.
Player Current Club Born International Honours Notes
  Liban Abdi Retired   Burao
  Micky Adams Retired   Sheffield England Youth Former Manager
  Frank Barlow Retired   Mexborough Former Assistant Manager
  Aaron Barry   Bray Wanderers   Dublin
  Alan Birchenall Retired   East Ham England under-23
  David Brooks   Bournemouth   Warrington Full Wales call-up
  Scott Boden   Boreham Wood   Sheffield
  Dominic Calvert-Lewin   Everton   Sheffield Full England cap
  Adam Chapman   Gainsborough Trinity   Doncaster Northern Ireland under-21
  Ryan Cresswell Retired   Rotherham
  Kevin Davies Retired   Sheffield Full England Cap
  Connor Dimaio   Boston United   Chesterfield Ireland under-21
  Diego De Girolamo   Buxton   Chesterfield Italy under-19
  Martin Donnelly   Linfield   Belfast Full Northern Ireland Cap
  Jonathan Forte Retired   Sheffield Full Barbados Caps
  Alan Hodgkinson Retired   Laughton-en-le-Morthen Full England Caps
  Evan Horwood   West Auckland Town   Billingham
  Kevan Hurst   Guiseley   Chesterfield
  Phil Jagielka Retired   Sale Full England Caps
  Mick Jones Retired   Worksop Full England Caps
  Otis Khan   Walsall   Ashton-under-Lyne
  Nicky Law   Indy Eleven   Nottingham
  George Long   Millwall   Sheffield England under-20
  Matthew Lowton   Burnley   Chesterfield
  Harry Maguire   Manchester United   Sheffield Full England caps World Record Transfer Fee for a Central Defender
  Callum McFadzean   Wrexham   Sheffield Scotland under-21
  Kyle McFadzean  Blackburn Rovers   Sheffield England C
  Jacob Mellis   Southend United   Nottingham England under-19
  Nick Montgomery Retired   Leeds Scotland Futures
  Kyle Naughton   Swansea City   Sheffield England under-21
  George Oghani Retired   Manchester
  David Parkhouse   Ballymena United   Strabane Northern Ireland under-21
  Tony Philliskirk Retired   Sunderland
  Ben Purkiss Retired   Sheffield
  Stephen Quinn   Mansfield Town   Dublin Full Ireland Caps
  Wayne Quinn Retired   Truro
  Aaron Ramsdale   Arsenal   Stoke-on-Trent Full England Caps
  Louis Reed   Swindon Town   Barnsley England under-20
  Chris Robertson   Coalville Town   Dundee
  Jordan Slew   FC Halifax Town   Sheffield England under-19
  Billy Sharp   Hull City   Sheffield EFL Championship record goalscorer
  Graham Shaw Retired   Sheffield Full England Caps Deceased
  Ben Starosta   Free Agent   Sheffield Poland under-20
  Aymen Tahar   Athlitiki Enosi Larissa   Sheffield Algeria under-20
  Nicky Travis Retired   Sheffield
  Michael Tonge Retired   Manchester England under-21
  Kyle Walker   Manchester City   Sheffield Full England Caps
  Sam Wedgbury   Stalybridge Celtic   Oldbury
  Alan Woodward Retired   Chapeltown
  Dane Whitehouse Retired   Sheffield
  Elliott Whitehouse  Forest Green Rovers   Worksop
  Ben Whiteman   Preston North End   Rochdale

Honours edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Academy staff". Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  2. ^ "Revealed: The 20 European club academies that produced most Premier League minutes in 2016/17". The Telegraph. London. 24 July 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  3. ^ "u23". Sheffield United F.C. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  4. ^ "u18". Sheffield United F.C. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  5. ^ "Sheffield United appoint new chief executive". Kick It Out. 28 September 2005. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  6. ^ "Pemberton appointed". Sheffield United F.C. 23 March 2010. Archived from the original on 28 May 2010. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  7. ^ Shield, James (7 September 2012). "Sheffield United's academy coach boss John Pemberton quits Blades". Sheffield Star. Johnston Press. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  8. ^ "Academy make key appointments". sufc. 25 September 2012. Archived from the original on 28 September 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  9. ^ "Hoyland leaves Academy". Sheffield United FC Official Website. 19 March 2013. Archived from the original on 28 May 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.

References edit