Reading F.C. Under-23s and Academy

Reading were granted Academy status by the Football Association in February 1999. The first Academy manager was John Stephenson who oversaw the club's youth development until October 2000 when he left to join Preston North End. He was succeeded by former Reading goalkeeper, and the then goalkeeping coach, Nick Hammond.[1] After his appointment as Reading's first Director of football in September 2003, Hammond combined all three roles until the appointment of Exeter City boss Eamonn Dolan as the new Academy manager in October 2004,[2] a position he still holds. The club originally trained in rented facilities at Sonning Lane and Bradfield College but moved to their own training ground at Hogwood Park in Arborfield in 2004.[3][4] A two-year Academy partnership with Boreham Wood was announced in July 2012[5] with the club also aiming to have a first-team composed of 50% Academy players.[6] The introduction in 2012 of the four-tier academy system under the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) forced the club to search for a new training ground in order to meet the criteria for Category One status.[7] With this in mind, the club agreed in principle to buy land at Bearwood Lakes Golf Club for a new training facility at a cost of between £10 million and £20 million in May 2013.[8][9] In July 2013, the club confirmed they had achieved Category One status.[10]

The Reading reserves competed in the Capital League between 1995 and 1998 before joining The Football Combination which they played in from 1998 until 2006, excluding the 1999–2000 season.[11] With the senior side's promotion to the Premier League in 2006, the reserve team was also promoted to the Premier Reserve League for the 2006–07 season. Under future first-team manager Brian McDermott, the reserves finished top of the Southern section and beat Bolton reserves 2–0 to win the overall title in their first season.[12] They finished second the following year but were relegated as the first team dropped into the Championship.[13] The reserves rejoined the Football Combination following their relegation and remained there until 2010 when they withdrew in order to arrange their own fixtures against a higher level of opposition.[14]

With the club's application for Category One status under the EPPP, the under-21 and Academy (under-18) teams competed in the new Professional Development League 1 for the 2012–13 season.[15] The teams were successful under the new format with the under-18s finishing as runners-up to Fulham in the inaugural competition,[16] and the under-21s winning the first U21 Premier League Cup the following year.[17]

The under-23s play their home matches at Hogwood Park, the club's training ground, with four games each season being played at the Madejski Stadium. Three outfield players and one goalkeeper over the age of 23 are allowed to be selected for each fixture,[18] with scholars from the Academy squad also eligible to play.

As of 19 January 2020

Under-23 squad

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

No. Position Player 32 MF Ryan East 34 DF Gabriel Osho 36 DF Ramarni Medford-Smith 37 MF Tyler Frost 38 FW Thierry Nevers 41 MF Ethan Coleman 45 FW Ben House 46 DF Jeriel Dorsett 48 GK Coniah Boyce-Clarke — GK Liam Driscoll

No. Position Player — GK Myles Roberts — DF Lexus Beeden — DF Marcel Elva-Fountaine — DF Roberto Nditi — DF Emmanuel Obamakinwa — MF Femi Azeez — MF Werick Caetano — MF Samuel Faniyan — MF Conor Lawless — MF Oliver Pendlebury

Out on loan

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

No. Position Player 28 MF Jordan Holsgrove (at Atlético Baleares until end of 2019/20 season) 35 DF Akin Odimayo (at Waterford) 42 DF Andre Burley (at Waterford)

No. Position Player — FW Adam Liddle (at Derry City) — DF Tom Holmes (at K.S.V. Roeselare until end of 2019/20 season)

Each year, following the completion of their full-time education, the club signs a number of schoolboys, from both within the academy and from other clubs, on scholarship agreements.[19] The scholarships last two years after which the player signs professionally or is released by the club. In instances where a player is particularly valued, the club may opt to sign them on professional terms at an earlier age.[20] The scholars make up the bulk of the Academy team which competes in the under-18 league, though younger players are also eligible. As well as the league, the Academy also enters a team into the FA Youth Cup.

The under-18s play their home matches at Hogwood Park, the club's training ground, with a selection of games each season being played at the Madejski Stadium. Three outfield players and one goalkeeper over the age of 18 are allowed to be selected for each fixture, with scholars from the Academy squad also eligible to play.

Current Under-18s squad

As of 19 January 2020[21]

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

No. Position Player — GK Harvey Collins — GK James Holden — DF Nelson Abbey — DF Ethan Bristow — DF Jeriel Dorsett — DF Jordan Hamilton — DF Josh Hewitt — DF Imari Samuels — MF Ayo Faniyan — MF Charlie Lawrence — MF Kian Leavy — MF Jordan Murray — MF Claudio Osorio

No. Position Player — MF Fabio Sole — MF Malachi Talent-Aryeetay — MF Dejan Tetek — MF Yaw Turkson — MF Pedro Neves — FW Alfie Anderson — FW Ricky Hansen — FW Nahum Melvin-Lambert — FW Josh Obioma — FW Leon Okuboyejo — FW Lynford Sackey — FW Augustus McGiff

Academy and development staff[22][23]

• Academy manager: Michael Gilkes
• Assistant Academy Manager: David Dodds
• Professional Phase Coach: Scott Marshall
• U23 Goalkeeper Coach: James Bittner
• U18 Coach: Ryan Williams
• U18 Assistant Coach: Mikele Leigertwood
• Head of Academy Physiotherapy: Steve Cottrell
• Lead Academy Doctor: Dr Marc Batista
• U23 Academy Doctor: Manish Thakker
• U18 Physiotherapist: Aoife Healy
• U23 Physiotherapist: Michael English
• U9-16 Physiotherapist: Sean Farrell
• U9-16 Physiotherapist:
• U23 Sport Scientist: Ollie Harrington
• U18 Sport Scientist: Harry Bruford
• PDP Strength and Conditioning Coach: David Breakspear
• U9-16 Sport Scientist: Harry Carmen
• Academy Performance Coach: Ben Marks

Several Academy graduates hold club records. Peter Castle became the club's youngest ever player when he came on as a substitute against Watford on 30 April 2003 for his first and only Reading appearance, aged 16 years and 49 days, whilst Gylfi Sigurðsson holds the record for the highest transfer fee received when he moved to Hoffenheim in August 2010.[51] In May 2013 Alex McCarthy became the first Reading graduate to be selected in the England squad since the Academy era began in 1999.[52] Additionally, three graduates have been named Player of the Season with Gylfi Sigurðsson, Alex Pearce and Jordan Obita winning in 2009–10, 2011–12 and 2013–14 respectively.[53]

The Football Combination[11]

Winners: 2003–04, 2008–09

Runners-up: 2005–06

Premier Reserve League

Winners: 2006–07[13]

Under-21 Premier League Cup

Winners: 2013–14[17]

Under-18 Professional Development League 1

Runners-up: 2012–13[16]

• Under-21 homepage at Reading F.C.
• Academy homepage at Reading F.C.