Stoke City F.C. Under-23s and Academy

Stoke fielded a second team for the first time in a league competition, the Combination, in 1891–92, under the name of 'Stoke Swifts'.[1] The Swifts also played in the Midland League and the local North Staffordshire & District League, which they won on two occasions. The team joined the Birmingham & District League in 1900–01 and was renamed 'Stoke Reserves'.[2] They temporarily had to return to local leagues in 1908 after the first team suffered financial difficulties and had to resign from the Football League, taking the reserves' place in the Birmingham & District League.[3] They returned in 1911–12 and continued to play in it until they joined the newly founded Central League, a specific reserve team only league. In 1925 after Stoke-on-Trent was granted City status the second string became "Stoke City Reserves".[4] They won the Central League title in 1927–28 and remained in the league until the 1980s when a Division Two was created.[3] Stoke were relegated in 1984–85, gaining promotion in 1991–92, but suffered instant relegation in 1992–93, however promotion was achieved in 1993–94.[3] The league was restructured in 1996 with Stoke now in the Central League Premier Division, dropping down to Division One in 1999–2000.[3] They won Division One in 2002–03 and then won the Premier Division in 2003–04. Stoke remained in the Central League until 2008.[3]

Following the first team's promotion to the Premier League in 2008 the reserves joined the Premier Reserve League. In 2012 the Premier League implemented the Elite Player Performance Plan and introduced the Professional Development League, with reserve teams becoming under-21 teams. In The League was split into two in 2014–15, with Stoke playing in Division 2. In 2016 the league was re-branded Premier League 2 and the age limit increased to under-23.

As of 30 August 2019[5]

Under-23s

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

No. Position Player — GK Josef Bursik — GK Blondy Nna Noukeu 39 DF Cameron McJannett — DF Scott Wara — DF Ryan Corrigan — DF Ash Kigbu 33 MF Lasse Sørensen

No. Position Player — MF Jake Dunwoody — MF William Forrester — MF Tre Pemberton — MF Ollie Shenton — FW James Jennings — FW Gabriel Kyeremateng — FW Appi Sankoh

Under-18s

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

No. Position Player — GK Nathan Broome — GK Paul Cooper — DF Mohamed Akandji — DF Kieran Coates — DF Edward Jones — DF Lewis Macari — DF Jamie Melbourne — DF Henry Nash — DF Julius Ndene — DF Tom Nixon — DF Tom Sparrow — MF Ibrahim Doucoure — MF Kevin Fernandes

No. Position Player — MF Josh Ireland — MF Pat Jarrett — MF Reece Jones — MF Dan Malone — MF Adam Porter — MF Soiyir Sanali — MF Connor Taylor — MF Jai Verma — FW Ruben Gardner-McIntosh — FW Andre Goderinne — FW Mohamed Sankoh — FW Ethon Varian

• Source:[6]

Academy management

• Academy Director: Gareth Owen
• Head of Academy Recruitment: Andy Cain
• Head of Academy Coaching: James Hunter
• Head of Academy Sports Science & Athletic Development: Paul White
• Head of Academy Education: Greg Briggs
• Academy Medical Lead: Mel Pejic
• Head of Player Care & Academy Safeguarding: Stephanie Wakelin
• Head of Academy Operations & Administration: Margaret Stringer

Academy full-time coaching staff

• Lead Professional Development Phase Coach: Richard Walker
• Senior Professional Development Phase Coach: Wade Elliott
• Senior Professional Development Phase Coach: Kevin Russell
• Professional Development Phase Coach & Loans Manager: David Hibbert
• Lead Youth Development Phase Coach (U15-U16): Josh Brehaut
• U15 Lead Coach: Andy Williams
• Lead Youth Development Phase Coach (U13-U14): Jimmy Ball
• Lead Foundation Phase Coach (U10-U12) & Recruitment: Mark Grimley
• Lead Foundation Phase Coach (U7-U9): Andrew Frost
• Lead Academy Goalkeeping Coach: Richard Taylor
• Academy Goalkeeping Coach: Jack Shirley

A number players from the Stoke City Academy go on to have careers in professional football, whether at Stoke City or at other clubs. The following is a list of players who have played at a professional level since the Academy opened in 1998. Players who are listed in Bold have gained senior international caps.

• Stoke Under-23s at stokecityfc.com
• Stoke Under-18s at stokecityfc.com