As the curtain closes on the 2024/25 Academy season, we take a look at a successful season for our Professional Development Phase:
The 2024/25 season has been a successful one for our Professional Development Phase, marked by cup success and personal growth, staying true to the Academy’s main vision: to push talent through the ranks and create people as well as players of value.
As with any new season, expectations filled the air, and with breakthrough campaigns –particularly from Bolu Shofowoke – there were plenty of positives.
The Under 18s and Under 21s opened the season with a pair of wins, defeating Colchester United and AFC Bournemouth respectively.
Away from the club, Harley Mills, Ollie Rose, and Fabian Claxton continued to ply their trade out on loan; this proved pivotal for Mills, who, upon his return to the club, earned his spot with the senior team – scoring ‘that’ free-kick goal at Wembley against Birmingham City.
Eddie Fox and Lucca Mendonca (pictured below) continued to shine for the Under 18s in the meantime, earning their spot in the first team matchday squad for the first time, against Stockport County and Newport County, respectively.
Driven by their impressive performances, the Under 18s advanced through to the Professional Development League Cup Final, where they defeated Sheffield United at the LNER Community Stadium – marking the second time in three years that our youngsters had won the competition.
Speaking on the success, Academy Director Dan Robinson said: “I’m really proud. Getting to the final and putting on a near-perfect performance was brilliant – it was fantastic for the staff, the players, and it was a brilliant way to end the season.”
But, more milestones were reached by Bolu Shofowoke and Andre Changunda (both pictured below), as the Under 18 pairing made their debuts for the senior side.
Shofowoke, who found his feet for scoring across the term, became the seventh youngest player to make a Football League appearance for the club, making his debut against Bolton Wanderers at 16 years and 193 days.
Changunda, who captained the Under 18s in their cup success, followed suit, entering the fray as a substitute in the 2-1 defeat to Rotherham United in May.
In their absence, minutes were awarded to Luca Christoudias, Oliver Arber, Nathaniel Joseph, and Junior Crozier, who all made the step up into the Under 18s group.
After a successful season, the Professional Development Phase could celebrate at the End of Season Awards, where Joe Davies, Milan Kovaci, and Lucca Mendonca scooped honours from the Under 18s group, while Ollie Rose, Davon Gbajumo, and David Kamara picked up accolades for their efforts with the Under 21s.
Looking ahead to the summer, work has already begun with the 2025/26 season firmly in mind. Dan Robinson is now set on developing the next group of talent: “We have Under 15s and Under 16s who are good enough to fit into the Under 18s, so they will bump up into the Under 18s.
“The Under 18s who are succeeding and doing well will push on and join the handful of pros – the handful that we have, and first team players that need game time, so it will still be very young next season, but it will be clearer as we start that new cycle.”
The Academy recently announced the new intake, with George Bucknor, Oliver Arber, Harry Bushall, Callum Fraser, Alan Ndonjang, Malachi Norville, Kurtis Simmons, and Bolu Shofowoke all putting pen to paper, agreeing to full-time scholarships.
