Arsenal F.C. Academy

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Arsenal Academy
Full name Arsenal Football Club Academy
Nickname(s) The Gunners
Founded 1954
Ground Arsenal FC Training Centre, Shenley
Ground Capacity N/A
Chairman Sir Chips Keswick
League Professional Development League 1,
(South Division)
2013–14 9th

Arsenal Football Club Academy are the youth team of Arsenal Football Club. They currently play in the Professional Development League, the highest level of youth football in England. The club enter Under-18 and Under-16 teams in the League, but they operate the academy for boys from the age of nine upwards.

Some of the senior members of the U18 team also play for Arsenal Reserves. The current head coach is Steve Gatting replacing Pat Holland who was in charge less than two months after the promotion of former Arsenal defender Steve Bould. The younger teams are coached by Roy Massey and Kwame Ampadu while former Arsenal midfielder and Republic of Ireland international Liam Brady oversees the overall youth development setup at the club with his assistant David Court.

History

Arsenal Youth (1954–1998)

Arsenal have occasionally operated a youth team as far back as 1893–94, and there had been an established third team (known as Arsenal 'A') for young players from 1929 to 1969.

In 1954, Arsenal started their own formal youth team. They entered the South Eastern Counties League (renamed the South East Counties League the following season) and the associated South East Counties League Cup from 1954–55 to 1997–98 (excluding 1967–68 and 1968–69). Arsenal Youth also played in the London Minor FA Challenge Cup (from 1954–55 to 1955–56 and 1959–60 to 1966–67) and the Southern Junior Floodlit Cup (from 1955–56 to 1971–72 and 1974–75 to 1998–99). The club have played in the FA Youth Cup since 1954–55.

During this time, Arsenal were one of the most successful youth teams in the country, winning seven South East Counties League titles, six South East Counties League Cups (including three "doubles") and four FA Youth Cups.

Arsenal Academy (1998–present)

The youth team became founder members of the FA Premier Youth League in 1997–98. The league was initially a single division and Arsenal won the inaugural title. The following season this was renamed the Premier Academy League and split into Under-19 and Under-17 sections, with the new FA Academy system formally changing Arsenal's youth team to Academy status. Arsenal entered teams in both sections, winning the U17 title in 1999–00 and the U19 title in 2001–02 as well as two more FA Youth Cups.

Since 2004–05, the FA Premier Academy League has consisted of only a single section for Under-18s, although an Under-16 section is played with no league table being recorded. Arsenal U18s have won their division group (Group A) three times, in 2007–08, 2008–09 and 2009–10. They went on to win the academy play-off semi-final and final in 2008–09 and 2009–10 to become FA Premier Academy League champions. In 2009 they completed their first double by also winning the 2008–09 FA Youth Cup, having beaten Liverpool 6–2 on aggregate in the final.

Current squad

U18 League

The following players are eligible for the U18 Academy League in the current 2015–16 season.

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

No. Position Player
48 Finland GK Hugo Keto
60 England MF Marcus McGuane
56 England MF Ben Sheaf
61 England DF Marc Bola
62 England DF Tolaji Bola
63 Greece DF Ilias Chatzitheodoridis
64 England FW Joshua Da Silva
66 Romania MF Vlad Dragomir
67 England MF Aaron Eyoma
68 France FW Yassin Fortune
69 England MF Charlie Gilmour
No. Position Player
70 Greece MF Savvas Mourgos
71 England FW Edward Nketiah
72 England DF Jordi Osei-Tutu
73 Cyprus DF Kostas Pileas
74 England MF Nathan Tella
75 Netherlands FW Donyell Malen
81 England MF Joe Willock
82 Portugal GK Joao Virginia
Nigeria MF Kelechi Nwakali

Schoolboys

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

No. Position Player
76 England FW Reiss Nelson
79 England MF Josh Benson
80 England MF Emile Smith-Rowe
82 Portugal GK João Virgínia
83 Wales MF Robbie Burton
No. Position Player
84 England DF Toby Omole
85 England DF Joseph Olowu
86 England FW Jay Beckford
87 Republic of Ireland MF Nathan Tormey
88 England DF Dominic Thompson

Honours

Winners (5): 1997–98 (U18), 1999–00 (U17), 2001–02 (U19), 2008–09 (U18), 2009–10 (U18)
Winners (7): 1965–66, 1970–71, 1987–88, 1993–94, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2008–09
Winners (4): 1955–56, 1964–65, 1971–72, 1990–91
  • South East Counties League Cup
Winners (6): 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1963–64, 1970–71, 1979–80
  • Southern Junior Floodlit Cup
Winners (5): 1962–63, 1965–66, 1984–85, 1990–91, 1997–98
  • London Minor FA Cup
Winners (1): 1966–67

Winners (1):"2013-2014 (manager: Ismail Bruce Anderson)

International academy graduates

This is a list of former Arsenal F.C. academy or Arsenal 'A' graduates who have gone on to represent their country at full international level since the Second World War.

As of 29 May 2016.

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References

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External links

Template:Premier Academy League Group A

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