Arsenal F.C. Academy

Arsenal Academy

Full name	Arsenal Football Club Academy
Nickname(s)	The Gunners
Founded	1954
Ground	Hale End
Chairman	Sir Chips Keswick
League	Professional Development League (South Division)
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Arsenal Football Club Academy is the youth team setup of Arsenal Football Club based in Hale End, London, England. 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, operating the academy for boys from the age of nine upwards. The Netherland's Andries Jonker is at the helm of the Arsenal's academy at Hale End.^[1]

Some of the senior members of the U18 team also play for Arsenal Reserves. The current U21s 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 being the U18s and U16s are coached by that of Kwame Ampadu and Dutchman Jan Van Loon respectively while former Arsenal midfielder and Republic of Ireland international Liam Brady also has a role with regard to youth development at the club.^[2][3]

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 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.

In 2016 the U21side got past the play-off semi final for promotion to division one of the newly formed Professional Development League and thus became champions in the final, beating Aston Villa by 3 goals to 1 at the Emirates.^[4]

The halls of ivy at Hale End is currently undergoing renovations under the purview of academy chief Jonker with work upon such set to be fully completed in February 2017.^[1]

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 GK Hugo Keto GK Joao Virginia DF Marc Bola DF Tolaji Bola DF Jordi Osei-Tutu DF Kostas Pileas MF Marcus McGuane MF Ben Sheaf MF Vlad Dragomir MF Aaron Eyoma

No. Position Player MF Charlie Gilmour MF Savvas Mourgos MF Nathan Tella MF Joe Willock MF Kelechi Nwakali FW Joshua Da Silva FW Donyell Malen FW Edward Nketiah FW Yassin Fortune

Schoolboys

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

No. Position Player GK João Virgínia DF Dominic Thompson DF Toby Omole DF Joseph Olowu MF Josh Benson

No. Position Player MF Emile Smith-Rowe MF Tom Balotelli MF Nathan Tormey FW Jay Beckford FW Reiss Nelson

Honours

• Premier Academy League & Professional Development League: 7 (record)

1997–98 (U18), 1999–00 (U17), 2001–02 (U19), 2008–09 (U18), 2009–10 (U18), Play-Off Winners 2015–16 (U21)^[1]

• FA Youth Cup: 7

1965–66, 1970–71, 1987–88, 1993–94, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2008–09

• South East Counties League: 4

1955–56, 1964–65, 1971–72, 1990–91

• South East Counties League Cup: 6

1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1963–64, 1970–71, 1979–80

• Southern Junior Floodlit Cup: 5

1962–63, 1965–66, 1984–85, 1990–91, 1997–98

• London Minor FA Cup: 1

1966–67

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. Players who are still at Arsenal, or play at another club on loan from Arsenal, are highlighted in bold.

As of 16 October 2016.

References

• Soar, Phil & Tyler, Martin (2005). The Official Illustrated History of Arsenal. Hamlyn. ISBN 978-0-600-61344-2. 

External links

• Arsenal FC Academy homepage on Arsenal.com