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Bolton Wanderers F.C. Reserves and Academy

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Jarvisan (talk | contribs) at 22:35, 1 February 2021 (→‎Academy (Under-18s)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Bolton Wanderers Development Squad
Full nameBolton Wanderers F.C. Development Squad
Nickname(s)The Trotters, Junior Whites
Founded1874 (as Christ Church FC)
GroundCounty Ground
Leyland
ManagerEngland Mark Litherland (Under-18s)
LeagueProfessional U18 Development League 2 North
2019-20


2019-20		Professional U23 Development League 2 North, 11th of 11
Professional U18 Development League 2 North, 9th of 11
Current season

They participate in the Manchester Senior Cup, although in recent years the teams entered in this competition have featured an increasing number of youth players.

Bolton Wanderers Development Squad play their home games at the County Ground in Leyland, the home ground of the Lancashire F.A.

Notable graduates of the squad include former captain Kevin Nolan.

The Academy

The Bolton Wanderers Academy was established in 1998 and is based at the club and the main training ground. It replaced the older, more informal youth system, and enabled the club to focus their youth development and scouting, employing new techniques and FA standards.

It was last overseen overseen by former Bolton Wanderers F.C. player Jimmy Phillips. It provides a stepping stone for youngsters to progress to the highest levels of football at Bolton Wanderers.

Scouts attend many local youth matches looking for talented boys. A boy will then be invited to attend training sessions at the Academy. They are taken in as young as the age of eight. At this age, the boys start by simply attending after-school training sessions, but as they reach their middle-teens, their academic needs will be taken over by the Academy if they are deemed athletically talented enough.

Between the ages of eight and twelve the boys play in eight-a-side games of three twenty-minute periods. It allows the boys to play as defenders or as attackers in small groups within a system and is not as physically demanding as playing eleven-a-side matches.

The first player to graduate from the Academy to the first team was the former club captain, Kevin Nolan who had previously been on the youth books of Liverpool. He has since been followed into the first team by Joey O'Brien, Ricardo Vaz Tê, Nicky Hunt. Josh Vela, Zach Clough and Rob Holding amongst others.

In December 2012, the Bolton Academy was awarded Elite status by the Premier League.[1]

In June 2015, it was announced that the club had sought to downgrade from a Category One status in order to save money.[2] On March 2020, the club announced it would down grade to Category Three.[3]

Players

Development Squad

In August 2016, the U21 side was renamed as the U23 side, after a consultation involving all 31 clubs in the Professional Development League 2, voted in favour of the new age parameters.[4]

Due to Bolton dropping to Category Three in March 2020, the development squad no longer exist as of June 2020.[3]

Academy (Under-18s)

As of February 2020.[5]

Name Position Date of Birth Nationality
Sonny Ahmed Midfielder (2002-06-10) 10 June 2002 (age 22) England
Bright Amoateng Striker (2002-11-22) 22 November 2002 (age 21) England
Markus Assarsson Defender (2002-08-18) 18 August 2002 (age 21) Sweden
Joseph Brown Defender (2004-04-23) 23 April 2004 (age 20) England
Ryan Colvin Defender (2003-01-08) 8 January 2003 (age 21) England
Maxwell Conway Midfielder (2003-09-05) 5 September 2003 (age 20) England
Jay Fitzmartin Midfielder (2002-09-14) 14 September 2002 (age 21) England
Mitch Henry Striker (2003-09-02) 2 September 2003 (age 20) England
Luke Hutchinson Goalkeeper (2002-09-01) 1 September 2002 (age 21) England
Layton Kirnon Striker England
Kian Le Fondre Striker England
Ellis Litherland Goalkeeper (2004-05-05) 5 May 2004 (age 20) England
Finlay Lockett Midfielder (2003-04-10) 10 April 2003 (age 21) England
Rio McEvoy Midfielder Northern Ireland
Arran Pettifer Midfielder (2003-10-01) 1 October 2003 (age 20) England
Jack Thompson Defender (2003-11-02) 2 November 2003 (age 20) England
Lamine Toure Defender (2003-12-24) 24 December 2003 (age 20) England
Mathew Tweedley Midfielder (2004-04-16) 16 April 2004 (age 20) England
Nathan Whalley Defender (2003-01-18) 18 January 2003 (age 21) England
Max Wilcox Midfielder (2003-09-11) 11 September 2003 (age 20) England

Managerial History

Reserves/Development Squad

Youth Team/Academy

Staff

  • Academy Manager: England Mark Litherland
  • Academy Assistant Manager:
  • Academy U-16 Coach: England Julian Darby
  • Academy Goalkeeper Coach:
  • Head Academy Physiotherapist: England Ali Gibb
  • Head of Education: England Lee Wood

In addition, the academy employ staff from the first-team.

Graduates

The following players have been associated with the Bolton Wanderers Academy and have gone on to play league football for Bolton or other clubs since the Academy was founded in 1998.

Academy Graduates who have made at least one senior appearance for the Bolton Wanderers first team.

Other players associated with the Academy who have made at least one senior appearance for league clubs in Britain or abroad.

Notes

  1. ^ "Academy Awarded Top Status".
  2. ^ "UPDATED: Wanderers to save £1 million by downgrading youth academy". The Bolton News.
  3. ^ a b https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/18277578.bolton-announce-plans-step-category-three-academy/
  4. ^ "Professional Development League switches to Under-23 format".
  5. ^ BWFC.co.uk: "Wanderers Academy confirms scholar intake"

External links

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