Stoke City F.C. Under-21s and Academy

Last updated
Stoke City Under-21s
Stoke City FC.svg
Full nameStoke City Football Club Under-21s
Nickname(s)The Potters
Founded1863
Ground bet365 Stadium
Clayton Wood Training Ground
St George's Park, Burton upon Trent
Manager Ryan Shawcross (Under-21s)
David Hibbert (Under-18s)
League Premier League 2
2023–24 Premier League 2, 19th
Website http://www.stokecityfc.com/
Soccerball current event.svg Current season

Stoke City Football Club Under-21s is the most senior of Stoke City's youth teams and the club's former reserve team. The Under-23 team is effectively Stoke City's second-string side. They play in Premier League 2. The team also competes in the Premier League Cup and Staffordshire Senior Cup.

Contents

They play their home matches at the club's main ground, the bet365 Stadium, St George's Park, Burton upon Trent as well as the club's Clayton Wood Training Ground. In previous seasons the team has played at Lyme Valley Stadium in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Macclesfield Town's Moss Rose, Nantwich Town's Weaver Stadium and Harrison Park in Leek.

History

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. This was reverted back to under-21 from 2022–23. [5]

Current squads

As of 7 February 2025 [6] [7]

Under-21s

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

No.Pos.NationPlayer
44 GK Flag of England.svg  ENG Alfie Brooks
GK Flag of England.svg  ENG Noah Cooper
GK Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL Scott Morris

DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Josh Bickerton
41 DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Jaden Dixon
DF Flag of Ireland.svg  IRL Jake Griffin
DF Flag of Ireland.svg  IRL Christy Grogan
DF Flag of Ghana.svg  GHA Francis Gyimah
DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Jaden Mears

51 MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Chinonso Chibueze
55 MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Ruben Curley
No.Pos.NationPlayer
56 MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Favour Fawunmi
54 MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Jack Griffiths
MF Flag of Poland.svg  POL Wiktor Gromek
MF Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  WAL Japhet Matondo
46 MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Will Smith
53 MF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Kieron Willox

FW Flag of England.svg  ENG Dean Adekoya
48 FW Flag of England.svg  ENG Keke Jeffers
FW Flag of England.svg  ENG Adriel Walker
FW Flag of New Zealand.svg  NZL Adam Watson

Out on loan

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

No.Pos.NationPlayer
43 DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Freddie Anderson (at Cork City)
DF Flag of Jamaica.svg  JAM Luke Badley-Morgan(at Airdrieonians)
50 MF Flag of Ireland.svg  IRL Darius Lipsiuc (at Walsall)

Under-18s

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

No.Pos.NationPlayer
GK Flag of England.svg  ENG Ruben Brammer
GK Flag of Australia (converted).svg  AUS Michael Zeitzen

DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Sydney Agina
52 DF Flag of Italy.svg  ITA Laurence Giani
DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Sanchez Phillips
DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Owen Powell
DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Ian Togo
DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Jensen Tortoishell

MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Connor Day
MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Oghosaiwi Enabulele
MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Daniel Eyaife
No.Pos.NationPlayer
MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Elliot Fearn
MF Flag of Ireland.svg  IRL Gabriel Gartside-Kelly
MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Kobie Hines-Leacock
MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Ryan Liu
MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Joshua Maskall
MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Pedro Nzau
MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Lewis Walker

FW Flag of England.svg  ENG Luke Enright
FW Flag of England.svg  ENG Jackson Kelly
FW Flag of England.svg  ENG Tommy McNally
FW Flag of England.svg  ENG Jaden Ogbebor

Honours

Leagues

Cups

Staff

Academy management
Academy full-time coaching staff

League performance

Reserves, U21s and U23s

SeasonLeaguePWDLGFGAPtsPos
Entered the Combination as Stoke Swifts
1891–92 The Combination 2213184929274/12
1892–93 The Combination2214444823322/12
1893–94 The Combination1810175731212/10
1894–95 Midland Football League 2614759033352/14
1895–96 North Staffordshire & District League30217210929491/16
1896–97 North Staffordshire & District League2518358433392/14
1897–98 The Combination2410594235253/13
1898–99 North Staffordshire & District League2217148425351/12
1899–1900 North Staffordshire & District League169165027193/9
Renamed Stoke Reserves and joined the Birmingham & District League
1900–01 Birmingham & District League 34175128051394/18
1901–02 Birmingham & District League34156135045369/18
1902–03 Birmingham & District League341461463453410/18
1903–04 Birmingham & District League3421678955482/18
1904–05 Birmingham & District League3420596833452/18
1905–06 Birmingham & District League34147137160358/18
1906–07 Birmingham & District League34138136264349/18
1907–08 Birmingham & District League341291353573311/18
Stoke resign from the Football League and first team replaces reserves in the Birmingham & District League
1908–09 North Staffordshire Federation League1511134422232/10
1909–10 North Staffordshire & District League2620067623403/14
1910–11 North Staffordshire & District League2614396532315/14
First team leave the Birmingham & District League, reserves take their place
1911–12 Birmingham & District League341112115152349/18
1912–13 Birmingham & District League341331858752914/18
1913–14 Birmingham & District League34177107346414/18
1914–15 Birmingham & District League34175128052398/18
1914 to 1919 – World War I
1919–20 Birmingham & District League341441673683212/18
1920–21 Birmingham & District League341161746622812/18
Joined the newly formed reserve team only Central League
1921–22 Central League 42199147152476/22
1922–23 Central League421391462823518/22
1923–24 Central League4211121943583417/22
1924–25 Central League421282254903218/22
Stoke-on-Trent granted city status in 1925, renamed Stoke City Reserves
1925–26 Central League421482074933618/22
1926–27 Central League421552270813518/22
1927–28 Central League422381110162541/22
1928–29 Central League421671978823915/22
1929–30 Central League421710157083448/22
1930–31 Central League4214111746733916/22
1931–32 Central League42121020571013416/22
1932–33 Central League421681880744014/22
1933–34 Central League42264128866563/22
1934–35 Central League422110119362522/22
1935–36 Central League4210102266953020/22
1936–37 Central League421961770824411/22
1937–38 Central League4212121855763621/22
1938–39 Central League4212102060653419/22
1939 to 1945 – World War II
1945–46 Central League401632168743514/21
1946–47 Central League4211102156893218/22
1947–48 Central League421591856713913/22
1948–49 Central League421662065693814/22
1949–50 Central League421392056833519/22
1950–51 Central League42692734922122/22
1951–52 Central League421152647842722/22
1952–53 Central League421771867694111/22
1953–54 Central League421062646892621/22
1954–55 Central League421951869784312/22
1955–56 Central League4210141852763417/22
1956–57 Central League421711146562458/22
1957–58 Central League4216101666714211/22
1958–59 Central League42228128154524/22
1959–60 Central League42219127754515/22
1960–61 Central League429112242712920/22
1961–62 Central League4211112045753319/22
1962–63 Central League42228127550526/22
1963–64 Central League4219101358424814/22
1964–65 Central League4210122042713218/22
1965–66 Central League4224997651572/22
1966–67 Central League421851965684111/22
1967–68 Central League4212141660733816/22
1968–69 Central League421591845423913/22
1969–70 Central League421911126740498/22
1970–71 Central League4210141852643418/22
1971–72 Central League421713125949476/22
1972–73 Central League42238118655542/22
1973–74 Central League4216111559564313/22
1974–75 Central League421812125040486/22
1975–76 Central League4216101660554211/22
1976–77 Central League4213181149504410/22
1977–78 Central League4213141558524011/22
1978–79 Central League42231186545573/22
1979–80 Central League4211171445493913/22
1980–81 Central League4214111751573914/22
1981–82 Central League4211151650613714/22
Central League Division Two created
1982–83 Central League Division One30146105457347/16
Three points for a win introduced to reserve team football
1983–84 Central League Division One30116135259399/16
1984–85 Central League Division One34862043723017/18
1985–86 Central League Division Two34952051853215/18
1986–87 Central League Division Two32135144248449/17
1987–88 Central League Division Two3411815304441?/18
1988–89 Central League Division Two3417107603861?/18
1989–90 Central League Division Two34148125044506/18
1990–91 Central League Division Two3412517516741?/18
1991–92 Central League Division Two3425549330801/18
1992–93 Central League Division One34881838563216/18
1993–94 Central League Division Two34213105441663/18
1994–95 Central League Division One341271546444311/18
1995–96 Central League Division One3417895742593/18
League restructure
1996–97 Central League Premier Division24112113437354/13
1997–98 Central League Premier Division24104103541346/13
1998–99 Central League Premier Division24771024322810/13
League restructure following creation of Premier Reserve League
1999–2000 Central League Premier Division22381121371711/12
2000–01 Central League Division One229583532125/12
2001–02 Central League Division One2210395227335/12
2002–03 Central League Division One1812244222381/10
2003–04 Central League Premier Division2213454531431/12
2004–05 Central League Premier Division2210392826335/12
Leagues re-organised into geographical divisions
2005–06 Central League Central Division187292230236/10
2006–07 Central League Central Division226792537258/12
2007–08 Central League Central Division2293102536309/12
Joined Premier Reserve League following first team's promotion
2008–09 Premier Reserve League South1642101823148/9
2009–10 Premier Reserve League South163491324139/9
Resigned from the Premier Reserve League
2010–11 No league entered
2011–12 Central League Central Division123361523127/7
Joined Professional Development League following league reconstruction
2012–13 Under-21 Premier League First Phase121110113747/7
Under-21 Premier League Second Phase12219142877/7
2013–14 Under-21 Premier League21641126342218/22
2014–15 Under-21 Premier League Division 222461223501811/12
2015–16 Under-21 Premier League Division 222102102424328/12
2016–17 Premier League 2 Division 222481025362011/12
2017–18 Premier League 2 Division 222621431462011/12
2018–19 Premier League 2 Division 2227784237287/12
2019–20 Premier League 2 Division 2188373227274/12
2020–21 Premier League 2 Division 22414374130452/13
2021–22 Premier League 2 Division 22612773436433/14
2022–23 Premier League 2 Division 220351226451410/11
2023–24 Premier League 220721138552319/26

References

  1. "Stoke Swifts". FCHD. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  2. "Stoke Reserves". FCHD. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Under 23s / Reserve Statistics". Stoke City. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  4. "Stoke City Reserves". FCHD. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  5. "Premier League 2 becomes under-21 competition". Premier League. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  6. "U21s". Stoke City.
  7. "U18s". Stoke City.
  8. "Academy Staff". Stoke City. Retrieved 6 July 2019.