The Tottenham Hotspur Academy is the youth system of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. The academy was created to train and develop players from the age of eight all the way through to the age of 23. Many of those who have progressed through Tottenham's academy have gone on to sign professional contracts and several have represented their country at full international level.
The reserves in recent times have been known as the Development Squad to reflect the purpose of producing players for the first team. They won one Premier Reserve League South title following the league's formation in 1999 and were runners-up in the inaugural U21 Premier League which took over from 2012, becoming the Professional Development League's Premier League 2 in 2016. In Premier League 2, matches were for the under-23's until the 2022–23 season, since when the competition has been limited to under-21's.
The under-18's take part in the U18 Premier League, also a part of the Professional Development League.
Historical reserve team
Prior to the formation of the academy, the reserve team played in the Football Combination. This was founded as the London Combination and originally consisted of London-based first teams, with reserve teams taking over in 1919. From 1926, clubs outside of London were admitted and the name of the league changed to the Football Combination. Tottenham's reserves were winners in seasons 1919–20, 1921–22, 1925–26, 1952–53, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1961–62, 1963–64, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1994–95.
In 1999 the FA Premier Reserve League was founded and Tottenham's reserve team moved to that competition, remaining until the end of the 2008–09 season. Tottenham reserves won the FA Premier Reserve League, southern division, in season 2005–06.
Historical youth team
In 1923, Tottenham entered into an arrangement which saw Tottenham youngsters turn out for Northfleet United in the Kent League and associated cup competitions.[1] Northfleet were Kent League Cup winners in 1923–24,[2] and Kent League Division 1 champions in 1925–26, during which they scored 172 goals in a 36 match season. They won the Kent Senior Cup for five successive seasons between 1923–24 and 1927–28.
Northfleet United joined the Southern League Eastern Section in 1927–28 but left in 1930 and rejoined the Kent League.[3] In 1931, the arrangement between the clubs was upgraded to full nursery team status[1] and this heralded a period during which they scored a minimum of 110 goals in league competition each season. Northfleet were Kent League Division 1 Championship and Kent League Cup double winners in 1931–32 and 1934–35, league champions in 1935–36, and double winners again in 1936–37 (completing a hat-trick as league champions). They were Kent Senior Cup winners in 1937–38, and Kent League Division 1 champions again in 1938–39.
With the outbreak of the Second World War, league competition ceased as did the nursery team arrangement.
Tottenham Hotspur's youth team, for players aged 18 and under and known as Tottenham's 'A' team, was entered into the Eastern Counties League in 1948.[4] They won the League Cup in their first season and the league title and the East Anglian Cup in their second. In 1957–58 they again won both the league and East Anglian Cup and went on to win the League Cup the following season. They won three consecutive league titles in 1959–60, 1960–61 and 1961–62. During their time in the Eastern Counties League the team played at White Hart Lane, as well as at Hoddesdon Town's Lowfield Ground (1950–51), the Hoddesdon Sports Arena (1951–52) and Brookfields Lane in Cheshunt (1952–1963).
In 1963 they moved to the Metropolitan League, winning the League Cup in 1963–64, the League Cup and Professional Cup in 1964–65 and the league itself in 1966–67.[5]
In 1969 the youth team moved to the South East Counties League, winning it in seasons 1969–70, 1970–71, 1972–73, 1978–79, 1980–81, the five seasons 1985–86 through to 1989–90, 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1994–95.[4] The youth team also won the national FA Youth Cup in 1970, 1974 and 1990. The team first won the South East Counties League Cup in 1985 and followed this with victories in 1986, 1988, 1991 (jointly), 1992, 1993, 1996 and 1997.
The youth team's reserves, otherwise known as the juniors or colts and consisting primarily of younger players, also took part in the South East Counties League. The league was originally split into Senior League and Junior League but from season 1985–86 it was Division One for the youth team and Division Two for the juniors.
The Tottenham Hotspur Academy coaches young footballers from the ages of 8 to 18 involving approximately 150 young players, looked after by 30 full-time and part-time staff. The academy features a network of 35 scouts who are tasked with finding the best local, national and international talent. Whilst under 16, in the Youth development phase, players are coached or play in the evenings and the weekend whilst they are in full-time education. On reaching 16, the best players are offered a place in the U18s Academy on a full-time 2 year Scholarship contract. This provides an academic programme alongside their football commitments. Players will usually progress through first and second years of the professional development phase whereupon on completion, they will be either offered a professional contract or be released. Where a player is borderline or has been held back because of injury there is the option of offering a third year at the academy by exception.
In 2017 the newly retired and former Tottenham player Scott Parker was appointed in charge of the Under-18s.[6][7] In July 2018, Parker left Tottenham to return to his last club, Fulham, serving as first-team coach.[8] The current Under-18 manager is Stuart Lewis, who was appointed in July 2021[9] to replace Matt Taylor, who had been in place since 2019.[10]
Players who have progressed through the academy and have shown the potential to play at a higher level are offered professional contracts and will then join the Development Squad, the successor to the reserve team. The Development Squad may also be joined by Under-21 players signed from other clubs or free agents who have proved themselves in trials at the club. The purpose of the Development Squad is to produce new players for the First Team though breaking into the senior squad is no easy feat for a young player. As well as playing in Under-21 games players may be loaned out to other clubs in lower leagues or sometimes clubs abroad to give them experience and to aid their development.
Clive Allen became the manager of the reserve team at the beginning of the 2005–06 season. Home games at that time were played at Broadhall Way, the home ground of Stevenage Borough. From the 2007–08 season home matches were played at Leyton Orient's home ground, the Matchroom Stadium. The club announced on 12 June 2009 that for the 2009–10 season it would not be entering a team in the Reserve League. Instead the reserve players would be loaned out for first team experience, and if necessary friendly matches would be arranged as required during the season to test out players returning from injury.[18]
After not participating in the Reserve League for three seasons the club agreed to play in the newly formed Barclays U21 Premiership League from season 2012–13.
In July 2014, former Aston Villa and Middlesbrough defender Ugo Ehiogu was appointed Under-21 Team Coach following a period of part-time work within the academy.[19] On 20 April 2017, Ehiogu went into cardiac arrest after collapsing at Tottenham's training ground and died the following day at the age of 44.[20] Two months later, Tottenham announced that they had appointed former Dagenham & Redbridge manager Wayne Burnett as Ehiogu's successor.[21] Burnett currently has the title of Under-23 manager.[22]
Notable seasons
2005–06 season
New manager Clive Allen led the reserve team to their first FA Premier Reserve League South title, staying top of the table from mid-December and losing just three times during the league season. In the Barclays Premiership Reserve League Play-Off, contested by the winners of the Southern and Northern Reserve League titles, Tottenham Reserves lost 2–0 to Manchester United Reserves at Old Trafford.
2012–13 season
Tottenham Under-21s won Group 2 of the Barclays U21 Premiership League in the first half of the season which qualified them for the Elite Group, which they also won. This put them through to the end of the season knock-out competition where they progressed all the way to the final, eventually losing 3–2 to Manchester United Under-21s.
2014-15 season
On 6 September 2014, Tottenham Under-18s won the Premier League Under-18s Champions Cup, a two-day event held at Tottenham's training centre. The team, managed by Kieran McKenna, defeated Everton 5-1 then qualified for the final with a 1-1 draw against Spain's Real Madrid. In the final, they triumphed with a 1-0 win over Portugal's Benfica.[23]
2022–23 season
In May 2023, Tottenham Under-18s won the Under-18 Premier League Cup,[24] adding to the Under-17 version won the previous month.[25] Both teams were managed by Stuart Lewis.
2023–24 season
The Under-21s, coached by Wayne Burnett, won Premier League 2. The team won their first ten games of the 2023-24 season (including their first seven League games), before losing an EFL Trophy game 1-3 away to the eventual trophy winners League OnePeterborough United on 31 October 2023.[26] They ultimately won their first eleven league games[27] and went on to win the league phase of Premier League 2.[28] This qualified them for the play-off section of the competition, where they won the Play-Off Final on 26 May.[29]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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.
Nation
Player
First Year Academy Players
As of 3 July 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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.
Nation
Player
Notable Tottenham Hotspur F.C. youth team players or Academy graduates
The following list of youth team players or Academy graduates appeared in a competitive first team fixture for Tottenham Hotspur and have been capped in a full international since the Second World War. Players still currently playing for the club are in bold. Other still active players are in italics.
The following list of youth team or Academy players have been capped in a full international since the Second World War but never played in a competitive first team game for Tottenham. Players still currently playing for the club are in bold. Other still active players are in italics.
The following additional list of youth team players or Academy graduates although uncapped in a full international have appeared in 100 or more competitive fixtures for the Tottenham Hotspur first team since the Second World War. Players still currently playing for the club are in bold. Other still active players are in italics.
Ryan Mason (Head of player development Under-17 to Under-23 2020–2021)
Note 1McDermott was already Head of coaching and development but it was not until 2016 that he was put in charge of all teams below the first team, and was therefore the notional reserve team manager.
Prior to 1969 Tottenham did not have a full-time youth team manager.[52]Jimmy Anderson was in charge of the Northfleet nursery team from 1934 to 1939 and was arguably the Tottenham youth team manager in all but name.[53] Sometimes the Under-18 manager is referred to as the Under-18 coach.
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