Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Development Squad and Academy

Wolverhampton Wanderers Under-23s (or the Development squad) is a football team that competes in Division 2 of the newly created Premier League 2. The club qualify as an entrant in the competition, by virtue of their academy holding Category 1 status.[1] Although the league is designed for players aged 23 and below, three overage players may also feature.

The team is currently under the management of Jamie Collins and home games are primarily staged at Kidderminster Harriers' Aggborough home, though the team also plays games at Molineux.[2] The team has been a pathway into Wolves' first team for the past two seasons[clarification needed], with the likes of current first-team players Hugo Bueno, Chem Campbell, Luke Cundle, Joe Hodge and Dexter Lembikisa progressing from the U21 side.

Development Squad and U23s

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
41 FW Wales WAL Josh Esen
42 MF England ENG Harvey Griffiths
45 MF England ENG Ty Barnett
46 DF England ENG Alfie Pond
47 FW England ENG Owen Farmer
49 GK England ENG Arthur Nasta
51 DF Democratic Republic of the Congo COD Filozofe Mabete
52 FW England ENG Fletcher Holman
53 DF England ENG Aaron Keto-Diyawa
54 FW Spain ESP Dani Ángel
57 MF Italy ITA Temple Ojinnaka
65 MF England ENG Matthew Whittingham
No. Pos. Nation Player
67 DF Indonesia IDN Justin Hubner
69 DF England ENG Testimony Igbinoghene
71 DF England ENG Hayden Carson
72 MF Wales WAL Finn Ashworth
74 MF England ENG Tom Edozie
84 FW England ENG Leon Chiwome
GK England ENG Stan Amos
DF Singapore SGP Harry Birtwistle
MF Jamaica JAM Fabian Reynolds
FW Portugal POR Leo Lopes
FW Scotland SCO Ethan Sutherland

Out on loan

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
33 DF Netherlands NED Nigel Lonwijk (at Huddersfield Town until 31 May 2025)
48 GK Republic of Ireland IRL James Storer (at Darlaston Town (1874) F.C. until 1 January 2025)
49 DF Democratic Republic of the Congo COD Marvin Kaleta (at Motherwell until 31 May 2025)
87 FW Jamaica JAM Tyler Roberts (at AFC Fylde until 31 May 2025)

Academy and Under 18s

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Wolverhampton Wanderers Academy is a Category 1 status facility and has produced several high-profile graduates including internationals Robbie Keane and Joleon Lescott.[3] Many other players have gone on to play first team football at Molineux, including current first-team players Hugo Bueno, Chem Campbell, Luke Cundle and Dexter Lembikisa.

The current U18 lead coach is James McPike and is based at the club's Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground.[4][5]

All players are correct in accordance to the Wolves Official Website (not including trialists)[6]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
55 MF England ENG Alfie White
61 DF England ENG Wes Okoduwa
76 DF England ENG Caden Voice
77 MF England ENG Fraser Harper
78 FW England ENG Emilio Ballard-Matthews
GK Wales WAL Lewys Benjamin
GK Northern Ireland NIR Josh Gracey
GK England ENG George Hardy
GK England ENG Lucas Kibrya
DF England ENG Myles Dayman
DF England ENG Josh Gidaree
DF Scotland SCO Sebastian Lochhead
DF England ENG Saheed Olagunju
DF Austria AUT David Osifo
No. Pos. Nation Player
DF England ENG Jason Nyakudya
DF England ENG Lennon Patterson
DF England ENG Max Ruddock
MF Wales WAL Makenzie Bradbury
MF England ENG Ryan Colesby
MF England ENG Conor McLeod
MF Norway NOR Bjorn Marwa
MF England ENG Luke Rawlings
MF England ENG Jake Wilcox
FW England ENG Reiss Bowen
FW England ENG Mateus Mané
FW South Korea KOR Minkyu Ji
FW England ENG Fabian Salmon

Out on loan

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

No. Pos. Nation Player

Michael Bristow Trophy / Academy Scholar of the Year

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The Michael Bristow trophy is named after Mike Bristow, a lifelong Wolverhampton Wanderers FC supporter, who died in 2008.

The trophy was donated to Wolverhampton Wanderers FC by Keith Brown.

The trophy is a sterling silver cup, below which are engraved the names of the annual winner, which is decided upon by Wolves and awarded annually to their Academy Scholar of the Year. The trophy is retained in the trophy room at the Molineux.

The presentation is generally made on the pitch in one of the final first team home games of the season, by Keith Brown, Hazel Bristow and Matt Bristow. The winner is given an engraved trophy donated by Keith Brown or Hazel Bristow, to mark their achievement.

Season Winner
2009 Republic of Ireland John Dunleavy
2010 England Jamie Reckord
2011 Northern Ireland Johnny Gorman
2012 England Sam Whittall
2013 England Dominic Iorfa
2014 France Ibrahim Keita
2015 England Regan Upton
2016 Wales Ryan Leak
2017 England Cameron John
2018 England Ryan Giles
2019 England Taylor Perry
2020 Portugal Christian Marques
2021 England Jack Hodnett
2023 England Owen Farmer

References

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  1. ^ "In Reserve". www.wolves.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013.
  2. ^ "In Reserve". www.wolves.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013.
  3. ^ "Category One academy". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. 27 July 2012.
  4. ^ "Scott Sellars appointed as Head of Academy". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. 12 March 2019.
  5. ^ "Academy undergoes summer restructure". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. 7 September 2019.
  6. ^ "Under-18".