Brighton and Hove Albion Academy

Brighton & Hove Albion FC runs a category 1 academy based in East Sussex. They have a youth development program that nurtures young talent.

The Academy is located at the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre in Lancing, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities designed for top-level player development.

The Academy’s official X (formerly Twitter) account is @BHAFC_Academy.

Albion were one of the first clubs to use older players as mentors within their Under-21 (and previously Under-23) teams.

The idea began with Andrew Crofts, who acted as both a player and a mentor, before Gary Dicker took on the same role from 2021.

Ben Barclay filled the role for the 2025/26 season with the Under-21s.

Academy Competitions

Each season, the Academy competes across the standard slate of competitions for Category One clubs:

• U18 Premier League – split into North and South divisions; Brighton’s Under-18s play in the South League.
• U17 & U18 Premier League Cup – introduced by the Premier League in 2017; seven group winners plus the best runner-up (by points, goal difference, then head-to-head) progress to the quarter-finals.
• Premier League 2 – since 2023, all Category One academies play in a single Swiss-style league, with entry and removal governed by Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) accreditation criteria.
• U21 Premier League Cup – introduced in the 2013/14 season to add a knockout tournament alongside the regular Professional Development Phase league schedule, featuring nine groups with the top team in each group plus the seven best runners-up advancing to the knockout stage.
• Premier League International Cup – teams are split into four groups of eight, each comprising four UK-based Under-21 sides and four invited overseas clubs represented by their development squads, with the top two in each group advancing to the knockout stage.
• National League Cup – a 32-team midweek competition comprising 16 Under-21 sides from Premier League 2 and 16 National League club first teams.
• Vertu Trophy (EFL Trophy) – a midweek knockout competition for EFL League One and League Two clubs, plus 16 invited Premier League and Championship clubs with Category One academies, regionalised from the group stage through to the quarter-finals.
• FA Youth Cup – the traditional nationwide knockout competition open to academy sides across English football.
• Sussex Senior Cup – a county knockout competition contested by Brighton’s Under-21s alongside senior sides from across Sussex.

2025/26 Season

The Academy enters the 2025/26 season under Head of Academy Ian Buckman and Under-21 Head Coach Shannon Ruth.

Steve Menzies and Tomer Hemed (interim) will share Under-18 Head Coach duties following Bjorn Hamberg’s departure to take up the role of head coach at Swedish club IF Elfsborg.

It proved an outstanding campaign for Shannon Ruth’s Under-21s, who were crowned Premier League 2 champions before capping the season with victory in the Hong Kong Soccer Sevens.

Scholars 2025/26

Liam Doyle, Tobi Akapo, Jackson Morby, Cristiano Anah, Raffaele Oppong, Jake Evans, Zac Brennan, Bode Newnham-Reeve, Jacob Parsons.

Academy Players on Loan 2025/26

• James Beadle (Goalkeeper) – Birmingham City
• Amario Cozier-Duberry (Forward) – Bolton Wanderers
• Mark O’Mahony (Forward) – Reading FC
• Do-young Yoon (Forward) – Excelsior Rotterdam
• Caylan Vickers (Forward) – Barnsley; Wigan Athletic
• Kamari Doyle (Midfielder) – Reading FC
• Charlie Penman (Defender) – Aldershot Town
• Jacob Slater (Defender) – Harrogate Town
• Thomas Watson (Midfielder) – Millwall
• Lorenz Ferdinand (Goalkeeper) – Havant & Waterlooville

Academy Players in the First Team 2025/26

Joe Knight (Midfielder, #49), Nehemiah Oriola (Forward, #58), Harry Howell (Midfielder, #53).

International Players 2025/26

• Rory Sykens (DF) – England U16
• Harrison Brown (MF) – Wales U16
• Fraser Widdop (MF) – England U17
• Freddie Simmonds (DF) – England U17; U18
• Harry Howell (FW) – England U18
• Nils Ramming (GK) – Sweden U18; U19
• Henry Kasvosve (MF) – Wales U19
• Adam Brett (FW) – Wales U19
• Thomas Watson (MF) – England U21
• James Beadle (GK) – England U21
• Jack Hinshelwood (MF) – England U21
• Jacob Slater (DF) – Ireland U21
• Mark O’Mahony (FW) – Ireland U21
• Stefanos Tzimas (FW) – Greece U21
• Isaiah Alakiu (DF) – Philippines U23

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Premier League Cup, Brighton’s Under-17s were drawn in Group D against Under-17 sides from Charlton Athletic, Chelsea and Southampton.

For the U18 Premier League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group G against Birmingham City, Manchester United and Middlesbrough.

In the Premier League International Cup, Brighton’s Under-21s were grouped with PSG, Dinamo Zagreb, Benfica and Real Sociedad, alongside fellow English sides Newcastle United, Chelsea and Nottingham Forest.

In the National League Cup, the Under-21s were drawn in Group C against Aldershot Town, Sutton United, Truro City and Woking, with all fixtures played away from home.

Finally in the Vertu Trophy, the Under-21s were drawn in Southern Group H against Barnet, Cambridge United and Luton Town.

Season Timeline

June 2025

• Defender Charlie Tasker signed a new contract with the club.
• Brighton and Hove Albion agreed new contracts with Benicio Baker-Boaitey, Joshua Duffus, Cam Peupion and Imari Samuels.
• 21-year-old goalkeeper Killian Cahill signed a two-year contract with Leyton Orient after his contract with Brighton expired.
• Goalkeeper Michael Dike joined Albion from Treaty United on a two-year deal.
• Goalkeeper Nils Ramming joined Brighton from Eintracht Frankfurt on a contract running until June 2030, subject to international clearance.

July 2025

• Ben Barclay joined Brighton’s Under-21 team as an older player and mentor, signing a one-year deal for the 2025/26 season.
• Harry Howell signed his first professional contract with Brighton.
• Defender Odel Offiah signed a four-year contract with Preston North End.
• 20-year-old Jamie Mullins signed for Wycombe Wanderers from Brighton.

August 2025

• Brighton completed the signing of 18-year-old midfielder Kofi Shaw from Bristol Rovers, having developed through the Rovers’ academy system after joining them at age 14.
• Forward Joshua Duffus left Brighton to join AS Saint-Étienne on a free transfer.

September 2025

• Adrian Mazilu completed a permanent move to Dinamo Bucharest, having originally joined Brighton from Farul Constanța in January 2024.
• 20-year-old goalkeeper Hugo Fisher signed with Southampton on a free transfer.

October 2025

• Midfielder Zac Brennan signed his first professional contract with Brighton & Hove Albion.
• Defender Freddie Simmonds was called up to the England Under-17 squad for the 2025 World Cup in Qatar.
• Albion were drawn away to Eastbourne Town in the Sussex Senior Cup third round.

November 2025

• Defender Jacob Slater and forward Mark O’Mahony were both named in the Ireland Under-21 squad for matches against England and Andorra.
• James Beadle was named in the England Under-21 squad for November.
• Brighton’s Under-21s progressed to the quarter-finals of the Sussex Senior Cup.

December 2025

• Albion were drawn to face Bognor Regis Town in the Sussex Senior Cup quarter-finals, with the match scheduled for Tuesday 13 January.
• Brighton’s Under-18s booked their place in the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup, setting up a tie against Queens Park Rangers.
• The Under-18s’ fourth-round tie against QPR was confirmed for Saturday 10 January at Loftus Road.

January 2026

• Brighton’s Under-18s advanced to the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup.
• Midfielder Joe Knight completed a permanent move to Stevenage, having joined Brighton’s academy at Under-12 level and progressed through the ranks before making his Premier League debut in November 2025.

February 2026

• Andrew Moran completed a permanent move to Preston North End, having made three senior appearances for Brighton after progressing through the club’s academy.
• Midfielder Josh Robertson signed a new contract with the club running until June 2028.
• Harry Howell became Brighton’s youngest-ever Premier League starter, aged seventeen years and 294 days.
• Brighton’s Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup campaign came to an end in the fifth round.

May 2026

• Brighton’s Under-21s capped off an outstanding 2025/26 season by winning the Hong Kong Soccer Sevens at Hong Kong Football Club, fresh from being crowned Premier League 2 champions.

June 2026

• Midfielder Zane Albarus, a member of Brighton’s academy since 2021, was set to join League Two side Gillingham after his contract expired.

2024/25 Season

A proud 2024/25 season for the Brighton Academy saw the Under-21s reach the Round of 16 knockout stage of Premier League 2, along with quarter-final appearances in both the National League Cup and the Premier League International Cup.

Midfielder Harry Howell was also named Premier League 2 Player of the Month for December.

Scholars 2024/25

Will Rutter (Goalkeeper), Finley Taylor (Goalkeeper), Sebastian Ademola (Defender), Isaiah Alakiu (Defender), Theo Outen (Defender), Freddie Simmonds (Defender), Tate Ferdinand (Defender)

Billy Cullinane (Midfielder), Harry Howell (Midfielder), Younes Ibrahim (Midfielder), Darius Lane (Midfielder), Jesse Middleton (Midfielder), Adam Brett (Forward), Tyler Silsby (Forward).

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Benicio Baker-Boaitey (Forward) – Port Vale
• Luca Barrington (Forward) – Grimsby Town
• James Beadle (Goalkeeper) – Sheffield Wednesday
• Odeluga Offiah (Defender) – Blackpool
• Amario Cozier-Duberry (Forward) – Blackburn Rovers
• Andrew Moran (Forward) – Stoke City
• Facundo Buonanotte (Forward) – Leicester City
• Ibrahim Osman (Forward) – Feyenoord
• Mark O’Mahony (Forward) – Portsmouth
• Samy Couchane (Midfielder) – Northampton Town
• Kamari Doyle (Midfielder) – Exeter City; Crawley Town
• Carl Rushworth (Goalkeeper) – Hull City
• Louis Flower (Forward) – Gateshead
• Ben Jackson (Defender) – Livingston; Queen’s Park
• Caylan Vickers (Midfielder) – Mansfield Town
• Ewan Ferguson (Forward) – West Ham

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Jack Hinshelwood (Defender, #41), Jacob Slater (Defender, #53), Joe Knight (Midfielder, #57).

International Players 2024/25

• Jacob Parsons (FW) – England U16
• Sebastian Ademola (DF) – Norway U17
• Freddie Simmonds (DF) – England U17
• Harry Howell (FW) – England U17
• Henry Kasvosve (MF) – Wales U17
• Darius Lane (MF) – USA U18
• Ed Turns (DF) – Wales U21
• James Beadle (GK) – England U21
• Jack Hinshelwood (DF) – England U21
• Killian Cahill (GK) – Republic of Ireland U21
• Andrew Moran (MF) – Republic of Ireland U21
• Mark O’Mahony (FW) – Republic of Ireland U21
• Ruairi McConville (DF) – Northern Ireland First Team

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Premier League Cup, Brighton’s Under-17s were drawn in Group C against Under-17 sides from Southampton, Crystal Palace and Reading.

For the U18 Premier League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group A against Derby County, Manchester City and Norwich City. In the U21 Premier League Cup, the Under-21s were drawn in Group G against Luton Town, Burnley and Reading.

In the Premier League International Cup, the Under-21s were grouped with RB Leipzig, Anderlecht, Real Sociedad and Sporting CP, alongside fellow English sides Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Southampton.

In the National League Cup, the Under-21s were drawn in Group A against Aldershot Town, Maidenhead United, Wealdstone and Woking, with all fixtures played away from home.

Season Timeline

October 2024

• Freddie Simmonds and Jamie Mullins were both nominated for the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award for September.

November 2024

• Caylan Vickers was nominated for the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award for October.
• Brighton were drawn away to Newcastle United in the third round of the FA Youth Cup.

December 2024

• Brighton’s FA Youth Cup campaign came to an end in the third round, following their tie against Newcastle United.

January 2025

• 18-year-old goalkeeper Sebastian Jensen joined Brighton’s Under-21 squad until June 2025, having previously played for Everton and Stoke City at Under-18 level.
• Midfielder Harry Howell was named the Premier League 2 Player of the Month for December.
• Imari Samuels completed a permanent move to Scottish Premiership side Dundee.
• Midfielder Toby Collyer signed to join Manchester United.
• Cameron Peupion completed a permanent transfer to ADO Den Haag.

February 2025

• Benicio Baker-Boaitey completed a permanent transfer to Millwall.
• Marcus Ifill officially joined Bromley on a permanent transfer.
• Defender Ruairi McConville completed a permanent transfer to Norwich City.
• Defender Ed Turns joined Exeter City on a two-and-a-half-year contract.

March 2025

• Brighton’s Under-21s were eliminated from the National League Cup at the quarter-final stage.
• Do-young Yoon agreed to join Brighton from South Korean club Daejeon Hana Citizen, remaining with Daejeon until the end of June before officially joining Albion.

April 2025

• Tommy Watson agreed to join Brighton from Sunderland on a deal until June 2029, set to officially become an Albion player when the summer transfer window opened.
• Brighton’s Under-21s were drawn against Crystal Palace’s Under-21s in the Premier League 2 Round of 16.
• Brighton’s Under-21s were eliminated from the Premier League 2 knockout stage at the Round of 16 stage.