Barnsley Academy

Barnsley FC runs a category 2 academy based in South Yorkshire. They have a youth development program that nurtures young talent.

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

Academy Competitions

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

• U17 Professional Development League Cup – an English youth football tournament for players aged 17 and under.
• U18 Professional Development League – a leading English youth competition for Category Two academies, comprising 20 teams split into North and South regional divisions, combining league competition with a national play-off system.
• U18 Professional Development League Cup – established for the 2021/22 season, featuring 32 teams divided into eight groups of four, with group winners advancing to the knockout stages.
• FA Youth Cup – the traditional nationwide knockout competition open to academy sides across English football.
• Professional Development League 2 – England’s main Under-21 youth competition for Category Two academies, sitting just below Premier League 2. It is split into regional North and South divisions, with play-offs determining the national champion.
• Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup – a county knockout competition contested by Barnsley’s Under-21s alongside sides from across the region.

2026/27 Season

Scholars 2026/27

Academy Players on Loan 2026/27

Academy Players in the First Team 2026/27

International Players 2026/27

2026/27 Tournament Groupings

Season Timeline

2025/26 Season

The Academy enters the 2025/26 season under Academy Manager Bobby Hassell.

Full details of players retained, released, or returned from loan following the 2024/25 season can be found on the club’s official retained list.

Academy Players on Loan 2025/26

• Bayley McCann (Defender) – Peterborough Sports
• Rogan Ravenhill (Goalkeeper) – Leamington FC
• Ziggy Kozluk (Defender) – Brighouse Town
• Aston Ellard (Forward) – Stocksbridge Park Steels; Hemel Hempstead
• Tom Senior (Defender) – Guisley AFC
• Ben Jordison (Defender) – Stocksbridge Park Steels
• Leo Farrell (Forward) – Guisley AFC; Scunthorpe United
• Connor Barratt (Defender) – Galway United
• Fábio Jaló (Forward) – Oldham Athletic

Academy Players in the First Team 2025/26

Vimal Yoganathan (Midfielder, #45), Kieren Flavell (Goalkeeper, #51), Robson Woodcock (Defender, #33), Jonathan Bland (Midfielder, #30), Connor Barratt (Defender, #29).

International Players 2025/26

• Vimal Yoganathan (MF) – Wales U21
• Jonathan Bland (MF) – Wales U21

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Professional Development League Cup, Barnsley’s Under-17s were grouped with Under-17 sides from Stockport County, Mansfield Town and Grimsby Town.

In the U18 Professional Development League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group F against Grimsby Town, Hull City and Preston North End, with fixtures scheduled for 26 August, 4 October and 22 November 2025.

Season Timeline

July 2025

• Four new players joined Barnsley’s Under-21s to strengthen the squad — Aston Ellard (from Coventry), Ben Jordison (from Burnley), Kingston Simbai (from Norwich City) and Nathan Willis (from Blackburn Rovers)
• Contract extensions were secured for current Reds Bayley McCann, Ziggy Kozluk, Aaron Atkinson, Luke Alker and Tom Senior.

August 2025

• Voldi Mbaya and Lewis Gould joined Barnsley’s Under-21 squad.
• Mbaya arrived following a spell in Sheffield Wednesday’s academy, while Gould linked up with the Reds after gaining senior experience in non-league football with Crawley Down Gatwick FC.

September 2025

• Barnsley FC signed Liverpool-born midfielder Stanley Holder, who links up with the Under-21s after developing at Everton before most recently playing for National League North side AFC Fylde.

October 2025

• Barnsley’s Under-18s were confirmed to host Mansfield Town in the FA Youth Cup second round proper, with the tie scheduled for Friday 14 November.
• 15-year-old Barnsley academy defender Josh Kenchington completed a move to Premier League club Newcastle United.

November 2025

• Barnsley’s Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup journey came to an end, following their tie against Mansfield Town.

May 2026

• Arley Kay, Max Rayner and Robson Woodcock were all offered professional contracts.

June 2026

• Robson Woodcock signed his first professional contract with Barnsley FC after impressing with a series of standout performances in the club’s academy.
• Arley Kay signed a professional contract to extend his stay at Oakwell, having been a key figure across Barnsley FC’s academy sides in recent seasons.

July 2026

• Young defender Calum Hudson became Barnsley FC’s first Under-21 summer signing after progressing from Scarborough Athletic’s youth ranks to the senior team in the National League North.

Released Academy Players (end of 2025/26)

Feyi Afuape, Jake Andrassy, Euan Cutler, Kalaab Daniel, Chrysolite Ogbu, Charles Price, Noah Ward, Aston Wilson, Jack Woodcock.

2024/25 Season

The 2024/25 season saw Barnsley’s Academy compete across the full slate of Category Two competitions, under Academy Manager Bobby Hassell, with the Under-21s also participating in the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup.

Scholars 2024/25

Eleven scholars joined the programme for the 2024/25 season: Feyi Afuape, Jake Andrassy, Euan Cuttler, Kalaab Daniel, Arley Kay, Chrysolite Ogbu, Charlie Price, Max Rayner, Noah Ward, Robson Woodcock, Jack Woodcock.

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Bayley McCann (Midfielder) – Peterborough Sports
• Jonathan Bland (Midfielder) – Peterborough Sports
• Aiden Marsh (Forward) – Raith Rovers
• Vimal Yoganathan (Midfielder) – Oldham
• Kieran Flavell (Goalkeeper) – Mickleover; Farsley
• Hayden Pickard (Defender) – Farsley

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Adam Hayton (Goalkeeper, #27), Callum West (Midfielder, #28), Connor Barratt (Defender, #29), Jonathan Bland (Midfielder, #30), Nathan James (Defender, #37), Bayley McCann (Midfielder, #41)

Luke Alker (Forward, #42), Josiah Dyer (Forward, #43), Vimal Yoganathan (Midfielder, #45), Ziggy Kozluk (Midfielder, #47).

International Players 2024/25

• Oliver Wilkinson (DF) – England U16
• Malachi Mbogba (MF) – Sierra Leone U20
• Bayley McCann (MF) – Northern Ireland U21
• Jonathan Bland (MF) – Wales U21
• Josiah Dyer (FW) – Montserrat First Team

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

In the U18 Professional Development League Cup, Barnsley’s Under-18s were drawn in Group C against Under-18 sides from Doncaster Rovers, Bradford City and Hull City.

Season Timeline

July 2024

• Additions were made to the Barnsley Academy Under-21 squad.

October 2024

• Barnsley were drawn away to Oldham Athletic in the first round of the FA Youth Cup.
• Barnsley’s Under-21s were set to face NCEL Division One side Athersley Recreation in the second round of the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup.
• Barnsley secured a place in the second round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against Oldham Athletic.

November 2024

• Barnsley’s Under-18s were drawn at home against Carlisle United in the second round of the FA Youth Cup, with the match scheduled for Wednesday 13 November.
• Barnsley’s FA Youth Cup journey came to an end in the second round, following their tie against Carlisle United.

January 2025

• Barnsley were eliminated from the Under-17s Professional Development League Cup at the Round of 16 stage, following their tie against Cambridge United.

March 2025

• Bayley McCann made his league debut for Barnsley against Blackpool.

June 2025

• Vimal Yoganathan helped Oldham Athletic to a memorable play-off promotion back to the EFL; since joining the Latics in January, the 19-year-old midfielder had made 17 appearances and played a key role throughout their play-off campaign.

Released Academy Players (end of 2024/25)

Geoffrey Lundoloki, Elliott Probert, Kallum Reid, Maxwell Swift, William Thompson, Malachi Tommy-Mbogba, Owen Warburton.