Burnley Academy

Burnley FC run a category 1 academy based in Lancashire. They have a strong youth development program that aims to nurture young talent.

The Academy was officially granted Category One status in May 2025 — an impressive achievement, especially given that it only progressed from Category Three to Category Two status in 2017.

The upgrade reflected improvements in facilities, coaching standards, and overall player development programmes.

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

After playing their first two home games at Gawthorpe, the Under-21s returned to their usual venue, the County Ground in Leyland — a stadium owned and operated by the Lancashire County Football Association.

Starting in the 2025/26 season, Burnley FC, in partnership with aiScout, launched a new Player Development Centre (PDC) in Greater Manchester.

The programme, called Future Clarets, offers children aged 7–14 the chance to train with official Burnley coaches, with standout players given the opportunity to progress to a full Academy trial.

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; Burnley’s Under-18s play in the North 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.
• FA Youth Cup – the traditional nationwide knockout competition open to academy sides across English football.
• 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.
• Central League Cup – a reserve-team competition in which entrants are divided into groups, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the quarter-finals.
• National League Cup – a 32-team midweek competition comprising 16 Under-21 sides from Premier League 2 and 16 National League club first teams.
• Lancashire FA Senior Cup – a county knockout competition contested by Burnley’s Under-21s alongside senior sides from across Lancashire.

2025/26 Season

The Academy enters the 2025/26 season under Head of Academy Coaching Jimmy Hunter, Under-21 Manager Andy Farrell, and Under-18 Manager Tony Philliskirk.

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.

Scholars 2025/26

Inspired by the national team cap tradition, all new scholars now receive a commemorative cap to celebrate their achievement. The 2025/26 intake: Callum Feeney (Goalkeeper), Harry Grimshaw (Goalkeeper), Freddie Best (Defender), Luca Fong (Defender), Diandro Fletchman (Defender)

Croyde Da Costa (Defender), Dylan Morison (Midfielder), Luca Scanlon (Midfielder), James Lewis (Midfielder), Destiny Okonkwo (Forward), Vishon Masara (Forward), Warren Taylor (Forward).

Academy Players on Loan 2025/26

• Sam Waller (Goalkeeper) – Crewe Alexandra
• Owen Dodgson (Defender) – Stockport County
• Joe Bauress (Midfielder) – Accrington Stanley
• Logan Pye (Defender) – Accrington Stanley
• Tommy McDermott (Midfielder) – Shrewsbury Town
• Oluwaseun Adewunmi (Midfielder) – Cercle Brugge
• Vernon Masara (Forward) – FC United of Manchester
• Michael Mellon (Forward) – Oldham Athletic
• Tom Tweedy (Forward) – Morecambe; Darlington
• Charlie Casper (Goalkeeper) – Grimsby Town; Alfreton Town
• Braidin Derbyshire (Forward) – 1874 Northwich
• Felix Chester (Goalkeeper) – Burscough
• Lewis Forshaw (Goalkeeper) – Worksop Town
• Connor Edwards (Goalkeeper) – Prescot Cables
• Joe Ashton (Defender) – Marine FC
• Anwar Murtesa (Defender) – Clitheroe
• Marley Leuluai (Midfielder) – Marine AFC

Academy Players in the First Team 2025/26

Oliver Pimlott (Defender, #54), George Brierley (Midfielder, #41).

International Players 2025/26

• Archie Lorimer (FW) – Wales U17
• Kian McMahon-Brown (MF) – Ireland U17
• Troy Savage (MF) – Northern Ireland U19
• Oli Pimlott (MF) – Scotland U19
• Seun Adewumi (MF) – Austria U21
• Luca Scanlon (MF) – Gibraltar U21

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Premier League Cup, Burnley’s Under-17s were drawn in Group E against Under-17 sides from Blackburn Rovers, Manchester United and Stoke City.

For the U18 Premier League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group H against Derby County, Reading and Tottenham Hotspur.

In the U21 Premier League Cup, the Under-21s were drawn in Group F against Cardiff City, QPR and Stockport County.

Meanwhile in the National League Cup, the Under-21s were drawn in Group A against Brackley Town, Rochdale, Solihull Moors and Tamworth, with all fixtures played away from home.

Season Timeline

June 2025

• 18-year-old Oli Pimlott signed his first professional contract with the Clarets, committing to a two-year deal until the summer of 2027.

July 2025

• Burnley’s Under-21s and Under-18s travelled to Poland for a week-long training camp in preparation for the upcoming Premier League 2 and U18 Premier League seasons.
• Winger Zach Johnson committed his future to the Clarets by signing his first professional contract with the club.

August 2025

• Joe Westley completed a permanent transfer to Scottish Premiership club Dundee for an undisclosed fee.

September 2025

• Goalkeeper Oisin Cooney joined Andy Farrell’s Under-21 squad following his move from Finn Harps, securing a contract that runs until the summer of 2027 after impressing on trial.

October 2025

• Noah Adekoya signed his first professional contract with the Clarets, agreeing to a one-year deal until the summer of 2026.
• Academy striker Benji Wetshi signed a one-year professional deal with Burnley, keeping him at the club until summer 2026.
• Kian McMahon was selected for the Republic of Ireland Under-17 squad for the World Cup in Qatar.

November 2025

• Academy goalkeeper Charlie Casper made his EFL debut while on loan at Grimsby Town.

December 2025

• Burnley’s Under-18s booked their place in the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup.
• Burnley’s Under-18s were drawn to face Norwich City in the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup.
• Goalkeeper Connor Edwards signed his first professional contract with Burnley, running until the summer of 2028.

January 2026

• Joe Bevan completed a permanent move to Dundee United for an undisclosed fee, having arrived at the Clarets from Albion Rovers in February 2024 and spent the second half of the previous season on loan at Carlisle United.
• Brad Grant departed the Under-21s squad following the expiration of his contract with Burnley.
• Burnley’s Under-18s advanced to the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup, setting up a home tie against Charlton Athletic.
• Burnley completed the signing of 18-year-old former Rangers defender Cameron Scott for Andy Farrell’s Under-21s, on an 18-month deal until the summer of 2027.

February 2026

• George Brierley signed his first professional contract, committing his future to the club until the summer of 2028; the 18-year-old has been a regular presence for the Under-21s this season and has also featured in the first-team squad, most notably for the Premier League away fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion.
• Burnley’s Under-18s reached the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup, setting up a tie against Blackburn Rovers.

June 2026

• Burnley announced the signing of striker Jiaming Zhang, who joins the Under-21s squad ahead of the 2026/27 season on a deal until the summer of 2027, arriving in Lancashire after spending the previous six months playing in Serbia.

2024/25 Season

The 2024/25 season proved highly successful across all age groups for the then-Category Two Academy, with the Under-18 and Under-21 sides reaching four semi-finals between them: the U17 Professional Development League Plate, U18 Professional Development League, U21 Professional Development League play-offs and U21 Premier League Cup.

The Under-21s also finished runners-up in the Lancashire Senior Cup.

Scholars 2024/25

Corey King (Forward), Albert Blackie (Midfielder), Kian McMahon-Brown (Forward), Connor Edwards (Goalkeeper), Joseph Wilcock (Defender), Anwar Murtesa (Defender)

George Brierley (Midfielder), Brandon Pouani (Forward), Braidin Derbyshire (Forward), Michael Stanley (Defender), Fabio So (Defender), Troy Savage (Midfielder).

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Michael Mellon (Forward) – Stockport County; Bradford City
• Julien Vetro (Forward) – Dundee FC
• Joe Westley (Forward) – Rochdale; Swindon Town
• Oluwaseun Adewumi (Forward) – Dundee FC
• Joe Ashton (Defender) – Hyde United
• Charlie Casper (Goalkeeper) – FC United of Manchester; Bamber Bridge
• Ryan Tioffo (Forward) – Wythenshawe Town FC
• Bradley Grant (Defender) – Marine AFC
• Sam Waller (Goalkeeper) – Rochdale
• Will Hugill (Midfielder) – Chester FC; AFC Fylde
• Jon Ander Villa Robinson (Goalkeeper) – Avro FC
• Dara Costelloe (Forward) – Accrington Stanley; Northampton Town
• Owen Dodgson (Defender) – Burton Albion
• Joseph Bevan (Forward) – Carlisle United
• Lewis Richardson (Midfielder) – York City
• Tom Tweedy (Forward) – AFC Fylde
• Murray Campbell (Defender) – Chorley
• Lewis Forshaw (Goalkeeper) – Lancaster City

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Tom Tweedy (Forward, #38), Joe Bauress (Midfielder, #43), Tommy McDermott (Midfielder, #49), Charlie Veevers (Midfielder, #55).

International Players 2024/25

• Archie Lorimer (FW) – Wales U16
• Troy Savage (MF) – Northern Ireland U17
• Kian McMahon-Brown (MF) – Ireland U17
• Murray Campbell (DF) – Scotland U19
• Oli Pimlott (DF) – Scotland U19
• Oluwaseun Adewumi (FW) – Austria U21
• Tom Tweedy (FW) – Wales U21

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

In the U18 Professional Development League Cup, Burnley’s Under-18s were drawn in Group D against Preston North End, Sheffield United and Wigan Athletic.

In the U21 Premier League Cup, the Under-21s were drawn in Group G against Luton Town, Brighton & Hove Albion and Reading.

In the Central League Cup, 18 teams entered the competition across four groups — Groups A and C containing five teams each, and Groups B and D containing four.

Burnley’s Reserves are drawn in Group A against Blackburn Rovers Reserves, Barrow Reserves, Morecambe FC Reserves and Carlisle United Reserves.

Season Timeline

November 2024

• Burnley were drawn away to Fleetwood Town in the third round of the FA Youth Cup.
• The third-round tie against Fleetwood Town was confirmed for Tuesday 10 December at Highbury Stadium.

December 2024

• The Under-21s secured their place in the Premier League Cup knockout stages following their group-stage fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion.
• Burnley’s FA Youth Cup journey came to an end in the third round, following their tie against Fleetwood Town.

January 2025

• Benn Ward completed a permanent transfer to Accrington Stanley from Burnley, signing a one-and-a-half-year contract.

February 2025

• Burnley’s Under-21s progressed to the semi-finals of the Lancashire FA Senior Cup, following their quarter-final tie against Morecambe.

March 2025

• Burnley’s Under-17s’ Professional Development League Trophy campaign came to an end, following their semi-final tie against Shrewsbury Town.

April 2025

• Burnley’s Under-21s were set to face QPR in the Premier League Cup semi-finals after progressing through the quarter-finals against Chelsea.
• The Premier League Cup semi-final between Burnley’s Under-21s and QPR’s Under-21s was confirmed for Wednesday 30 April.
• Burnley’s Under-21s secured their spot in the end-of-season Professional Development League play-offs, following their fixture against Fleetwood Town.
• Burnley’s Under-21s’ Premier League Cup campaign came to an end in the semi-finals, following their tie against QPR.

May 2025

• Burnley’s Under-18s’ Premier League U18 Professional Development League play-off campaign came to an end in the semi-final, following their tie against Watford.
• Burnley’s Under-21s’ Premier League U21 Professional Development League play-off campaign came to an end in the semi-final, following their tie against Bournemouth.

June 2025

• Zach Johnson was nominated Burnley’s Scholar of the Year for the 2024/25 season, earning the honour through his dedication both on and off the pitch.

Released Academy Players (end of 2024/25)

Under-21s: Alex Healy-Byrne (joined AFC Fylde), Will Hugill (joined Halifax Town), Joao Mendes, Lewis Richardson (joined Boreham Wood), Basilio Rieno Socoliche, Jon Ander Vilar Robinson, Ryan Tioffo, Brandon Ly.

Under-18s: Adam Abbas, Ben Jordison (joined Barnsley), Logan Carlin, Luca Jackson, Frankie McMahon-Brown.