Colchester United Academy

Colchester United runs a category 2 academy based in Essex. They have a strong youth development program that aims to nurture young talent.

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

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.
• 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.
• Essex Senior Cup – a county knockout competition contested by Colchester United alongside senior sides from across Essex.

2025/26 Season

The Academy enters the 2025/26 season with Eddie Keen as Under-18 Head Coach for the majority of the campaign.

In February 2026, Joe Dunne rejoined Colchester United, taking over as Lead Coach of the Under-18s after spending the previous 18 months in the same role at Gillingham FC.

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

• Franke Terry (Defender) – Braintree Town
• Samuel Kuffour Jr. (Defender) – Hornchurch
• Frankie Edwards (Defender) – Hornchurch
• Max Jolliffe (Midfielder) – Billericay; Yeovil Town
• James Sasere (Forward) – Heybridge Swifts; Grays Athletic
• Ronnie Harvey (Midfielder) – Chelmsford City
• Harrison Chamberlain (Goalkeeper) – Cray Valley PM
• Alfie Newby (Defender) – AFC Sudbury
• Kien Connolly (Forward) – AFC Sudbury; Dagenham and Redbridge
• Fela Abidekun (Defender) – Grays Athletic
• Daniel Banjoko (Midfielder) – White Ensign
• Jack Sexton (Goalkeeper) – White Ensign
• Leo Makatta (Forward) – Heybridge Swifts
• Owen Moore (Defender) – Concord Rangers
• Herbie Shaw (Defender) – Takeley
• Dwayne Campina Do Vale (Forward) – Carshalton Athletic
• Evans Makise (Forward) – Bishop Stortford

Academy Players in the First Team 2025/26

Frankie Terry (Defender, #40), Samuel Kuffour Jr. (Defender, #44), Ronnie Harvey (Defender, #47), Kaion Lisbie (Forward, #34).

International Players 2025/26

Freddie Parsons (Forward) – Wales U15.

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Professional Development League Cup, Colchester United’s Under-17s were grouped with Under-17 sides from Cambridge United, Northampton Town and Gillingham.

For the U18 Professional Development League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group D against Luton Town, Oxford United and Watford, with fixtures scheduled for 26 August, 4 October and 22 November 2025.

In the U21 Premier League Cup, the Under-21s were drawn in Group H against Bromley, Norwich City and Sunderland.

Season Timeline

June 2025

• Elkanah Akor, Alfie Newby and Kai O’Flynn Martin each signed their first professional contracts with Colchester United.

July 2025

• 18-year-old centre-forward Makise Evans signed his first professional contract with the U’s after joining from Stevenage.
• Young winger Kaion Lisbie signed his first professional deal with Colchester United.

August 2025

• 21-year-old defender Frankie Terry signed a new two-year deal with Colchester United, extending his stay at the club he initially joined at the age of 15.

October 2025

• A youthful Colchester United side were eliminated from the Essex Senior Cup, following their tie away to Aveley in the third round.
• Colchester United’s Under-18s advanced to the second round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie away against AFC Wimbledon.

November 2025

• Colchester United’s Under-18s were confirmed to travel to face Barnet in the FA Youth Cup second round, with kick-off scheduled for Tuesday 18 November.
• Colchester United’s Under-18s were confirmed to head to FC Halifax Town in the FA Youth Cup third round, following their tie against Barnet.

December 2025

• The young U’s progressed to the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie away to FC Halifax Town, setting up a tie against the winner of Oxford United v Wigan Athletic.
• Frankie Terry was recalled from his loan at Braintree Town in the National League, where he made 26 appearances.
• Colchester United’s Under-18s were set to travel to the Kassam Stadium to face Oxford United in their fourth-round tie on Thursday 22 January, with kick-off scheduled for 6pm.

January 2026

• Freddie Ingram joined Colchester United on an eighteen-month deal until summer 2027; the 19-year-old began at Southampton’s academy, moved to AFC Bournemouth’s academy, and later played for Eastleigh FC.
• Colchester United’s FA Youth Cup run came to an end, following their tie against Championship side Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium.

February 2026

• Joe Dunne rejoined Colchester United, taking over from Eddie Keen as Lead Coach of the Under-18s, after spending the past eighteen months in the same role at Gillingham FC.

2024/25 Season

A proud 2024/25 season for the Colchester Academy saw the Under-18s reach the semi-finals of the U18 Professional Development League.

Scholars 2024/25

Owen Moore, James Sasere, Dwayne Campina Do Vale, Daniel Banjoko, Leo Makatta, Herbie Shaw, Ronnie Harvey, Olufela Abidekun.

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Oscar Thorn (Forward) – Chelmsford City
• Frankie Terry (Defender) – Braintree Town; Yeovil Town
• Kien Connolly (Forward) – Maldon & Tiptree
• Max Jolliffe (Midfielder) – Maldon & Tiptree
• Hakeem Sandah (Forward) – Maldon & Tiptree
• Alfie Bendle (Midfielder) – Chelmsford City; St Albans City
• Harrison Chamberlain (Goalkeeper) – Cray Valley PM
• Joel Thompson (Defender) – Aveley
• Frankie Edwards (Defender) – Chelmsford City
• Kyreece Lisbie (Forward) – Braintree Town

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Samson Tovide (Forward, #9), Alfie Bendle (Midfielder, #20), Joel Thompson (Defender, #26), Oscar Thorn (Forward, #31), Hakeem Sandah (Forward, #34), Kien Connolly (Forward, #39)

Frankie Terry (Defender, #40), Max Jolliffe (Midfielder, #41), Frankie Edwards (Defender, #43), Oliver Godziemski (Forward, #45), Harrison Chamberlain (Goalkeeper, #46), James Sasere (Forward, #48), Rash Drysdale (Forward, #47).

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

In the U18 Professional Development League Cup, Colchester United’s Under-18s were drawn in Group E against Under-18 sides from Stevenage, Charlton Athletic and QPR.

For the U21 Premier League Cup, the Under-21s were drawn in Group E against Blackburn Rovers, Queens Park Rangers and Preston North End.

Season Timeline

October 2024

• Colchester United were drawn at home to Hackney Wick FC in the first round of the FA Youth Cup.
• Colchester secured a place in the second round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against Hackney Wick FC.

November 2024

• Colchester United’s Under-18s were drawn away to Burgess Hill in the second round of the FA Youth Cup.
• Colchester were drawn away to either Merstham or Forest Green Rovers in the third round of the FA Youth Cup, contingent on Burgess Hill’s result later that month.
• Colchester United’s FA Youth Cup journey came to an end in the second round, following their tie away at Burgess Hill.

January 2025

• Frankie Terry was recalled at the end of his loan spell at Braintree Town.
• Alfie Bendle was recalled from his loan at Chelmsford City, where he made 13 appearances in all competitions.

February 2025

• Joel Thompson signed on a permanent deal to Finn Harps from Colchester United.
• Colchester United’s Under-18s were set to face Sheffield United in the semi-final of the Professional Development League Cup, on Wednesday 5 March.
• Sam Kuffour signed for Colchester United’s Under-21s from Maldon & Tiptree, before returning to the Jammers on loan.

April 2025

• Kyreece Lisbie was recalled from his loan at Braintree Town and rejoined Colchester United, linking up with the U’s first-team squad for the rest of the season.

May 2025

• Colchester United offered development contracts to Elkanah Akor, Alfie Newby and Kai O’Flynn Martin.

Released Academy Players (end of 2024/25)

Rash Drysdale, Alexander Kokoshi, Alamin Kosoko, Burak Sabah, Jack Sexton.