Wrexham AFC Academy

Wrexham A.F.C runs a category 3 academy based in Wales. They have an elite youth development program that nurtures young talent.

The club was awarded its EFL Category Three Academy Licence starting from the 2024 season.

Some of Wrexham’s Under-21 Academy home matches take place at the grounds of Nantwich Town FC.

Academy Competitions

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

• U17 Professional Development League Cup – an English youth football tournament for players aged 17 and under.
• U18 Youth Alliance League – an English youth football competition made up of two regional divisions, serving as the League Two tier within the U18 Professional Development League system.
• U18 Youth Alliance Cup – an EFL-organised youth tournament for Under-18 teams from League One and League Two clubs competing in the EFL Youth Alliance. It follows a format similar to the EFL Trophy, beginning with a regional group stage before progressing to a national knockout phase.
• 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.

2025/26 Season

The Academy enters the 2025/26 season under Head of Academy Gus Williams, Professional Development Phase Lead Coach Craig Knight, and Youth Development Phase Lead Gareth Richards.

Williams joined in October 2025 from the Football Association of Wales, where he had served as National Talent Identification Manager since 2023, succeeding Nick Chadwick, who departed to take up a role with Everton.

Knight rejoined Wrexham the following month after working with the FAW; a UEFA Pro-licensed coach, he brings 15 years of youth development experience across roles with both the FAW and Wrexham’s Academy.

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

• Max Purvis (Defender) – Flint Town United
• Alex Moore (Midfielder) – Colwyn Bay
• Rio Owen (Forward) – Caernarfon Town
• Tom Kelly (Defender) – Bootle FC
• Harry Ashfield (Midfielder) – Cheltenham Town

Tom Kelly, Alex Moore, Rio Owen and Max Purvis were all offered their first professional contracts during the season.

International Players 2025/26

• Jayden Smyth (MF) – Wales U16
• Jac Jones (MF) – Wales U17
• Connor Thorley (DF) – Wales U18
• Harry Ashfield (MF) – Wales U21

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Professional Development League Cup, Wrexham’s Under-17s were grouped with Under-17 sides from Shrewsbury Town, Huddersfield Town and Sheffield Wednesday.

For the U18 Professional Development League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group B against Cardiff City, Swansea City and Swindon Town, with fixtures scheduled for 26 August, 4 October and 22 November 2025.

Season Timeline

August 2025

• Nick Chadwick, Wrexham AFC Academy’s Head of Player and Pathway Development, announced he would leave the club to take up a new role with Premier League side Everton.

October 2025

• Gus Williams was named the new Academy Manager at Wrexham.

November 2025

• Craig Knight rejoined Wrexham AFC as the Professional Development Phase Lead Coach.
• Wrexham’s Under-18s were confirmed to host Port Vale in the FA Youth Cup third round proper, with the tie scheduled for Wednesday 3 December at the STōK Cae Ras.

December 2025

• Wrexham’s Under-18s advanced to the fourth round of the Youth Alliance Cup, following their tie against Port Vale.

January 2026

• The Under-17s booked their place in the Professional Development League Cup Shield semi-final, following their tie against Cardiff City.

February 2026

• Wrexham’s Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup journey came to an end in the fifth round, following their tie away to Aston Villa.

April 2026

• First-year scholar Jac Jones was called up to the Cymru Under-17 squad, travelling to San Marino for the European Championship Round Two mini-tournament, facing Andorra, Georgia and the hosts.
• In their first Under-15 Floodlit Cup campaign, Wrexham Academy topped their group before reaching the North Final, where the young Red Dragons were narrowly beaten by Preston North End.

2024/25 Season

A proud 2024/25 season for the Wrexham Academy saw the Under-18s reach the quarter-finals of the U18 Youth Alliance Cup.

Scholars 2024/25

Dafydd Edwards, Nikolas Slosarczyk, George Cruise, Samuel Chesworth, Oliver Mc Tweed, Tommy Clayton, Casey Bedford, Umar Nawaz, Joe Rees, Daymeon Alves Almeida.

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Callum Edwards (Midfielder) – Bala Town

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Aaron James (Defender, #34), Harry Ashfield (Midfielder, #45).

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

In the U18 Youth Alliance Cup, Wrexham’s Under-18s were drawn in Group 2 against Under-18 sides from Rochdale, Salford City, Shrewsbury Town, Stockport County and Port Vale.

For the U18 Professional Development League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group B against Bolton Wanderers, Fleetwood Town and Crewe Alexandra.

Season Timeline

October 2024

• Wrexham were drawn at home to Morecambe in the first round of the FA Youth Cup.
• Wrexham secured a place in the second round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against Morecambe.

November 2024

• Wrexham’s Under-18s were drawn away to Tranmere Rovers in the second round of the FA Youth Cup, with the match scheduled for Wednesday 13 November.
• The Wrexham Under-18s advanced to the third round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against Tranmere Rovers, and were set to play Lincoln City away in the next round.

May 2025

• Alex Moore was honoured with the prestigious Bob Clark Academy Player of the Year award, a recognition of his outstanding performances throughout the season.

Released Academy Players (end of 2024/25)

Keane Hazeldine, Reagan Nicholas, Bryn Owen, Harri Roberts, Anton Tierney.