Bradford City AFC Academy

Bradford City AFC runs a category 3 academy based in West Yorkshire. They have an elite youth development program that nurtures young talent.

Some Academy home matches take place at the grounds of Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC — nicknamed ‘The Green Army’

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

The long-term goal of Bradford City Academy is to develop elite footballers in a safe yet challenging environment, with success achieved through a partnership between players, parents, and staff.

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 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 Tom Calvert and Head of Academy Coaching Tom Butcher.

In September 2025, Luke Hendrie rejoined Bradford City as Lead Youth Development Phase Coach, while Jack Fairbrother was promoted to Foundation Phase Lead Coach.

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.

Harry Ibbitson and Zac Hadi both had their contracts extended via option clauses.

Scholars 2025/26

Oliver Hewitt, Jacob Hall, Jenson Gaitely, Edward Baldwin, Leroy Gomes, Harry Parr, Jack Ryder, Thomas Cissa.

Academy Players on Loan 2025/26

• Harry Ibbitson (Forward) – Chorley
• George Goodman (Defender) – Guiseley AFC

Academy Players in the First Team 2025/26

Bobby Pointon (Midfielder, #23).

International Players 2025/26

Harry Barrow (Goalkeeper) – Wales U16.

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Professional Development League Cup, Bradford City’s Under-17s were grouped with Under-17 sides from Oldham Athletic, Hull City and Salford City.

Season Timeline

October 2025

• Bradford City’s Under-18s advanced to the second round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against Stockton Town.

November 2025

• Bradford City’s Under-18s were confirmed to travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace’s Under-18s in the FA Youth Cup third round, with the tie scheduled for Friday 5 December.

December 2025

• Bradford City’s Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup journey came to an end in the third round, following their tie against Crystal Palace.

2024/25 Season

The Academy entered the 2024/25 season under Head of Academy Coaching Ryan Farrell, with Tom Calvert joining as the club’s new Head of Academy midway through the campaign.

Scholars 2024/25

Jack Robinson (Goalkeeper), Brandon White (Defender), Hassan Ayub (Defender), Zante Rose Campbell (Defender), Mahmoud Mohammed (Midfielder), Joel Martin (Midfielder)

Ryan Eli (Forward), Kyro Ziemiecki (Forward), Kieran Mboma (Forward), Cameron Paul (Forward).

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Harry Ibbitson (Forward) – Kidderminster Harriers; Guiseley
• Gabriel Wadsworth (Midfielder) – Bradford PA

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Gabriel Wadsworth (Midfielder), George Goodman (Defender, #55).

International Players 2024/25

George Goodman (Defender) – Northern Ireland U19.

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

In the U18 Youth Alliance Cup, Bradford City’s Under-18s were drawn in Group C against Under-18 sides from Doncaster Rovers, Grimsby Town, Harrogate Town, Hartlepool United and Huddersfield Town.

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

Season Timeline

November 2024

• Bradford City were drawn away to Blyth Spartans in the first round of the FA Youth Cup.
• The FA ordered a replay of Bradford City’s first-round FA Youth Cup tie against Blyth Spartans, after the club made too many substitutions in the original fixture; the replay was scheduled to take place in Bradford on Wednesday 13 November.
• Bradford City’s FA Youth Cup journey came to an end in the first round, following their replay against Blyth Spartans.

January 2025

• Tom Calvert was appointed the club’s new Head of Academy.

May 2025

• Under-17 forward Kieran Mboma was awarded the 2024/25 Neil Matthews Academy Player of the Year award.
• George Goodman signed his first professional contract with the club following an impressive spell during his scholarship.

Released Academy Players (end of 2024/25)

Gabriel Wadsworth, Max Murray (joined Huddersfield Town).