Exeter City Academy

Exeter City runs a category 3 academy based in Devon. They have an elite youth development program that nurtures young talent.

Some of the Academy’s games are played at Willand Rovers FC’s ground.

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

Since its restructure in 2006, the Exeter City Academy has operated a three-tiered Players Progression Pathway, combining education and football to develop the South West’s top young talents.

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.
• FA Youth Cup – the traditional nationwide knockout competition open to academy sides across English football.
• 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.

2025/26 Season

The Academy enters the 2025/26 season under Under-18 Lead Coach David Oldfield. Contract offers were extended to George Birch, Liam Oakes and Kieran Wilson.

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

Tobias Alsop (Defender), Harry Appleton (Forward), Logan Aston (Defender), Percy Baker (Midfielder), Jack Bellotti (Midfielder), Louie Cayless (Midfielder), Sam Down (Goalkeeper)

Marshall Murray (Goalkeeper), Henry Revell (Defender), Jamie Rickhuss (Defender), Nathan Swift (Midfielder).

Academy Players on Loan 2025/26

• Frankie Phillips (Goalkeeper) – Taunton Town
• Kieran Wilson (Forward) – Torquay United; Truro City
• Ed James (Defender) – Torquay United
• Charlie Cummins (Midfielder) – Weston-super-Mare
• Tom Dean (Midfielder) – Truro City
• Jack Anthony (Defender) – Tiverton Town
• Liam Cartwright (Defender) – Tiverton Town
• Aidan Bown (Midfielder) – Sidmouth Town

Academy Players in the First Team 2025/26

Tom Dean (Midfielder, #33), Kieran Wilson (Forward, #37), George Birch (Midfielder, #42), Charlie Cummins (Midfielder, #45), Ed James (Defender, #40).

International Players 2025/26

• George Williams (FW) – Wales U16
• Ed James (DF) – Wales U21

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Professional Development League Cup, Exeter City’s Under-17s were grouped with Under-17 sides from Swindon Town, AFC Bournemouth and Newport County.

In the U21 Premier League Cup, the Under-21s were drawn in Group E against Luton Town, Brentford and West Bromwich Albion.

Season Timeline

July 2025

• Goalkeeper Harry Lee turned down a new contract offer from Exeter City and left the club following the expiration of his deal.
• Jake Richards signed for Luton Town from Exeter City; in September 2023, he had become the third-youngest player to feature for the club, going on to make 32 first-team appearances at just 17 years old before his departure.

August 2025

• Goalkeeper Harry Lee completed a move to Crystal Palace on a free transfer following the expiry of his contract; the 20-year-old progressed through the Grecians’ academy and had featured as part of the first-team squad in recent seasons.

October 2025

• Exeter City’s Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup journey came to an end, following their tie at home to Forest Green Rovers.

2024/25 Season

A proud 2024/25 season for the Exeter City Academy saw the Under-21s reach the Round of 16 of the U21 Premier League Cup.

Scholars 2024/25

Jude Horn (Defender), Harry Crees (Defender), Jack Anthony (Defender), Liam Cartwright (Defender), Luke Hodgetts (Midfielder), Aidan Bown (Midfielder), Callum Graham (Forward).

The scholars spent two seasons with the Under-18s, competing in the Youth Alliance League (South), the Youth Alliance Cup, and the FA Youth Cup.

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Cheick Diabaté (Defender) – Bradford City
• Charlie Cummins (Midfielder) – Poole Town
• Mitch Beardmore (Midfielder) – Plymouth Parkway FC; Bath City
• Jacca Cavendish (Defender) – Tavistock AFC
• Liam Oakes (Defender) – Plymouth Parkway FC
• Kye Cooper (Defender) – Shaftesbury FC
• Theo Cuttler (Forward) – Exmouth Town FC
• Pedro Borges (Midfielder) – Yeovil Town; Weston-super-Mare AFC
• Ed James (Defender) – Yeovil Town; Bath City
• Tom Dean (Midfielder) – Plymouth Parkway FC
• Gabe Billington (Midfielder) – Tiverton

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Sonny Cox (Forward, #19), Harry Lee (Goalkeeper, #22), Ed James (Defender, #40), Pedro Borges (Midfielder, #41), Theo Cutler (Forward, #44), Charlie Cummins (Midfielder, #45)

Liam Oakes (Defender, #46), Jake Richards (Midfielder, #47), Louie Cayless (Defender, #48), Kieran Wilson (Forward, #49).

International Players 2024/25

Ed James (Defender) – Wales U21.

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

In the U18 Youth Alliance Cup, Exeter City’s Under-18s were drawn in Group F against Under-18 sides from Bristol Rovers, Newport County, Plymouth Argyle and Portsmouth.

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

Season Timeline

October 2024

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

November 2024

• Exeter City’s Under-18s were drawn at home against AFC Dunstable in the second round of the FA Youth Cup.
• Exeter City were drawn away to either Stevenage or Cheltenham Town in the third round of the FA Youth Cup, contingent on their result against AFC Dunstable.
• Exeter City advanced to the third round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against AFC Dunstable, and were set to face Stevenage in the next round.

December 2024

• Exeter City were set to host Fulham in the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup, contingent on progressing past Stevenage.
• Exeter City advanced to the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against Stevenage.
• Academy graduate Jake Richards featured for the first team against Bristol Rovers.

January 2025

• Cheick Diabaté returned from his loan spell at Bradford City, where he had featured in 16 matches across League Two, the FA Cup and the EFL Trophy.
• Pedro Borges was recalled from his loan at Yeovil Town, where he had made nine appearances.
• Exeter City’s Under-18s were eliminated from the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against Fulham.

March 2025

• Exeter City’s Under-21s were set to face Brentford B in the next round of the Premier League Cup, with the match taking place at St James Park on 13 March.
• As part of EFL Youth Development Week, celebrated across all 72 League clubs, Exeter City highlighted its strong track record of developing academy players.
• Exeter City announced that Liam Oakes had signed his first professional contract with the club; Liam made his first-team debut for the Grecians at the start of the season against Walsall and had since featured in four appearances for Gary Caldwell’s side.

April 2025

• Jake Richards was shortlisted by the LFE for the EFL League One Apprentice of the Season awards for 2025, an award honouring exceptional young professionals at EFL clubs who have distinguished themselves both on and off the pitch throughout the season.

Released Academy Players (end of 2024/25)

Max Edgecombe (joined Plymouth Parkway), Gabe Billington, Mitch Beardmore.