Swindon Town Academy

Swindon Town runs a category 3 academy based in Wiltshire. They have an elite youth development program that nurtures young talent.

The Royal Agricultural University (RAU) in Cirencester is linked to Swindon Town Football Club through its involvement with the Academy.

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

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.
• Wiltshire Premier Shield – a county knockout competition contested by Swindon Town’s Under-18s alongside sides from across Wiltshire.

2025/26 Season

The Academy enters the 2025/26 season under Academy Director and Head of Football Tim Bell and Under-18 Manager Kirk McGinn.

Bell joined the Robins in October 2025 after spending over a decade with Cheltenham Town, succeeding Mark Moss, who stepped down as Academy Manager the previous month to pursue a new career outside the football industry.

Nine players remained with the club for the 2025/26 season as second-year scholars, while third-year options were activated for four Under-18 players:

Dani Gonzalez-Birchall, George Alston, Anthony McCormick and Botan Ameen. Full details are available on the club’s official retained and released list.

Scholars 2025/26

Charlie Summers (Goalkeeper), Teddy Moulder (Defender), Lucas Griffiths-Brown (Defender), Louis Millard (Midfielder), Jacob Hagan (Midfielder), Tom Mercer (Defender), Barrack Yeboah (Defender).

Academy Players on Loan 2025/26

• Sonny Hart (Defender) – Greenock Morton; Farnborough; St Albans City
• Lucas Myers (Goalkeeper) – Melksham Town; Swindon Supermarine; Brislington
• Redman Evans (Goalkeeper) – Alvechurch
• Dylan Mitchell (Midfielder) – Weston-Super-Mare; Leamington
• Dani Gonzalez (Midfielder) – Swindon Supermarine
• George Alston (Midfielder) – Swindon Supermarine
• Jaxon Brown (Midfielder) – Hashtag United
• Owen Foye (Defender) – Swindon Supermarine; Evesham
• Finlay Tombs (Defender) – Royal Wootton Bassett Town
• Harrison Gray (Forward) – Melksham Town
• Jake Tabor (Forward) – Bath City; Eastleigh
• Charlie Betts (Defender) – Swindon Supermarine
• Kian Larkins (Midfielder) – Didcot Town
• Anton Robinson (Goalkeeper) – Reading City; Roman Glass St George

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

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

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

Season Timeline

June 2025

• Swindon Town’s Under-18s confirmed their pre-season schedule, including fixtures against Brighton, Huddersfield Town and Tottenham Hotspur’s Under-18s.

August 2025

• Forward Botan Ameen completed a move to Norwich City, signing a contract with the Canaries until the summer of 2028, with the option of a further two years.

September 2025

• Mark Moss announced he would be stepping down from his position as Academy Manager to pursue a new career outside the football industry.

October 2025

• Midfielder Joe Snowdon signed a new deal with Swindon Town, keeping him at the County Ground until the summer of 2027.
• Tim Bell was appointed as Swindon Town’s new Academy Director and Head of Football Development, joining the Robins after spending over a decade with Cheltenham Town.
• Redman Evans’ loan at Southern Premier Central Division side Alvechurch was extended until the end of the season.

November 2025

• Swindon Town’s Under-18s were confirmed to host Dorking Wanderers in the FA Youth Cup second round proper, with the tie scheduled for Wednesday 26 November.

December 2025

• Swindon’s Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup campaign came to an end in the third round, following their tie against Southend United.

2024/25 Season

A proud 2024/25 season for the Swindon Town Academy saw the Under-17s reach the quarter-finals of the U17 Professional Development League Plate, and the Under-18s reach the Round of 16 of the U18 Youth Alliance Cup.

Scholars 2024/25

Botan Ameen (Forward), Liam Hutt (Defender), Harry Chard (Defender), Antony McCormick (Defender), Alistair Stewart (Midfielder), Miles Obodo (Forward), George Alston (Midfielder), Dani Gonzalez-Birchall (Midfielder), Conor Britchford-Stanley (Midfielder).

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Dylan Mitchell (Midfielder) – Hereford
• Miles Obodo (Forward) – Marlow
• Sean McGurk (Forward) – Yeovil Town
• Jaxon Brown (Midfielder) – Canvey Island; Aveley FC
• Sonny Hart (Defender) – Canvey Island; Farnborough
• Pharrell Johnson (Defender) – Truro City
• Alistair Stewart (Midfielder) – Plymouth Parkway
• Anthony McCormick (Defender) – Salisbury
• Tariq Uwakwe (Midfielder) – Aldershot
• Dani Gonzalez (Midfielder) – Weymouth
• Liam Hutt (Defender) – Weymouth
• Lucas Myers (Goalkeeper) – Melksham Town
• George Alston (Midfielder) – Swindon Supermarine

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Harrison Minturn (Defender, #31), Joel McGregor (Midfielder, #33), Dylan Mitchell (Midfielder, #39), Dani Gonzalez-Birchall (Midfielder, #40), Miles Obodo (Forward, #41)

Botan Ameen (Forward, #42), George Alston (Midfielder, #43), Owen Foye (Midfielder, #46), Antony McCormick (Defender, #45), Harry Chard (Defender, #38).

International Players 2024/25

Beh Head – England U15 Camp.

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

In the U18 Youth Alliance Cup, Swindon Town’s Under-18s were drawn in Group E against Under-18 sides from Forest Green Rovers, Oxford United, Cheltenham Town and Walsall.

In the U18 Professional Development League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group A against AFC Bournemouth, Portsmouth and Cardiff City.

Season Timeline

October 2024

• The Swindon Town academy staff hosted its first ‘Academy Insights Evening’, inviting local coaches and anyone interested in learning how the club develops success within its youth teams.
• Swindon Town were drawn at home to Newport County in the first round of the FA Youth Cup.
• Swindon Town secured a place in the second round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against Newport County.

November 2024

• Swindon Town’s Under-18s were drawn away to Gillingham in the second round of the FA Youth Cup, with the match scheduled for Tuesday 19 November.
• Swindon Town were drawn away to Queens Park Rangers in the third round of the FA Youth Cup, contingent on progressing past Gillingham.
• Swindon Town were confirmed to face QPR in the third round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against Gillingham.
• The Under-18s progressed to the quarter-finals of the Professional Development League Cup, following their tie against Bournemouth.

December 2024

• Swindon Town’s Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup journey came to an end in the third round, following their tie against Queens Park Rangers.

January 2025

• Swindon Town advanced to the next round of the Youth Alliance Cup, following a strong group-stage campaign.
• Swindon Town’s Under-17s, who had qualified for the Professional Development League Trophy via their group-stage finish in the PDL Cup, advanced to the quarter-finals following their Round of 16 tie against Salford City.

April 2025

• Botan Ameen was shortlisted by the LFE for the EFL League Two Apprentice of the Season award 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)

Liam Hutt, Harry Chard, Alistair Stewart, Miles Obodo, Conor Britchford-Stanley.