Bolton Wanderers Academy

Bolton Wanderers runs a category 3 academy based in Greater Manchester. They have an elite youth development program that nurtures young talent.

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

The Academy runs a multi-sports programme for some of its players, which includes bi-monthly boxing sessions.

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 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.
• 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.
• Central League Cup – a reserve-team competition in which entrants are divided into groups, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the quarter-finals.
• Lancashire FA Professional Youth Cup & Senior Cup – county knockout competitions for academy (Youth Cup) and reserve/B Team (Senior Cup) sides based in Lancashire.

2025/26 Season

The Academy enters the 2025/26 season under Academy Manager Dave Gardiner and Under-19 Head Coach Julian Darby.

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

Tomi Adesina, Rowan Baucutt, Oliver Best, Denver Clement, Louis Evans, Quines Fakhy, Alfie Healy, Sam Hopkinson, Levi Kendrick, Lucas Kirkpatrick, Daniel Ogboru, Charlie Quirk, James Shillinglaw.

Academy Players on Loan 2025/26

• Dubem Eze (Midfielder) – Scunthorpe United
• Ajay Weston (Defender) – FC United of Manchester
• Luke Hutchinson (Goalkeeper) – Altrincham
• Sean Hogan (Defender) – Ashton United
• Sonny Sharples-Ahmed (Midfielder) – Torquay United; Spennymoor Town
• Sam Inwood (Defender) – Aldershot Town
• Harley Irwin (Midfielder) – Stafford Rangers
• Harry Leigh (Midfielder) – Trafford
• David Abimbola (Forward) – Accrington Stanley

Academy Players in the First Team 2025/26

Sonny Sharples (Midfielder, #28), Samuel Lawrence Inwood (Defender, #32).

International Players 2025/26

Louis Evans (Defender) – Wales U17.

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Professional Development League Cup, Bolton Wanderers’ Under-17s were grouped with Under-17 sides from Blackpool, Fleetwood Town and Carlisle United.

In the U18 Professional Development League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group G against Coventry City, Crewe Alexandra and Port Vale, with fixtures scheduled for 26 August, 4 October and 22 November 2025.

In the Central League Cup, Bolton Wanderers’ Reserves were drawn in Group A against Reserve sides from Rotherham United, Stoke City and Wigan Athletic.

Season Timeline

June 2025

• Goalkeeper Luke Hutchinson signed a two-year contract extension with the club.

July 2025

• Nine young players — Daeshon Lawrence, Jamie Grayson, Harley Irwin, Oliver Smith, David Abimbola, Harrison Rice, Conor Lewis, Harry Leigh and Emile Oliver — signed their first professional contracts with Wanderers, following the completion of their two-year scholarships, having each played a role in the club’s EFL Youth Alliance title and Lancashire FA Youth Cup success the previous season.

September 2025

• Defender Sam Inwood committed to a deal running until June 2028, while midfielder Sonny Sharples-Ahmed signed through to June 2027; both contracts include an additional 12-month option.

November 2025

• Bolton Wanderers’ Under-18s were drawn away to Tranmere Rovers in the FA Youth Cup second round, with the tie initially postponed and later rescheduled for Prenton Park.
• The Under-18s were subsequently drawn at home against Leicester City in the third round.

December 2025

• Bolton Wanderers’ Under-18s progressed to the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup.

January 2026

• Dubem Eze was recalled from his loan spell at Scunthorpe United and completed a permanent move to fellow National League club Sutton United.
• Bolton Wanderers’ Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup campaign came to an end in the fourth round.

March 2026

• Luke Lomax, Sam O’Neill and Jack Mawditt all signed their first professional contracts with Bolton Wanderers.

May 2026

• Andy Taylor left his position as B Team Head Coach by mutual consent, having joined Bolton Wanderers from AFC Fylde in January 2024 and played a key role in the club’s player development pathway during his time at Lostock.

2024/25 Season

The 2024/25 season was a landmark year for Bolton Wanderers Academy, highlighted by winning the U19 Youth Alliance League National title, the Lancashire FA Professional Youth Cup, and the Lancashire FA Senior Cup.

The Academy also reached the U17 Professional Development League final and the U18 Youth Alliance Cup Northern final.

Further success came with a place in the U18 Professional Development League quarter-finals, underlining the strength and consistency of the club’s youth development programme.

The Under-19s also recorded the best attacking and defensive record in their division across the campaign.

The Academy welcomed ten new scholars for the season, and Andy Taylor served as B Team Head Coach throughout.

Scholars 2024/25

Ten new scholars joined the Academy for the 2024/25 season.

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Dubem Eze (Midfielder) – Chorley; Halifax Town
• Ben Andreucci (Forward) – Buxton FC; Darlington
• Trevon Bryan (Defender) – Ashton United FC; Marine FC
• Yestin Shakespear (Forward) – Workington AFC
• Luke Hutchinson (Goalkeeper) – Marine FC
• Sean Hogan (Midfielder) – Ashton United
• Noah Halford (Defender) – Warrington Town; FC United of Manchester
• Charlie Hayes-Green (Defender) – Clitheroe; FC United of Manchester
• Nelson Khumbeni (Midfielder) – Accrington Stanley; Gillingham (permanent)
• Max Conway (Defender) – Crewe Alexandra
• Luke Matheson (Defender) – Alfreton Town
• Ellis Litherland (Goalkeeper) – Matlock Town
• Jack Dallimore (Goalkeeper) – Guiseley
• James Westwood (Defender) – Ashton United

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Ben Andreucci (Forward, #32), Luke Hutchinson (Goalkeeper, #40), Jack Dallimore (Goalkeeper, #42), Sonny Sharples (Midfielder, #48), Samuel Lawrence Inwood (Defender, #52), Conor Lewis (Midfielder, #55), David Abimbola (Forward, #56).

International Players 2024/25

• Sonny Coyne (MF) – England U15 Camp
• Sonny Sharples-Ahmed (MF) – Egypt U20
• Sam Inwood (DF) – Northern Ireland U21

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

In the U18 Youth Alliance Cup, Bolton Wanderers’ Under-18s were drawn in Group 1 against Under-18 sides from Blackpool, Accrington Stanley, Carlisle United, Morecambe and Preston North End.

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

In the Central League Cup, Bolton Wanderers’ Reserves were drawn in Group C against Reserve sides from Accrington Stanley, Huddersfield Town, Rotherham United and Salford City.

Season Timeline

October 2024

• Bolton Wanderers were drawn away to Rotherham United in the first round of the FA Youth Cup.
• The club secured a place in the second round of the FA Youth Cup.

November 2024

• Bolton Wanderers’ Under-18s were drawn at home against Lincoln City in the FA Youth Cup second round, with the match set for Monday 25 November at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
• The Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup campaign came to an end in the second round, following their tie against Lincoln City.

January 2025

• Wanderers’ Under-18s advanced to the semi-finals of the Lancashire FA Youth Cup.
• Nelson Khumbeni returned to Bolton following a successful half-season loan at Accrington Stanley, having featured in an FA Cup tie against Liverpool during his time there.
• 22-year-old Nelson Khumbeni joined Gillingham on a permanent deal.
• Wanderers’ Under-17s advanced to the quarter-finals of the Professional Development League Cup.

February 2025

• Bolton Wanderers’ Under-18s reached the final of the Lancashire FA Professional Youth Cup, coming from behind against holders Blackburn Rovers.

March 2025

• Bolton Wanderers’ Under-17s’ Professional Development League Cup campaign came to an end in the final.
• Wanderers confirmed their Lancashire FA Professional Youth Cup final opponents as Blackpool, with the match scheduled for Wednesday 2 April.
• Charlie Hayes-Green joined FC Halifax Town for an undisclosed fee.

April 2025

• Bolton Wanderers were crowned 2024/25 Lancashire FA Youth Cup champions, beating Blackpool in the final.
• Bolton Wanderers’ B Team reached the Lancashire FA Senior Cup final, eliminating reigning champions Barrow, and went on to be crowned Lancashire FA Senior Cup champions at Under-21 level against Burnley — completing a Lancashire FA double alongside the Under-18s’ county title, and securing the club’s first title in the competition since 1991.

May 2025

• Bolton Wanderers’ Under-19s were crowned Youth Alliance League National champions.
• First-year professional contracts were awarded to Jack Dallimore, Harrison Fleury, Sean Hogan, Joseph Toole and James Westwood.

Released Academy Players (end of 2024/25)

B Team: Ben Andreucci, Trevon Bryan, Harrison Fleury, Noah Halford, Ellis Litherland-Riding, Luke Matheson (joined Macclesfield), Joseph Toole, Yestin Shakespear, James Westwood.

Scholars: George Barlow.