Burton Albion Academy

Burton Albion runs a category 3 academy based in Staffordshire. They have an elite youth development program that nurtures young talent.

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

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.
• FA Youth Cup – the traditional nationwide knockout competition open to academy sides across English football.
• Birmingham Senior Challenge Cup – a county knockout competition contested by Burton Albion’s Academy alongside senior and academy sides from across Birmingham.

2026/27 Season

Scholars 2026/27

Academy Players on Loan 2026/27

• Jack Willow (Midfielder) Redditch United
• Lucas Jourbert (Goalkeeper) Kidsgrove Athletic

Academy Players in the First Team 2026/27

• Jack Willow (Midfielder) #50
• Miles Henry (Defender) #52
• Caden Gilbert (Midfielder) #53
• William Earley (Defender) #56

International Players 2026/27

2026/27 Tournament Groupings

Season Timeline

2025/26 Season

The Academy enters the 2025/26 season under Head of Player Development Jack O’Brien, Under-21 Head Coach Mike Sheron, and Under-18 Head Coach Ryan Kidd.

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

• Alex Bannon (Defender) – Derry City
• Will Earley (Defender) – Newcastle Town
• Dan Matthews (Defender) – Newcastle Town
• Zac Scutt – Newcastle Town; Spennymoor Town; Loughborough University
• Jack Newall (Forward) – Stourbridge
• Josh Taroni (Defender) – Spalding United

Academy Players in the First Team 2025/26

Jack Newall (Forward, #38), Sulyman Krubally (Forward, #41), Josh Taroni (Defender, #39), Bodi Thistleton (Midfielder, #40).

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Professional Development League Cup, Burton Albion’s Under-17s were grouped with Under-17 sides from Notts County, Lincoln City and Crewe Alexandra.

For the U18 Youth Alliance Cup, the Under-18s were drawn at home against Oldham Athletic. In the FA Youth Cup first round proper, the Under-18s were drawn at home against Port Vale.

In the Birmingham Senior Challenge Cup, the Under-18s were drawn away against Cotton Green in the second round, before progressing to the third round against Hednesford Town.

Season Timeline

May 2025

• Young talents Josh Taroni and Jack Newall were set to join the First Team squad after being offered professional contracts.

September 2025

• Academy Manager Keith Gilroy departed Burton Albion to take up the role of Head of Academy Coaching at Derby County.
• Jack O’Brien was appointed Head of Player Development.

October 2025

• Burton Albion’s Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup journey came to an end, following their tie at home to Port Vale’s Under-18s.

April 2026

• Nine apprentices were set to be honoured at the EFL Awards on 19 April in London, recognising top young players from the 2025/26 season, with one winner per division; the League One nominees were Sulyman Krubally (Burton Albion), Ryan Doherty (Stevenage) and Tegan Finn (Plymouth Argyle).

2024/25 Season

The Academy enjoyed a proud 2024/25 season, with Burton Albion reaching the round of 16 of the U17 Professional Development League Cup and winning the U18 EFL Youth Alliance Cup.

The team also reached the final of the Birmingham Senior Cup.

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Finn Delap (Defender) – Buxton
• Jack Newall (Forward) – Bromsgrove Sporting (work experience loan)
• Kia Svarc (Forward) – Long Eaton United
• Kamil Dudek (Goalkeeper) – Alvechurch
• Alex Bannon (Midfielder) – Airdrieonians

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Finn Delap (Defender, #26), Joshua Taroni (Defender, #39), Jack Newall (Midfielder, #38), Kamil Dudek (Goalkeeper, #27), Toby Oakes (Defender, #29).

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Professional Development League Cup, Burton Albion’s Under-17s reached the round of 16, where they were drawn against Bristol City.

In the U18 Youth Alliance Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group D alongside Chesterfield, Lincoln City, Mansfield Town, Notts County and Rotherham.

They progressed through the quarter-finals against Rotherham, the semi-finals against Wrexham and the Northern final against Bolton Wanderers.

In the National final against Bromley, the Under-18s were crowned champions.

For the FA Youth Cup, the Under-18s were drawn away against Port Vale in the first round and at home against Notts County in the second round.

In the Birmingham Senior Challenge Cup, the Under-18s reached the semi-finals against Racing Club Warwick, then the final against Tamworth.

Season Timeline

October 2024

• Young Brewers were drawn away to Port Vale in the FA Youth Cup.

November 2024

• Burton Albion secured a place in the second round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against Port Vale, and were drawn at home against Notts County, with the match scheduled for Saturday 16 November at the Pirelli Stadium.
• Burton Albion’s FA Youth Cup journey came to an end after a second-round tie at home to Notts County.

January 2025

• Burton Albion were eliminated from the Under-17s PDL Cup, following their tie against Bristol City in the round of 16.

April 2025

• Burton Albion’s Under-18s were set to face Bromley’s Under-18s in the EFL Youth Alliance National Cup final on Tuesday 22 April, at 7pm, at Hayes Lane; the Young Brewers booked their place following their tie against Bolton in the Area North final.
• Burton Albion’s Under-18s progressed past Racing Club Warwick in the Birmingham Senior Cup semi-final.
• Burton Albion’s Under-18s clinched the Youth Alliance Cup, following their final against Bromley’s Under-18s at Hayes Lane.

May 2025

• The young Brewers were beaten in the final of the Birmingham Senior Cup, following their tie against Tamworth.
• The Academy Awards ceremony took place, with special guest Will Tamen, a former Burton Albion scholar and first-team professional, in attendance.

Released Academy Players (end of 2024/25)

Cameron Gilbert, Toby Oakes, Dylan Scott (joined Stalybridge Celtic).