Plymouth Argyle Academy

Plymouth Argyle Academy runs a category 3 academy based in Devon. They focus on elite youth development to nurture young talent.

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

Over the past five years, the Elite Coaching Hubs in Penryn and Bodmin have offered hundreds of young players professional coaching as part of the Academy pathway, supporting both signed players and emerging talent.

From September 2025, the Cornwall pathway was restructured to align more closely with Academy standards and player development stages, with a new Cornwall Academy Coaching Hub launching at Cornwall College Camborne:

• Step 1: Player Development Centres – parent-funded and run by Argyle Community Trust, supporting early-stage talent across multiple Cornwall and Devon venues.
• Step 2: Elite Hubs – also parent-funded, offering advanced coaching for high-potential players at select regional locations.
• Step 3: Cornwall Academy Coaching Hub (New) – Academy-funded and based at Cornwall College Camborne, delivering full Academy-level coaching for top-tier and near-transition players.

Argyle’s official partner club in North Devon, Chivenor Soccer, helps support the pathway of players progressing into the Academy.

The Under-18s participate in the Devon St Luke’s Challenge Cup.

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.
• Devon St Luke’s Challenge Cup – a county knockout competition contested by Plymouth Argyle’s Under-18s alongside sides from across Devon.

2025/26 Season

The Academy enters the 2025/26 season under Academy Manager Phil Stokes and Under-18 Head Coach Jamie Lowry.

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

Leo McCorminck (Goalkeeper), Seb Campbell (Midfielder), Billy Devlin (Midfielder), Joe Mwaro (Defender), Sam Hayman (Defender), Toby Maclean (Defender), Frankie Maund (Forward), Jared Rendle (Forward) and Tashall Sandhu.

Academy Players on Loan 2025/26

• Jack Matthews (Defender) – Bath City; Taunton Town
• Freddie Issaka (Forward) – Bristol Rovers
• Caleb Roberts (Midfielder) – Truro City
• Joe Hatch (Forward) – Taunton Town; Torquay United; Plymouth Parkway
• Zak Baker (Goalkeeper) – Tiverton; Plymouth Parkway

Academy Players in the First Team 2025/26

Tegan Finn (Midfielder, #39), Caleb Roberts (Midfielder, #24), Joe Hatch (Forward, #38), Jack Flower (Goalkeeper, #42), Sebastian Campbell (Midfielder, #41), Joe Mwaro (Defender, #40), Sam Hayman (Defender, #43).

International Players 2025/26

• Thomas Armytage (Goalkeeper) – England U15
• James Sharpe (Midfielder) – Malta U17

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

In the U18 Youth Alliance Cup, Plymouth Argyle’s Under-18s were drawn away against Luton Town.

In the U18 Professional Development League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group A against AFC Bournemouth, Cheltenham Town and Portsmouth, with fixtures scheduled for 26 August, 4 October and 22 November 2025.

For the FA Youth Cup, the Under-18s were drawn at home against Mangotsfield in the first round proper, at home against Milton Keynes Dons in the second round proper, and away against Watford in the third round proper.

Season Timeline

April 2025

• Joe Hatch signed his first professional contract with Plymouth Argyle; the former Wales youth international also made his senior debut earlier in the 2024/25 season in a match against Burnley.
• #Defender Harry Shield was granted an additional year on his scholarship after missing a significant portion of his time at Argyle due to injury.

August 2025

• Tegan Finn committed his future to the club by signing his first professional contract, a three-year deal.

October 2025

• Plymouth Argyle’s Under-18s advanced to the second round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie at home against Mangotsfield.

November 2025

• Plymouth Argyle’s Under-18s were set to host Milton Keynes Dons in the FA Youth Cup second round proper on Tuesday 18 November, with kick-off at 7:00pm.
• Argyle’s FA Youth Cup third-round match against Watford was scheduled for Monday 15 December at 7pm, and was set to be held at Kings Langley FC.

December 2025

• Plymouth Argyle’s Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup journey came to an end in the third round, following their tie against Watford’s Under-18s.

March 2026

• Seb Campbell signed his first professional contract with Plymouth Argyle; he became Argyle’s youngest-ever goalscorer at 16 years and 279 days, scoring on his debut against Spurs Under-21s in the Vertu Trophy.

April 2026

• Nine apprentices were set to be recognised at the EFL Awards in London on 19 April, celebrating the top young players of the 2025/26 season, with one winner selected from each division.
• The League One nominees were Sulyman Krubally of Burton Albion, Ryan Doherty of Stevenage and Tegan Finn of Plymouth Argyle.

2024/25 Season

A proud 2024/25 season for the Plymouth Argyle Academy saw the club reach the last eight of the U17 Professional Development League Plate.

They also reached the quarter-finals of both the U18 Youth Alliance Cup and the FA Youth Cup.

Scholars 2024/25

Jack Flower (Goalkeeper), Lewis Flowers (Defender), Malachi Davy (Defender), Toby Haley (Defender), Lewis Thomas (Midfielder), Oscar Dean (Midfielder)

Sam Lord (Midfielder), Fletcher Pool (Forward), Kian Burch (Forward) and Tegan Finn (Forward).

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Saxon Early (Defender) – Lincoln City
• Zak Baker (Goalkeeper) – Tiverton
• Will Jenkins-Davies (Midfielder) – Torquay United
• Jack Matthews (Defender) – Taunton Town
• Josh Bernard (Midfielder) – Tavistock FC; Mousehole AFC
• Jack Flower (Goalkeeper) – Bath City

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Will Jenkins-Davies (Midfielder, #22), Freddie Issaka (Forward, #35), Joseph Hatch (Forward, #38), Tegan Finn (Midfielder, #39).

International Players 2024/25

• Jovan Wamani (Defender) – England U15
• Freddie Issaka (Forward) – Wales U17

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Professional Development League Plate eighth-finals, Plymouth Argyle’s Under-17s were drawn away against Forest Green Rovers.

In the U18 Youth Alliance Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group F against Exeter City, Newport County, Bristol Rovers and Portsmouth, before progressing through the round of 16 against Newport County to the quarter-finals against Oxford United.

For the U18 Professional Development League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group G against Swansea, Bristol City and Cheltenham.

Season Timeline

May 2024

• Four double-winning Under-18s were set to join the Argyle first team as professionals the following season.

November 2024

• Tegan Finn made his first-team debut in the EFL Championship.
• In the third round of the FA Youth Cup, Plymouth Argyle were drawn away to Carlisle United.
• The Brickfields Development was named Foulston Park, and was set to serve as the home for the Plymouth Argyle Academy, Plymouth Argyle Women’s Team, Plymouth Albion, and the Argyle Community Trust.
• The third-round FA Youth Cup match against Carlisle was scheduled to take place on Tuesday 10 December at Brunton Park.

December 2024

• Argyle’s Under-18s’ Professional Development League Cup campaign came to an end, following their final group match against Bristol City at Millennium Fields.
• Plymouth Argyle’s Under-18s advanced to the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie away at Carlisle United.
• In the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup, Plymouth Argyle were drawn at home to Lincoln City.
• Plymouth Argyle were set to host Lincoln City in the FA Youth Cup fourth round at Home Park on Wednesday 8 January.

January 2025

• Plymouth Argyle advanced to the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against Lincoln City.
• The FA Youth Cup fifth round draw took place.
• Defender Saxon Earley returned to Plymouth following a half-season loan with the Imps.
• Plymouth Argyle were set to face Newport County at home in the round of 16 of the Youth Alliance Cup, with the match scheduled for Saturday 8 February.
• Argyle’s Under-18s were set to face Everton in the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup on Tuesday 4 February, with the match to be held at Walton Hall Park, the dedicated home of Everton Women.

February 2025

• Plymouth Argyle’s Under-18s reached the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals, following their tie away at Everton.

March 2025

• Argyle’s Under-18s exited the FA Youth Cup, following their tie away against Aston Villa’s Under-18s.
• This season, nine players developed by the Argyle Academy were named in a matchday squad for a total of 62 appearances.

April 2025

• Plymouth Argyle welcomed a number of new young players to the Greens’ Academy for the 2024/25 season, reinforcing the club’s dedication to nurturing homegrown talent and supporting their successful player development pathway.

Released Academy Players (end of 2024/25)

Cole Fisher, Dan Holman, Jensen Ireland (joined Plymouth Parkway), Harley Sneap, Joel Sullivan.