Northampton Town FC Academy

Northampton Town FC Academy runs a category 3 academy based in the East Midlands. They focus on elite youth development to nurture young talent.

The Northampton Town International Football Academy offers 18- to 23-year-old aspiring footballers the chance to train like professionals, with top facilities and guidance from UEFA A License coaches.

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

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.
• Northamptonshire FA Hillier Senior Cup – a county knockout competition contested by Northampton Town’s Under-23s alongside senior and academy sides from across Northamptonshire.
• Northamptonshire FA David Joyce Cup – a county youth knockout competition contested by Northampton Town’s Academy alongside academy sides from across Northamptonshire.

2025/26 Season

The Academy enters the 2025/26 season under Under-18 Coach Shane Goddard and Under-18 Coach Paul Johnstone. Neo Dobson and Matty Ireland had their third-year scholarships activated.

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

Jamie Morrison (Goalkeeper), Cooper Clark (Defender), Filip Opiela (Defender), Garvey Reynolds (Defender), Raffaello Oliveti (Midfielder)

Olly Campbell (Midfielder), Mateo Moon-Arnaez (Midfielder), Taila Choya (Forward), Harry Stephenson (Forward).

Academy Players on Loan 2025/26

• Josh Tomlinson (Defender) – Bedford Town
• Matthew Ireland (Defender) – Corby
• James Dadge (Goalkeeper) – Spalding United
• Neo Dobson (Forward) – St. Ives Town

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Professional Development League Cup, Northampton Town’s Under-17s were grouped with Under-17 sides from Cambridge United, Colchester United and Gillingham, before being drawn against Luton Town in the round of 16.

In the U18 Youth Alliance Cup second round, the Under-18s were drawn away against Forest Green Rovers.

For the Youth Cup, the Under-18s were drawn at home against Easington Sports in the first round proper, before being drawn at home against Port Vale in the second round proper.

In the Northamptonshire FA Hillier Senior Cup, the Under-18s were drawn away against Wellingborough Town First.

Season Timeline

May 2025

• The Cobblers received a bye into the second round of the Northamptonshire FA Hillier Senior Cup.

October 2025

• Northampton Town’s Under-18s advanced to the second round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against Easington Sports.

November 2025

• Northampton Town’s Under-18s were set to host Port Vale in the FA Youth Cup second round proper on Tuesday 18 November, with kick-off at 7:00pm.
• Northampton Town’s Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup run came to an end, following their tie against Port Vale.

2024/25 Season

Located in the East Midlands, Northampton Town FC Academy ran a Category Three academy.

Scholars 2024/25

Elliot Smith (Goalkeeper), Jozef Baxter (Defender), George Daldy (Midfielder), Archie Murray (Midfielder), Freddie Findlay (Midfielder)

Ollie Evans (Forward), Francesco Obiagwu (Forward), Jason Okunnu (Forward), Joziah Barnett (Forward).

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Kiantay Licorish-Mullins (Forward, #38), Josh Tomlinson (Defender, #25), Max Dyche (Defender, #35), James Dadge (Goalkeeper, #36), Matthew Ireland (Defender, #39), Neo Dobson (Forward, #40)

Reuben Wyatt (Midfielder, #41), Ollie Evans (Forward, #42), Charlie Carroll (Midfielder, #43), Fran Obiagwu (Forward, #47).

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Neo Dobson (Forward) – Banbury United; Corby Town
• Josh Tomlinson (Defender) – Needham Market
• Reuben Wyatt (Midfielder) – Redditch; St Albans City
• Max Dyche (Defender) – Woking
• Josh Rayfield (Midfielder) – Wellingborough Town
• Harry Guess (Midfielder) – Leighton Town
• Charlie Carroll (Forward) – Northampton O.N Chenecks
• Will Ronald (Defender) – Histon FC
• Ollie Evans (Forward) – Bugbrooke St Michaels
• Joziah Barnett (Midfielder) – Stotfold FC
• Harvey Lintott (Defender) – Sligo Rovers

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

In the U18 Youth Alliance Cup, Northampton Town’s Under-18s were drawn in Group G against Under-18 sides from Luton Town, Milton Keynes Dons, Cambridge United and Stevenage.

In the FA Youth Cup, Northampton Town progressed past Peterborough United in the first round, before being drawn away to AFC Fylde in the second round, with a potential third-round tie against Leyton Orient or Whitehawk.

Season Timeline

October 2024

• Following their tie against Peterborough United in the first round, Northampton Town secured a place in the second round of the FA Youth Cup.

November 2024

• Northampton Town’s Under-18s were drawn away to AFC Fylde in the second round of the FA Youth Cup, with the match scheduled for Friday 15 November at Mill Farm.
• In the third round of the FA Youth Cup, Northampton Town were drawn away to either Leyton Orient or Whitehawk, contingent on their result against AFC Fylde. Northampton were eliminated from the competition, following their tie against AFC Fylde.

December 2024

• Fran Obiagwu, at 16 years and 170 days, made his first-team debut for the Cobblers, becoming the youngest player to ever play for the team in an EFL game.

January 2025

• Max Dyche rejoined his parent club following his loan spell at Woking, during which he featured 23 times in the National League.

February 2025

• The academy youth team advanced to the semi-final of the Northamptonshire FA David Joyce Cup, following their quarter-final tie against Wellingborough Whitworth Black.

March 2025

• Northampton Town’s Under-18s booked their place in the final of the Northamptonshire FA David Joyce Cup, following their tie against Kettering Town at Latimer Park.
• Northampton Town’s Under-23s advanced to the Northamptonshire FA Senior Cup final, following their tie against AFC Rushden & Diamonds.

April 2025

• Northampton Town’s Under-23s were set to take on Corby Town in the final of the Northants FA Hillier Senior Cup on Tuesday 8 April at Sixfields.
• Northampton Town’s Under-23s clinched the Northamptonshire FA Hillier Senior Cup for the 2024/25 season, following their tie against Corby Town.

May 2025

• Max Dyche was awarded the Young Player of the Season, with the award sponsored by In’N’Out Autocentres.
• Fran Obiagwu was named Academy Player of the Season and also claimed the Golden Boot Award, having finished as joint top scorer across the youth teams with 18 goals.

Released Academy Players (end of 2024/25)

Reuben Wyatt (joined Tamworth).