Luton Town FC Academy

Luton Town FC Academy runs a category 3 academy based in Bedfordshire. They focus on elite youth development to nurture young talent.

Supporters wishing to attend U18 and U21 games held at the Brache training ground must secure an e-ticket by applying at least 24 hours before the fixture.

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

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.
• U21 Premier League Cup – introduced in the 2013/14 season to add a knockout tournament alongside the regular Professional Development Phase league schedule, featuring nine groups with the top team in each group plus the seven best runners-up advancing to the knockout stage.
• Bedfordshire Senior Cup – a county knockout competition contested by Luton Town’s Academy alongside senior and academy sides from across Bedfordshire.

2025/26 Season

The Academy enters the 2025/26 season under Academy Manager Paul Benson, Head of Coaching Craig Alcock, Senior Professional Development Coach and Loans Manager Alex Lawless, and Under-18s Lead Coach Joe Deeney.

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

Rufus Barnes, Excel Ed-Okungbowa, Dawid Gawel, Nassim El Gourja, Finley Evans, Luca Knote-Reed, Jerome Passley-James and Luke Takawira.

Academy Players on Loan 2025/26

• Taylan Harris (Forward) – Tranmere Rovers; Braintree Town
• Jayden Luker (Midfielder) – Notts County
• Liam Coyne (Goalkeeper) – Biggleswade; AFC Sudbury
• Claude Kayibanda (Midfielder) – Bedford Town
• Oliver Lynch (Forward) – Tamworth
• Joshua Phillips (Forward) – Torquay United
• Tate Xavier-Jones (Forward) – Airdrieonians
• Sam Anderson (Forward) – Dungannon Swifts
• Henry Blackledge (Goalkeeper) – Cheshunt; Gosport Borough
• Jack Lorentzen-Jones (Midfielder) – Hemel Hempstead
• Zack Nelson (Midfielder) – AFC Wimbledon
• Jamie Odegah (Forward) – Chelmsford City
• Joe Gbodé (Forward) – Woking
• Vladimir Paternoster (Defender) – Welling United
• Dylan Stitt (Midfielder) – Hemel Hempstead
• Lucas Thompson (Goalkeeper) – Gosport Borough
• Kai Source (Defender) – St. Ives Town

Academy Players in the First Team 2025/26

Finlay Evans (Defender, #47).

International Players 2025/26

• Dylan Stitt (Midfielder) – Northern Ireland U19
• Claude Kayibanda (Midfielder) – Rwanda First Team

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Professional Development League Cup, Luton Town’s Under-17s were grouped with Under-17 sides from Bristol Rovers, Leyton Orient and Bristol City.

Luton Town’s Under-18s progressed through the U18 Youth Alliance Cup to the semi-finals, having been drawn against Plymouth Argyle in the second round, Cheltenham Town in the quarter-finals, and Gillingham in the semi-finals.

In the U18 Professional Development League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group D against Colchester United, Oxford United and Watford, with fixtures scheduled for 16 August, 4 October and 22 November 2025.

For the FA Youth Cup first round proper, the Under-18s were drawn away against Barnet. In the U21 Premier League Cup, Luton Town’s Reserves were drawn in Group E against Under-21 teams from Exeter City, Brentford and West Brom.

Season Timeline

May 2025

• Luton Town’s Under-18 players Sam Anderson, Zach Ioannides, Jamie Odegah, Oliver Pipa, Dylan Stitt, Lucas Thomas, Charlie Trustram and Tate Xavier-Jones all accepted professional contract offers.

June 2025

• Young winger Josh Phillips signed a new contract at Kenilworth Road after featuring regularly for Alex Lawless’ Under-21 side the previous season.

October 2025

• Finlay Evans made history at just 16 years and 271 days old, surpassing a record that had stood for almost half a century, eclipsing Hatters legend Ricky Hill’s previous mark of 17 years and 45 days.

November 2025

• The Hatters’ youngsters headed to Northampton for a last-16 tie as they looked to defend their PDL Cup title.

2024/25 Season

The academy under Academy Manager Paul Benson, also competing in the Bedfordshire Senior Cup.

Scholars 2024/25

Benedict Benagr (Defender), Charlie Booth (Goalkeeper), Christian Chigozie (Defender), Harry Fox (Midfielder), Samuel Hincapie-Alfonso (Forward)

Kyron Roberts-Edema (Defender), Enoch Sampson (Defender), Archie Shepherd (Midfielder), Lucas Thomas (Goalkeeper).

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Jake Burger (Midfielder) – Rochdale
• Joshua Phillips (Midfielder) – Bath City
• Josh Odell-Bature (Defender) – Bedford Town
• Jack Bateson (Defender) – Farnborough
• Oliver Lynch (Forward) – Dulwich Hamlets; Hemel Hempstead Town
• Jameson Horlick (Goalkeeper) – Dulwich Hamlets; Bedford; Hemel Hampstead
• Henry Blackledge (Goalkeeper) – Berkhamsted; Welling United
• Jayden Luker (Midfielder) – Grimsby Town
• Axel Piesold (Midfielder) – Cliftonville
• Aidan Francis-Clarke (Defender) – Braintree
• Jacob Pinnington (Defender) – Braintree
• Aribim Pepple (Forward) – Chesterfield
• Jack Lorentzen-Jones (Midfielder) – Hemel Hempstead
• Dominic Dos Santos Martins (Midfielder) – Hitchin Town
• Tate Xavier-Jones (Forward) – Kettering Town

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Zack Nelson (Midfielder, #37), Joe Johnson (Defender, #38), Joshua Phillips (Midfielder, #43).

International Players 2024/25

• Harrison Dunn – England U15 Camp
• Joe Johnson (Defender) – England U19
• Dylan Stitt (Midfielder) – Northern Ireland U19
• Sam Anderson (Forward) – Northern Ireland U19
• Zack Nelson (Midfielder) – England U20
• Claude Kayibanda (Midfielder) – Rwanda First Team

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

Luton Town’s Under-17s progressed to the round of 16 of the U17 Professional Development League Cup, where they were drawn against Hull City.

In the U18 Youth Alliance Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group G against Cambridge United, Milton Keynes Dons, Northampton Town and Stevenage, before progressing to the round of 16 against Swindon Town and then the quarter-finals against Bromley.

For the U18 Professional Development League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group H against Peterborough United, Mansfield and Ipswich Town.

In the U21 Premier League Cup, Luton Town’s Reserves were drawn in Group G against Under-21 teams from Burnley, Brighton & Hove Albion and Reading, before progressing to the round of 16 against Nottingham Forest.

Season Timeline

September 2024

• Eight players signed professional development deals.

November 2024

• Luton Town were drawn at home against either Crewe Alexandra or Blackpool in the third round of the FA Youth Cup.
• Luton Town were confirmed to play Crewe Alexandra in the third round, following Crewe’s progression from the second round against Blackpool.

December 2024

• The FA Youth Cup third-round match against Crewe Alexandra was scheduled for Friday 13 December at Kenilworth Road.
• Luton Town’s FA Youth Cup journey came to an end in the third round following a penalty shootout defeat at home to Crewe Alexandra.

January 2025

• Young defender Josh Odell-Bature signed for Southern Premier Division Central side Hitchin Town after the expiration of his contract at Luton Town, having initially joined the club as an Under-13.
• Luton Town’s Under-17s advanced to the quarter-finals of the PDL Cup following victory over Hull City.

February 2025

• Centre-back Aidan Francis-Clarke departed Kenilworth Road to join National League side Braintree Town on a permanent deal.
• Local talents Christian Chigozie and Benny Benagr signed their first professional contracts with Luton Town after recently turning 17.

April 2025

• Luton Town’s Under-17s were set to play Swansea in the Professional Development League Cup final at the Swansea.com Stadium on Sunday 4 May.
• Luton Town’s Under-18s were crowned EFL Youth Alliance South champions, marking a proud moment for their manager, Joe Deeney.

June 2025

• Claude Kayibanda made his international debut for Rwanda in a match against Algeria.
• Zach Ioannides was crowned the Hatters’ 2024/25 Scholar of the Year.

Released Academy Players (end of 2024/25)

Under-21s Released: Jack Bateson, Dominic Dos Santos Martins, Tyrell Giwa, Axel Piesold.

Under-18s Released: Charlie Emery, Isaiah Harvey, Cai Hockey, Matthew Takawira.