Grimsby Town Academy

Grimsby Town runs a category 3 academy based in Lincolnshire. They have an elite youth development program that nurtures young talent.

Oasis Academy Wintringham is the principal venue for the Academy’s schoolboy training and games programme.

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

“Developing players by investing in the individual.”

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 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 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.
• 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.
• Lincolnshire County Senior Cup – a county knockout competition contested by Grimsby Town’s Academy alongside sides from across Lincolnshire.
• Peter Handyside Cup – a regional competition contested by Grimsby Town’s Under-17 and Under-19 sides.

2025/26 Season

The Academy enters the 2025/26 season under Academy Manager Neil Woods, Lead Professional Development Phase Coach Callum Lester, and Lead Youth Development Phase Coach Ben Davies.

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

Lennon Peterson (Midfielder), George Smith (Midfielder), Kristian Catchpole (Midfielder), Ted Sharp (Forward), Charlie Elliot (Defender), Josh Edwards (Defender), Harvey Booth (Forward), Tyler Pratt (Forward).

Academy Players on Loan 2025/26

• Sebastian Auton (Goalkeeper) – Grimsby Borough
• Zak Gilsenan (Midfielder) – Buxton; Gateshead
• Henry Brown (Midfielder) – Gainsborough Trinity

Academy Players in the First Team 2025/26

Sebastian Auton (Goalkeeper, #41), Henry Brown (Midfielder, #23), Cameron Gardner (Midfielder, #22), Evan Khouri (Midfielder, #8), Alex Graham (Defender, #26), Fortune Onoh (Defender, #27), Elliott Smith (Forward, #35).

International Players 2025/26

• Cameron Gardner (Midfielder) – Scotland U21.

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Professional Development League Cup, Grimsby Town’s Under-17s were grouped with Under-17 sides from Stockport County, Mansfield Town and Barnsley.

For the U18 Professional Development League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group F against Barnsley, Hull City and Preston North End, with fixtures scheduled for 26 August, 4 October and 22 November 2025.

In the Central League Cup, Grimsby Town’s Reserves were drawn in Group B against Reserve sides from Derby County, Chesterfield and Mansfield Town.

Season Timeline

July 2025

• Grimsby Town’s Under-17s and Under-19s both clinched Peter Handyside Cup titles against Stoke City.

October 2025

• Grimsby Town’s Under-18s advanced to the second round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie away against Loughborough Students.

November 2025

• Grimsby Town’s Under-18s were confirmed to host Doncaster Rovers in the FA Youth Cup second round proper, with kick-off scheduled for Monday 17 November.
• Grimsby Town’s Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup journey came to an end, following their tie against Doncaster Rovers.

December 2025

• The Mariners edged past local rivals Scunthorpe United to book their place in the Lincolnshire County Senior Cup semi-final.

2024/25 Season

The 2024/25 season saw Grimsby Town’s Academy compete across the U17 Professional Development League Cup, the U18 Youth Alliance Cup, and the Central League Cup.

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Harvey Cribb (Midfielder) – Grimsby Borough
• Matty Carson (Defender) – Radcliffe FC

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Cameron Gardner (Midfielder, #22), Henry Brown (Midfielder, #23), Callum Storr (Defender, #26), Evan Khouri (Midfielder, #30), Sebastian Auton (Goalkeeper, #41).

International Players 2024/25

• Darius Neagu (Midfielder) – Romania U15.

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

In the U18 Youth Alliance Cup, Grimsby Town’s Under-18s were drawn in Group C against Under-18 sides from Doncaster Rovers, Bradford City, Harrogate Town, Hartlepool United and Huddersfield Town.

For the Central League Cup, Grimsby Town’s Reserves were drawn in Group D against Reserve sides from Notts County, Mansfield Town and Chesterfield.

Season Timeline

October 2024

• Grimsby Town were drawn away to Mansfield Town in the first round of the FA Youth Cup.

November 2024

• Grimsby Town’s Under-18s secured a place in the second round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against Mansfield Town, and were drawn at home against Salford City, with the match scheduled for Friday 15 November at Blundell Park.
• In the third round of the FA Youth Cup, Grimsby Town were drawn at home to West Ham, following their tie against Salford City.

December 2024

• Grimsby Town progressed to the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against West Ham.
• Grimsby Town’s Under-18s were set to face Tottenham Hotspur at home in the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup, following their third-round tie against West Ham.
• The fourth-round match against Tottenham Hotspur was confirmed for Tuesday 7 January at Blundell Park.

January 2025

• A waterlogged pitch at Blundell Park forced the postponement of the Youth Cup match against Tottenham Hotspur.
• Grimsby Town’s Under-18s were eliminated from the FA Youth Cup, following an extra-time defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

February 2025

• Mattie Pollock officially signed his first professional contract with Grimsby Town, committing to the club on a two-and-a-half-year deal at just 17 years old.

April 2025

• Sebastian Auton was shortlisted by the LFE for the EFL League Two Apprentice of the Season awards for 2025, an award honouring exceptional young professionals at EFL clubs who have distinguished themselves both on and off the pitch throughout the season.

May 2025

• Henry Brown and Seb Auton both signed their first professional contracts with Grimsby Town.
• Evan Khouri was named Grimsby Town’s Young Player of the Year for the 2024/25 season.

Released Academy Players (end of 2024/25)

Harvey Cribb.