Birmingham City Academy

Birmingham City FC ran a category 1 academy based in West Midlands. They have a youth development program that nurtures young talent.

The Blues were officially granted Category One status in May 2025, following a detailed assessment by the Professional Game Academy Audit Company (PGAAC), marking an upgrade after three years at Category Two.

Some of the Under-21s’ home matches take place at Stratford Town FC’s ground.

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

“The best player you can get through is an academy player” — Chris Davies, Men’s First Team Manager.

Academy Competitions

Each season, the Academy competes across the standard slate of competitions for Category One clubs:

• U18 Premier League – split into North and South divisions; Birmingham City’s Under-18s play in the South League.
• U17 & U18 Premier League Cup – introduced by the Premier League in 2017; seven group winners plus the best runner-up (by points, goal difference, then head-to-head) progress to the quarter-finals.
• Premier League 2 – since 2023, all Category One academies play in a single Swiss-style league (29 clubs in 2025/26), with entry and removal governed by Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) accreditation criteria.
• U21 Premier League Cup – introduced in the 2013/14 season to add a knockout tournament alongside the regular Professional Development Phase league schedule. For 2025/26, the format features nine groups, with the top team in each group plus the seven best runners-up advancing to the knockout stage.
• FA Youth Cup – the traditional nationwide knockout competition open to academy sides across English football.
• Birmingham Senior Challenge Cup – a regional knockout competition involving senior and academy sides from clubs across the West Midlands.

2025/26 Season

The Academy enters the 2025/26 season — its first as a Category One academy — under Head of Academy Paul Gray.

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

Shea Birmingham (Goalkeeper), Blake Campbell (Defender), Fynn Hawkeswood (Defender), Henry Pearsall (Defender), Isifu Jawara (Defender), Alex Ranson (Defender) and Mordecai Jones (Defender)

Noah Hoarau (Midfielder), Taha Elmansuri (Midfielder), Lorenzo Greer (Midfielder), Nikoli Degtiarev (Forward), Connor Reilly (Forward), Jayden Nunes-Wickham (Forward), Michael Campbell (Forward), Denzil Uchenna (Forward).

Academy Players on Loan 2025/26

• Byron Pendleton (Defender) – Yeovil Town; Brackley Town
• Tyrese Warmington (Goalkeeper) – Redditch United
• Ben Wodskou (Forward) – Yeovil Town; Brackley Town
• Frank Tattum (Forward) – Alvechurch; Leamington FC
• Tommy Fogarty (Defender) – Boston United
• Cody Pennington (Midfielder) – Redditch United
• Alfie Chang (Midfielder) – Bristol Rovers
• Daniel Isichei (Forward) – Tamworth
• Cameron Eubank (Midfielder) – Maidenhead United
• Godfred Boakye (Defender) – Sabah FK

Academy Players in the First Team 2025/26

Dan Isichei (Forward, #42), George Wynne (Midfielder, #47), Menzi Mazwi (Defender, #40), Briar Bateman (Forward, #39), Billy Burrell (Defender, #45), Zaid Betteka (Midfielder, #43), Aurelien Guernier (Forward, #44).

International Players 2025/26

• Max Pearce (GK) – England U15
• Grandel Boateng (FW) – England U15
• Alfie Smith (GK) – England U16
• Oliver Widecki-Estima (FW) – Poland U16
• Arijus Ahmadian (DF) – Lithuania U17
• Ben Flavell (MF) – Malta U18; U19
• Billy Burrell (DF) – Ireland U19
• Tommy Fogarty (DF) – Northern Ireland U21

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Premier League Cup, Birmingham City’s Under-17s were drawn in Group B against Under-17 sides from Derby County, Leicester City and Nottingham Forest.

In the U18 Premier League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group G against Brighton, Manchester United and Middlesbrough. In the U21 Premier League Cup, the Under-21s were drawn in Group A against AFC Bournemouth, Hull City and Reading.

Season Timeline

June 2025

• Mark Kennedy was appointed the Club’s new Under-21s Professional Development Phase Coach.
• Midfielder Brendon Khela signed for Peterborough on a four-year deal with an additional year’s option.

July 2025

• For the second season in a row, the entire group of Under-18s were offered first professional contracts, with nine players — Tyrese Warmington, Yusuf Ahmed, Alezandro Da Silva, Briar Bateman, Trae Briscoe, Billy Burrell, George Wynne, Caleb Sanders and Szymon Terenowicz — signing one-year deals with an option for a further year.
• The Blues also won the Arthur Cup against Solihull Moors.

September 2025

• Midfielder George Hall left Birmingham City to join Port Vale for an undisclosed fee.
• Kurtis Havenhand left the club upon the expiration of his contract.

October 2025

• Alfie Smith was called up for another Three Lions Under-16 camp in Side, Türkiye, where England faced Portugal, Türkiye and Wales.

November 2025

• Byron Pendleton was recalled from his loan at Yeovil Town.

December 2025

• Birmingham City’s Under-18s were drawn away to Coventry City in the FA Youth Cup third round; their cup campaign came to an end at that stage.

January 2026

• The Blues were eliminated from the Birmingham Senior Challenge Cup in the second round.
• Midfielder Alfie Chang, a product of the Academy who made his senior debut in the Carabao Cup in August 2021 and went on to make 21 first-team appearances, departed to join Walsall on a permanent transfer.

February 2026

• Mark Kennedy stepped down as Under-21s Professional Development Phase Coach for personal reasons, having joined the coaching staff in June 2025 and led the Under-21s in their first campaign as a Premier League 2 side.

April 2026

• Forward Frank Tattum was recalled from his loan spell at Leamington after an impressive run of form.

June 2026

• Darren Carter was appointed the Club’s Academy Transition, Loan and Player Development Manager.
• Scott Sellars was appointed the Club’s Senior Pathway to Professional and Under-21s Coach
• Defender Byron Pendleton, who captained the Under-21s during the 2024/25 season and gained senior experience on loan with Yeovil Town and Brackley Town, joined Shrewsbury Town for an undisclosed fee.

Released Academy Players

Yusuf Ahmed, Godfred Boakye, Trae Briscoe, O’Shea Ellis, Cameron Eubank, Tommy Fogarty, Daniel Isichei, Cody Pennington, Frank Tattum, Szymon Terenowicz, Zachary Willis, Ben Wodskou, George Wynne.

2024/25 Season

Despite relegation to League One the previous season, the Academy continued to invest in its future during 2024/25, announcing plans for a new training ground and targeting a return to Category One status for 2025/26.

The season also saw the club build on the previous year’s success, when the Under-18s were crowned Professional Development League national champions

13 second-year scholars were awarded professional contracts following the North Division title win.

Attacking midfielder Romelle Donovan was called up to the England Under-18s squad for the Tri Nations Trophy at St George’s Park during this period.

Scholars 2024/25

Liam Brannigan (Defender), Dylan Okpapi (Defender), Jack Quirk (Defender), Riquelme Thompson-Jones (Defender), Ben Flavell (Midfielder), Aurelien Gurnier (Midfielder), Cobi Maddox (Midfielder), Dynaeo Martin-Moore (Midfielder), Louie Rea (Midfielder), Kaidon Robinson (Forward), Kian McCusker (Forward), Tobi Ugorji (Forward).

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Ben Beresford (Forward) – Kidderminster Harriers
• Tom Fogarty (Defender) – Dunfermline Athletic
• Josh Home (Midfielder) – Gateshead
• Laiith Fairnie (Defender) – Rushall Olympic
• Femi Olofinjana (Defender) – Redditch United
• Josh Williams (Defender) – Gateshead
• Oliver Sayer (Goalkeeper) – Stafford Rangers
• Romelle Donovan (Forward) – Burton Albion
• George Hall (Midfielder) – Walsall
• Brandon Khela (Midfielder) – Bradford City
• O’Shea Ellis (Midfielder) – Stourbridge
• Sahid Kamara (Midfielder) – Welling United
• Ben Wodskou (Forward) – Rushall Olympic
• Alfie Chang (Midfielder) – Walsall
• Junior Dixon (Forward) – Boreham Wood FC
• Taylor Dodd (Defender) – Alvechurch

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Alfie Chang (Midfielder, #15), Brandon Khela (Midfielder, #27), Byron Pendleton (Defender, #39), Cody Pennington (Midfielder, #41), Josh Williams (Defender, #42),

Zaid Betteka (Midfielder, #43), Josh Home (Midfielder, #47), Bradley Mayo (Goalkeeper, #48), Romelle Donovan (Forward, #49).

International Players 2024/25

• Alfie Smith (GK) – England U15 Camp
• Romelle Donovan (FW) – England U19
• Menzi Mazwi (MF) – Wales U19; Zimbabwe First Team
• Zaid Betteka (MF) – Algeria U20
• Tom Fogarty (DF) – Northern Ireland U21

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

In the U18 Premier League Cup, Birmingham City’s Under-18s were drawn in Group G against Under-18 sides from Crystal Palace, Arsenal and Liverpool. In the U21 Premier League Cup, the Under-21s were drawn in Group H against Charlton Athletic, Leeds United and Stockport County.

Season Timeline

September 2024

• Defender Rico Browne signed for Walsall on a one-year deal with an option for a second year, after leaving the Academy following a successful trial.

October 2024

• Birmingham City’s Under-18s were drawn away to Newcastle Town in the FA Youth Cup first round, before progressing to the second round, where they were drawn away to Harrogate Town.

November 2024

• The Knighthead Performance Centre invested substantially to help elevate the Academy to Category One status, with an audit scheduled for December 2024 or January 2025 to determine eligibility for an initial one-year licence.
• The Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup campaign came to an end in the second round, and the side also exited the Premier League Cup.

December 2024

• Academy product Brandon Khela made a first-team start against Blackpool in the FA Cup second round.

January 2025

• Midfielder Josh Home was recalled from his loan at Gateshead, having made seven appearances for the Tynesiders across the National League, FA Cup and National League Cup.

February 2025

• Striker Kurtis Havenhand, formerly of Sheffield United, signed a contract running until the end of the 2024/25 season, with an option for an additional year, and joined the Under-21 squad.

March 2025

• 14-year-old goalkeeper Alfie Smith made history, becoming the youngest player to debut for Birmingham City’s Under-18s since Jude Bellingham.

May 2025

• Birmingham City were officially awarded Category One status, following a detailed assessment by the Professional Game Academy Audit Company (PGAAC) and marking an upgrade after three years at Category Two.
• Zaid Betteka signed his first professional contract, with first-year professional contracts also offered to nine other second-year scholars.
• Midfielder Cam Eubank committed his future to the club, signing a contract until June 2026.

Released Academy Players

Ben Beresford, Junior Dixon (joined Boreham Wood), Taylor Dodd, Laiith Fairnie, Harley Hamilton, Josh Home, Femi Olofinjana, Sahid Kamara (joined Braintree Town), Stoyan Pergelov, Oliver Sayer.