Carlisle United Academy

Carlisle United runs a category 3 academy based in Cumbria. They have an elite youth development program that nurtures young talent.

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

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 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.
• Cumberland Senior Cup – a county knockout competition contested by Carlisle United’s Academy alongside sides from across Cumberland.

2025/26 Season

The Academy enters the 2025/26 season under Academy Manager Steven Rudd and Lead Youth Development Phase Coach Danny Grainger.

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

Sam Worth (Goalkeeper), William Hatton (Defender), Olly Penney (Defender), Alex McDonough (Defender), Tai Bell (Midfielder), Zac Tonge (Midfielder)

William Rafferty (Forward), Reuben Towers (Forward) and Amaru Smith (Forward).

Academy Players on Loan 2025/26

• Dan Hopper (Midfielder) – Darlington
• Hayden Atkinson (Defender) – Workington AFC
• Jake Allan (Midfielder) – Workington AFC
• Freddie O’Donoghue (Midfielder) – Queen of the South
• Lewis Lambert (Forward) – Carlisle City FC
• Jonah Lowes (Midfielder) – Darlington

Academy Players in the First Team 2025/26

Hayden Atkinson (Defender, #31).

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Professional Development League Cup, Carlisle United’s Under-17s were grouped with Under-17 sides from Bolton Wanderers, Fleetwood Town and Blackpool, before progressing to the round of 16 against Preston North End and then the quarter-final against Stockport County.

For the U18 Youth Alliance Cup, the Under-18s progressed past Doncaster Rovers, Bolton Wanderers and Preston North End to reach the semi-finals against Oldham Athletic.

In the FA Youth Cup, the Under-18s were drawn away against Morecambe in the second round qualifying and away against Gateshead in the third round qualifying, before being drawn at home against Blackpool in the first round proper.

Season Timeline

May 2025

• Carlisle United announced that scholars Jake Allan, Sam Hetherington, and Dan Hopper had been offered and accepted professional contracts with the club.
• Freddie O’Donoghue and Thomas Randall had their scholarships extended into a third year.

August 2025

• Defender Hayden Atkinson, 17, signed his first professional contract with Brunton Park, committing to the club until 2027.

October 2025

• A dominant Carlisle United Under-18s side advanced into the next round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against Morecambe.
• Carlisle United’s Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup journey came to an end, following their tie at home to Blackpool’s Under-18s.

November 2025

• Carlisle United’s Under-18s reached the semi-finals of the Youth Alliance Cup, following their tie against Preston North End’s Under-18s.
• Carlisle United confirmed that Steven Rudd had departed his position as academy manager with immediate effect; Rudd had initially joined the club in March 2024 in a part-time capacity, before stepping into the role on a full-time basis in August 2024.

February 2026

• Carlisle United were edging closer to naming a new academy manager, having identified their preferred candidate to succeed Steven Rudd, who departed the club in November.

2024/25 Season

Based in Cumbria, Carlisle United ran a Category Three academy.

Scholars 2024/25

Casey Sillitoe (Goalkeeper), Hayden Atkinson (Defender), Jack Porter (Defender), Jonah Lowes (Midfielder), Simon Rigby (Midfielder), Jamie Hodgson (Midfielder), Seb Mason (Forward) and Louis Lambert (Forward).

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Anton Dudik (Forward) – South Shields
• Dan Hopper (Midfielder) – Penrith AFC
• Freddie O’Donoghue (Forward) – Carlisle City FC
• Jake Allan (Midfielder) – Workington AFC
• Aran Fitzpatrick (Defender) – Workington AFC
• Sam Hetherington (Midfielder) – Workington AFC; Darlington
• Trent Chapman (Defender) – Carlisle City FC
• Josh O’Brien (Defender) – Carlisle City FC
• Mason Fleming (Defender) – Penrith AFC

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Casey Sillitoe (Goalkeeper), Jack Ellis (Defender, #18), Sam Hetherington (Midfielder, #31), Freddie O’Donoghue (Forward, #32), Hayden Atkinson (Defender, #33)

Dan Hopper (Midfielder, #34), Seb Mason (Midfielder, #35), Thomas Randall (Goalkeeper, #41).

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Professional Development League Cup, Carlisle United’s Under-17s reached the last 16 of the Plate, where they were drawn against Stockport County.

For the U18 Youth Alliance Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group 1 against Blackpool, Bolton Wanderers, Accrington Stanley, Morecambe and Preston North End, before progressing to the round of 16 against Wrexham.

In the Central League Cup, Carlisle United’s Reserves were drawn in Group A against Blackburn Rovers Reserves, Barrow Reserves, Burnley Reserves and Morecambe Reserves.

In the FA Youth Cup, the Under-18s were drawn away against Altrincham in the first round, away against Barnsley in the second round, and at home against Plymouth Argyle in the third round.

The Academy also participated in the Cumberland Senior Cup.

Season Timeline

October 2024

• In the first round of the FA Youth Cup, Carlisle United were drawn away to Altrincham.
• Carlisle United secured a place in the second round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against Altrincham.

November 2024

• Carlisle United’s Under-18s were drawn away to Barnsley in the second round of the FA Youth Cup, with the match to be played on Wednesday 13 November.
• Carlisle United’s Under-18s advanced to the third round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie away at Barnsley.
• In the third round of the FA Youth Cup, Carlisle were drawn at home to Plymouth Argyle.
• United’s Under-18s were set to take on Plymouth Argyle in the third round of the FA Youth Cup at Brunton Park on Tuesday 10 December.

December 2024

• The FA Youth Cup journey came to an end for Carlisle United after a third-round tie at home to Plymouth Argyle.

January 2025

• Jack Ellis scored his first senior goal for Carlisle United, against Crewe Alexandra.

March 2025

• Carlisle United extended offers to four scholars, Sam Hetherington, Dan Hopper, Freddie O’Donoghue, and Thomas Randall, to remain at Brunton Park the following season; a decision on Jake Allan was to be made at a later date.

Released Academy Players (end of 2024/25)

Trent Chapman, Aran Fitzpatrick, Mason Fleming, James Murray, Will Nicholson, Josh O’Brien, Bobby Skinner.