Leyton Orient Academy

Leyton Orient runs a category 3 academy based in East London. They have an elite youth development program that nurtures young talent.

Academy games are played at Buckhurst Hill Football Club.

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

Leyton Orient launched a new Under-21 team for the 2025/26 season, designed to bridge the gap between the Under-18s and First Team by giving young players valuable experience in a more professional, competitive environment.

The team competes in the Premier League Cup and London Senior Cup, alongside friendlies against other Under-21 and ‘B’ teams.

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.
• 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.
• London Senior Cup – a regional knockout competition contested by Leyton Orient’s Under-21s alongside senior sides from across London.

2025/26 Season

The Academy enters the 2025/26 season under Under-21 Professional Development Phase Coach Darren Pratley.

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.

Academy Players on Loan 2025/26

• Hayden Bullas (Midfielder) – Enfield Town
• Phillip Chinedu (Defender) – Wealdstone
• Makai Welch (Midfielder) – Hornchurch
• Abdi Mohamud (Midfielder) – Waltham Abbey; Canvey Island
• Zac Hambury (Midfielder) – Welling United; Canvey Island
• Zak O’Keefe (Midfielder) – Heybridge Swifts; Welling United
• Noah Phillips (Goalkeeper) – Dorking Wanderers; Chelmsford City
• Alfie Wellens (Midfielder) – Grays Athletic; Dagenham & Redbridge; Chertsey Town
• Dan Carter (Midfielder) – Dartford
• Luke Northwood (Defender) – Erith Town
• Charlie Anderson (Midfielder) – Enfield Town
• Izu Okafor (Forward) – Enfield Town
• Claudio Nzang (Forward) – Northwood
• Aaron Sterling (Forward) – Brentwood Town
• TJ Bello (Defender) – Enfield FC

Academy Players in the First Team 2025/26

Zech Obiero (Midfielder, #29), Zac Hambury (Midfielder, #35).

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

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

In the U21 Premier League Cup, the Under-21s were drawn in Group D against Coventry City, Blackburn Rovers and Watford.

Season Timeline

June 2025

• Phil Chinedu, Dan Carter and Anduan Hajdin all signed their first professional contracts at Leyton Orient.
• The club also activated the third-year scholarships for Hayden Bullas and Abdi Mohamud.

July 2025

• Charlie Pegrum completed a permanent move from Leyton Orient to Hornchurch, having spent the previous season on loan with the Urchins.

August 2025

• 21-year-old forward Daniel Nkrumah left Leyton Orient and signed a permanent deal with Wealdstone in the National League.
• Thomas Avgoustidis signed with Royston FC following his departure from Leyton Orient at the conclusion of his contract.
• Orient’s newly established Under-21 team played their first competitive match, taking on Watford’s Under-21s at the Breyer Group Stadium, marking the opening fixture of Premier League Cup Group D.

September 2025

• Leyton Orient’s Under-16 team visited the battlefields of Ypres, Belgium, and the Somme.

October 2025

• Academy players Zac Hambury and Zak O’Keefe were recalled from their loan spells at Welling United and Heybridge Swifts respectively, while third-year scholar Abdi Mohamud extended his loan with Isthmian League North Division side Waltham Abbey until 3 November.
• Leyton Orient’s Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup journey came to an end, following their tie at home to Bromley.

November 2025

• Phillip Chinedu was recalled from his loan spell at Wealdstone.

January 2026

• Leyton Orient’s Under-18s’ Youth Alliance Cup journey came to an end, following their tie at home to AFC Wimbledon.

March 2026

• Leyton Orient’s Under-21s were set to host Erith Town in the quarter-final of the London Senior Cup, with the tie scheduled for Tuesday 3 March.

2024/25 Season

The 2024/25 season was a proud one for the Leyton Orient Academy, with every first-year scholar surpassing 2,000 minutes of competitive action — an impressive milestone in their debut campaign.

This outstanding level of game time highlights the Academy’s commitment to developing young talent through meaningful first-team opportunities.

The Under-17s also enjoyed a strong season, progressing to the Round of 32 of the U17 Professional Development League Plate.

Scholars 2024/25

Ethan Pike (Goalkeeper), Preston Knight (Defender), Luke Northwood (Defender), Zak O’Keefe (Midfielder), Eddie Wright (Midfielder), Alfie Wellens (Midfielder)

Charlie Anderson (Midfielder), Izu Okafor (Midfielder), Claudio Asumu Nsang (Forward), Zachary Hambury (Forward), Aaron Sterling (Forward).

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Rhys Byrne (Goalkeeper) – Bowers & Pitsea; Salisbury
• Thomas Avgoustidis (Midfielder) – Potters Bar
• Hayden Bullas (Midfielder) – FC Erith Town; Dartford
• Reon Smith-Kouassi (Forward) – Potters Bar
• Charlie Pegrum (Midfielder) – Welling United; Tonbridge; Hornchurch
• Makai Welsh (Midfielder) – Hendon FC; Hornchurch
• Phillip Chinedu (Defender) – St Albans City; Hemel Hempstead Town

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Zech Obiero (Midfielder, #29), Makai Welsh (Midfielder, #31), Aaron Sterling (Forward, #35), Dan Carter (Midfielder, #36), Alfie Wellens (Midfielder, #39), Zack Hambury (Midfielder, #41).

International Players 2024/25

Marley Gabbidon – England U15 Camp.

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

In the U18 Youth Alliance Cup, Leyton Orient’s Under-18s were drawn in Group H against Under-18 sides from Sutton United, Gillingham, Bromley and AFC Wimbledon.

Season Timeline

October 2024

• Leyton Orient were drawn at home to Aldershot Town in the first round of the FA Youth Cup.
• Leyton Orient secured a place in the second round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against Aldershot Town.

November 2024

• Leyton Orient’s Under-18s were drawn at home against Whitehawk in the second round of the FA Youth Cup.
• Leyton Orient were drawn at home to either AFC Fylde or Northampton Town in the third round of the FA Youth Cup, contingent on their result against Whitehawk.
• Leyton Orient advanced to the third round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against Whitehawk.

December 2024

• Leyton Orient were confirmed to host AFC Fylde in the FA Youth Cup third round on Monday 9 December at the Gaughan Group Stadium, with Mark Timmington’s team aiming to make history by reaching the fourth round for the first time.
• The FA Youth Cup journey came to an end for Leyton Orient in the third round, following their tie against AFC Fylde.

March 2025

• As part of EFL Youth Development Week, celebrated across all 72 League clubs, Leyton Orient highlighted its strong track record of developing academy players — Nine
• Nine of that season’s second-year apprentices earning a distinction in their academic studies.

May 2025

• Hayden Bullas was named the 2024/25 Academy Player of the Year for Leyton Orient.

Released Academy Players (end of 2024/25)

Reece Jhuti (joined Rayners Lane FC), Freddie Norman, Aaron Archibald, Uko Oji, Devine Samuel.