AFC Bournemouth Academy

AFC Bournemouth runs a category 2 academy based in Bournemouth. They have a strong youth development program that aims to nurture young talent.

Most Under-21 Academy home matches take place at the grounds of Wimborne Town FC

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

According to Academy Manager Sam Gisborne, the club has expressed its intention to apply for a Category One audit with the Professional Game Academy Audit Company for the 2026/27 season.

Academy Competitions

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

• U17 Professional Development League Cup – an English youth football tournament for players aged 17 and under.
• U18 Professional Development League – a leading English youth competition for Category Two academies, comprising 20 teams split into North and South regional divisions, combining league competition with a national play-off system.
• 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.
• Professional Development League 2 – England’s main Under-21 youth competition for Category Two academies, sitting just below Premier League 2. It is split into regional North and South divisions, with play-offs determining the national champion.
• 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.
• Hampshire Senior Cup – a county knockout competition contested by AFC Bournemouth’s Under-21s alongside senior sides from across Hampshire.

2025/26 Season

The Academy enters the 2025/26 season under Academy Manager Sam Gisborne, Under-21 Head Coach Alan Connell, and Under-18 Lead Coach James Lowy.

Contract offers were extended to Mack Allan, Ashley Clarke, Karlos Gregory, Ollie Morgan, Remy Rees-Dottin, Jonny Stuttle and Harold William.

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

Jake Drewett, Dane Ndimukum, Eugene Nyarko, Joe Spence, Tom Stuckey, Will Upstell, Leyland Waite, Jeffery Aibangbee, Kobaro Akaunu, Jalil Conteh, Danny Dixon, Zach Sutton, Harry Webb.

Academy Players on Loan 2025/26

• Jonny Stuttle (Forward) – Walsall (recalled due to injury)
• Archie Harris (Defender) – Eastleigh
• Max Kinsey (Defender) – Truro City
• Will Upstell (Goalkeeper) – New Milton Town
• Dany Dixon (Goalkeeper) – New Milton Town
• Mack Allan (Goalkeeper) – Plymouth Parkway
• Ashley Clarke (Forward) – AFC Totton
• Karlos Gregory (Midfielder) – Sholing
• Ben Winterburn (Midfielder) – Barnet
• Noa Boutin (Defender) – Sutton United
• Dominic Sadi (Midfielder) – FK Novi Pazar
• Ollie Morgan (Defender) – Salisbury
• Michael Dacosta Gonzalez (Forward) – Hartlepool
• Kai Crampton (Goalkeeper) – Wimborne Town
• Charlie Osborne (Midfielder) – Totton; Torquay United

Academy Players in the First Team 2025/26

Dominic Sadi (Midfielder, #49), Remy Rees-Dottin (Forward, #50), Dacosta Gonzalez (Forward, #51), Charlie Stevens (Midfielder, #53).

International Players 2025/26

• Zac Christie (MF) – England U16
• Zach Sutton (DF) – Northern Ireland U19
• Charlie Stevens (MF) – Wales U19
• Ade Solanke (DF) – Ireland U19
• Jalil Conteh (DF) – Algeria U20
• Callan Mckenna (GK) – Scotland U21
• Archie Harris (DF) – Wales U21

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Professional Development League Cup, AFC Bournemouth’s Under-17s were grouped with Under-17 sides from Swindon Town, Exeter City and Newport County.

For the U18 Professional Development League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group A against Cheltenham Town, Plymouth Argyle and Portsmouth, with fixtures scheduled for 26 August, 4 October and 22 November 2025.

In the U21 Premier League Cup, the Under-21s were drawn in Group A against Birmingham City, Hull City and Reading.

Season Timeline

July 2025

• Midfielder Karlos Gregory, defender Archie Harris, winger Remy Rees-Dottin, and midfielders Charlie Stevens and Malachi Ogunleye all agreed new contracts with Stevens and Ogunleye stepped up from the Under-18s to the development squad.

August 2025

• 20-year-old striker Daniel Adu-Adjei departed the Cherries to complete a permanent move to Croatian club Rijeka.

November 2025

• Promising 16-year-old midfielder Harry Webb signed his first professional contract with the Cherries after impressing with both the Under-18s and development squad.

December 2025

• AFC Bournemouth’s Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup journey came to an end in the third round, following their tie against West Bromwich Albion.
• 17-year-old forward Jonny Day, who has spent the last decade with the club, signed a new contract with AFC Bournemouth.
• AFC Bournemouth’s development squad booked their place in the last 16 of that season’s Premier League Cup, progressing as runners-up in Group A behind group winners Reading.

January 2026

• Young winger Jalil Conteh signed his first professional contract with the club, committing his future with the Cherries until at least the summer of 2028.
• Young left-back Ade Solanke joined the club on a long-term deal from Ligue 1 side FC Lorient; the Republic of Ireland youth international, who signed on his 18th birthday, has featured for Lorient’s Under-19s and reserves, and has 31 caps for Ireland from Under-15 to Under-18 level, including the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar.

February 2026

• Forward Balraj Landa completed a permanent switch from AFC Bournemouth to Salisbury, having joined the development squad from Eastleigh’s academy in 2023.
• 22-year-old Dominic Sadi made a permanent move to FK Novi Pazar in the Serbian SuperLiga, following a loan spell with the club earlier that season.

May 2026

• Promising young talent Harold William signed a new long-term deal with the club, having made excellent progress since joining the Cherries from Charlton Athletic as a scholar in the summer of 2023.
• AFC Bournemouth’s Development Squad’s competitive campaign came to an end, following a quarter-final tie against Huddersfield Town in the Professional Development League/Premier League 2 play-offs.
• Young defender Alfie Merritt signed his first professional deal with the club, having continued to develop impressively within the Cherries’ academy system.
• Poole-born midfielder Charlie Stevens signed a new deal with the club, following an impressive season with the development squad since signing his first professional contract the previous summer.
• AFC Bournemouth academy midfielder Ethan Sills signed his first professional contract, and fellow academy prospect Ameer Ali also signed his first professional deal.
• Academy Player of the Year Malcom Dacosta Gonzalez signed a new contract with the club, rewarded for an outstanding 2025/26 campaign.

June 2026

• 18-year-old wide midfielder George Chubinidze signed his first professional contract with the club, having come through the Cherries’ academy since joining as a 12-year-old in 2020.

2024/25 Season

AFC Bournemouth Academy enjoyed a proud 2024/25 season, with the Under-15s reaching the EFL Floodlit Cup final and the Under-16s reaching the national quarter-finals.

The Under-17s made the Round of 16 in the Professional Development League, while the Under-21s reached the national final.

Scholars 2024/25

Hayden McGhan, James Davies, Ben Purches, Alfie Merritt, George Chubinidze, Ethan Sills, Malcom Dacosta Gonzalez, Jonny Day, Danny Dixon.

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Michael Dacosta Gonzalez (Midfielder) – Crawley Town (recalled due to injury)
• Noa Boutin (Defender) – Eastleigh
• Dominic Sadi (Midfielder) – Carlisle United
• Jonny Stuttle (Forward) – Aldershot Town; Farnborough
• Ash Clarke (Forward) – AFC Totton
• Daniel Adu-Adjei (Forward) – Carlisle United
• Finn Tonks (Defender) – Farnborough; Salisbury
• Lewis Brown (Midfielder) – Salisbury
• Karlos Gregory (Midfielder) – Salisbury
• Billy Terrell (Goalkeeper) – Weymouth

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Zain Silcott-Duberry (Forward, #43), Ben Winterburn (Midfielder, #47), Max Kinsey (Defender, #48), Archie Harris (Defender, #50), Remy Rees-Dottin (Forward, #51).

International Players 2024/25

• Malcom Dacosta Gonzalez (FW) – Ecuador U16; U17
• Callan Mckenna (GK) – Scotland U19
• George Chubinidze (FW) – Georgia U19
• Archie Harris (DF) – Wales U21

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

In the U18 Professional Development League Cup, AFC Bournemouth’s Under-18s were drawn in Group A against Under-18 sides from Swindon Town, Portsmouth and Cardiff City.

In the U21 Premier League Cup, the Under-21s were drawn in Group I against Brentford, Derby County and Chelsea.

Season Timeline

September 2024

• AFC Bournemouth announced the signing of Coby Small, formerly of Arsenal, who joined the club’s development squad, and defender Teo Minchev from Chelsea, who joined the club’s Under-18s.

November 2024

• AFC Bournemouth were drawn at home to Ipswich Town in the third round of the FA Youth Cup.
• The FA Youth Cup tie against Ipswich Town was confirmed to be played at Eastleigh’s Silverlake Stadium on Wednesday 11 December.

December 2024

• AFC Bournemouth secured a place in the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against Ipswich Town.
• In the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup, AFC Bournemouth were drawn at home to Norwich City.

January 2025

• Bournemouth secured the signing of 18-year-old American defender Matai Akinmboni from DC United; the centre-back, who made his Major League Soccer debut at just 15, agreed a long-term contract with the club. The FA Youth Cup fourth-round match against Norwich City was confirmed for Wednesday 15 January at Silverlake Stadium.
• Dan Adu-Adjei and Dom Sadi were recalled by AFC Bournemouth from their loan spells at Carlisle United.
• AFC Bournemouth’s FA Youth Cup run came to an end in the fourth round, following their tie against Norwich City.
• AFC Bournemouth confirmed the signing of winger Zain Silcott-Duberry, who joined the Cherries after progressing through Chelsea’s academy system, where he had developed since 2017.
• AFC Bournemouth were eliminated from the Under-17s Professional Development League Cup at the Round of 16 stage, following their tie against Cheltenham Town.

March 2025

• Daniel Jebbison, born in Oakville before later moving to England as a teenager, chose to represent the Canada national team.

April 2025

• Malcom Dacosta Gonzalez signed his first professional contract with AFC Bournemouth; the midfielder, who had just turned 17, played a key role for Ecuador during their recent Under-17 South American Championship campaign.

May 2025

• AFC Bournemouth finished at the top of the Professional Development League Group South.
• Bournemouth’s Under-21s booked their spot in the Premier League Under-21 Professional Development League play-off final, following their tie against Burnley.
• AFC Bournemouth’s Under-21s were confirmed to face Brentford B in the Professional Development League play-off final at the Vitality Stadium on Wednesday 21 May, in just their second year as a Category Two club.
• AFC Bournemouth’s Under-21s finished as national finalists in the Professional Development League, following their tie against Brentford B.

Released Academy Players (end of 2024/25)

Development Squad: Lewis Brown, Coby Small, Kian Tydeman, Toure Williams.

Second-Year Scholars: Ryan Carroll, Joshua Hamilton-Olise, Kashanga Kasukumya, Teodor Minchev, Sonny Parkes, Joshua Salmon, William Seeley, Tommy Whitehead, Jay Williams.