Colchester United Academy 2025–26 season showcasing progress along the EPPP development pathway.
Based in Essex, Colchester United runs a category 2 academy
Under 18 Head Coach: Joe Dunn
Colchester United Retained List 2025
View the complete list of Colchester United players who have been retained, released, or have returned to their parent clubs following loan spells.
Colchester United Academy Players On Loan 2025/26
Youth players on loan.
- Franke Terry (Defender) Braintree Town
- Samuel Kuffour Jr. (Defender) Hornchurch
- Frankie Edwards (Defender) Hornchurch
- Max Jolliffe (Midfielder) Billericay; Yeovil Town
- James Sasere (Forward) Heybridge Swifts; Grays Athletic
- Ronnie Harvey (Midfielder) Chelmsford City
- Harrison Chamberlain (Goalkeeper) Cray Valley PM
- Alfie Newby (Defender) AFC Sudbury
- Kien Connolly (Forward) AFC Sudbury; Dagenham and Redbridge
- Fela Abidekun (Defender) Grays Athletic
- Daniel Banjoko (Midfielder) White Ensign
- Jack Sexton (Goalkeeper) White Ensign
- Leo Makatta (Forward) Heybridge Swifts
- Owen Moore (Defender) Concord Rangers
- Herbie Shaw (Defender) Takeley
- Dwayne Campina Do Vale (Forward) Carshalton Athletic
- Evans Makise (Forward) Bishop Stortford
Colchester United Academy Players in the First Team 2025/26
Young players in the first team
- Frankie Terry (Defender) #40
- Samuel Kuffour Jr. (Defender) #44
- Ronnie Harvey (Defender) #47
- Kaion Lisbie (Forward) #34
Colchester United Academy International Players 2025/26
- Freddie Parsons (Forward) Wales U15
Colchester United Academy Competitions
U17 Professional Development League Cup
The U17 Professional Development League Cup is an English youth football tournament created for players aged 17 and under.
U17 PDL Cup Group Stage
Colchester United U17 will play against Under-17 teams from Cambridge United, Northampton Town and Gillingham.
- Colchester United U17 lost at home against Gillingham (0 – 1)
- Colchester United U17 lost away against Northampton Town U17 (2 – 0)
- Colchester United U17 won away against Cambridge United U17 (0 – 2)
Knockout Stage
- Colchester United U17 lost away against Brentford U17 (3 – 1)
U18 Professional Development League
The Under-18 Professional Development League is a leading English youth competition for Category Two academies, comprising 20 teams split into North and South regional divisions.
It delivers a high-level development pathway for promising players, combining league competition with a national play-off system.
Below are the team standings at the winter break, marking roughly the halfway point of the season.
U18 Professional Development League Cup
Established for the 2021/22 season, the Professional Development League Cup features 32 teams divided into eight groups of four.
The group winners advance to the knockout stages.
U18 Professional Development League Cup Group Stage
Colchester United U18 are drawn in Group D against under-18 teams: Luton Town, Oxford United and Watford.
Fixtures Schedule (Group D)
- Match Round 1 (Tuesday 26 August 2025) Watford v Colchester United
- Match Round 2 (Saturday 4 October 2025) Colchester United v Luton Town
- Match Round 3 (Saturday 22 November 2025) Colchester United v Oxford United
- Colchester United U18 drew away against Watford U18 (3 – 3)
- Colchester United U18 won against Luton Town U18 (2 – 1)
- Colchester United U18 lost at home against Oxford United U18 (0 – 1)
FA Youth Cup
First Round Proper
Colchester United U18 have been drawn away against AFC Wimbledon U18
- Colchester United U18 won away against AFC Wimbledon U18 (2 – 5)
Second Round Proper
Colchester United U18 have been drawn away against Barnet U18
- Colchester United U18 won away against Barnet U18 (0 – 3)
- Lennox Emery
- Owen Moore
- Leo Makatta
Third Round Proper
Colchester United U18 have been drawn away against FC Halifax Town
- Colchester United U18 won away against FC Halifax Town U18 (0 – 1)
- Owen Moore
Fourth Round Proper
Colchester United U18 have been drawn away against Oxford United U18
- Colchester United lost away against Oxford United U18 (2 – 1)
- OG
Professional Development League
Professional Development League 2—is England’s main youth competition for Category Two academies. It sits just below Premier League 2, providing Under-21 players with a key pathway toward first-team football.
The league is split into regional North and South divisions, with play-offs determining the national champion, and it offers a highly competitive platform for developing top young talent.
Below are the team standings at the winter break, marking roughly the halfway point of the season.
U21 Premier League Cup
The Premier League Cup was introduced in the 2013/14 season to enhance competition during the Professional Development Phase.
It added a knockout tournament alongside the regular league schedule. For the 2025/26 season, the format features nine groups.
The top team from each group automatically qualifies for the knockout stage, along with the seven best second-placed teams.
U21 Premier League Cup Group Stage
Colchester United U21 are drawn in Group H against under 21 teams from Bromley, Norwich City and Sunderland.
- Colchester United U21 drew away against Norwich U21 (2 – 2)
- Kien Connolly
- Albert Wood
- Colchester United U21 lost away against Sunderland U21 (2 – 1)
- Kai Martin
- Colchester United U21 won at home against Bromley U21 (2 – 0)
- John-Kymani Gordon
- Lennox Emery
- Colchester United U21 lost at home against Norwich City U21 (3 – 4)
- Kaion Lisbie
- Milton Oni
- Makise Evans
- Colchester United U21 won away against Bromley U21 (2 – 3)
- Kyreece Lisbie
- Makise Evans
- Alfie Newby
- Colchester United U21 won at home against Sunderland U21 (4 – 2)
- Alfie Newby
- Kien Connolly
- Adrian Akande (2)
Round of 16
- Colchester United U21 won at home against Swansea City U21 (1 – 0)
- Frankie Edwards
Quarter Final
- Colchester United U21 lost away against Burnley U21 (5 – 2)
- Kien Connolly (2)
Essex Senior Cup
Third Round
- Colchester United lost away against Aveley (3 – 1)
- Kaion Lisbie
Colchester United Academy News
24th June 2025
Elkanah Akor, Alfie Newby, and Kai O’Flynn Martin have each signed their first professional contracts with Colchester United.
11th July 2025
18-year-old centre-forward Makise Evans has signed his first professional contract with the U’s after joining from Stevenage.
26th July 2025
Young winger Kaion Lisbie has penned his first professional deal with Colchester United.
1st August 2025
21-year-old defender Frankie Terry has signed a new two-year deal with Colchester United, extending his stay at the club he initially joined at the age of 15.
21st October 2025
A youthful Colchester United side were eliminated from the Senior Essex Cup after a 3–1 away defeat to Aveley in the third round.
29th October 2025
Colchester United U18s advanced to the second round of the FA Youth Cup with a resounding 5– 2 victory away against AFC Wimbledon U18s.
4th November 2025
Colchester United U18s will travel to face Barnet U18 in the FA Youth Cup Second Round on Tuesday, November 18th, with kick-off scheduled for 7:30 pm.
18th November 2025
Colchester United U18s will head to FC Halifax Town U18 in the FA Youth Cup Third Round after defeating Barnet in the second round.
10th December 2025
The young U’s have progressed to the Fourth Round of the FA Youth Cup after a 1–0 away victory over FC Halifax Town.
They will now face either Oxford United or Wigan Athletic in the next round.
11th December 2025
Frankie Terry has been recalled from his loan at Braintree Town in the National League, where he made 26 appearances and scored two goals.
24th December 2025
Colchester United U18 are set to travel to the Kassam Stadium to face Oxford United in their fourth-round tie on Thursday 22 January, with kick-off scheduled for 6pm.
9th January 2026
Freddie Ingram has joined Colchester United on an eighteen-month deal until summer 2027.
The 19-year-old began at Southampton FC Academy, moved to AFC Bournemouth Academy, and later played for Eastleigh FC.
23rd January 2026
Colchester United’s FA Youth Cup run ended Thursday as Eddie Keen’s Under-18s were narrowly beaten by Championship side Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium.