Coventry City Academy 2025–26 season showcasing progress along the EPPP development pathway for youth players.
Based in West Midlands, Coventry City FC runs a category 2 academy
- Academy Manager: Dan Bolas
- Head of Academy Coaching: Adam Bridgeford
- Senior Professional Development Phase Coach: Mark Delaney
View the complete list of Coventry City players who have been retained, released, or have returned to their parent clubs following loan spells.
Coventry City Academy Players On Loan 2025/26
Youth players on loan.
- Harvey Broad (Defender) Dagenham & Redbridge
- Isaac Moore (Midfielder) Forest Green Rovers
- Aidan Dausch (Forward) Forest Green Rovers; Scunthorpe United
- Justin Obikwu (Forward) Lincoln City
- Kai Yearn (Midfielder) Maidenhead United; Chesham United
- Elliott Betjemann (Forward) St Albans City
- David Mantle (Defender) Weymouth; Maidenhead United
- Charlie Finney (Midfielder) Weymouth
- Greg Sandiford (Defender) Bedford Town
- Callum Perry (Defender) Rochdale
- Kai Andrews (Midfielder) Hibernian
- Rylie Siddall (Forward) Gloucester City AFC
- MacKenzie Stretton (Midfielder) Gloucester City AFC
Coventry City Academy Products in the First Team 2025/26
- Kai Andrews (Midfielder) #54
- George Shepherd (Midfielder) #50
Coventry City Academy International Players 2025/26
Young players on international duty.
- Greg Sandiford (Defender) Granada U21
- Kai Andrews (Midfielder) Wales First Team
Academy Competitions
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.
Coventry City U18 are drawn in Group G against under-18 teams: Bolton Wanderers, Crewe Alexandra and Port Vale.
Fixtures Schedule (Group G)
- Match Round 1 (Tuesday 26 August 2025) Coventry City v Bolton Wanderers
- Match Round 2 (Saturday 4 October 2025) Crewe Alexandra v Coventry City
- Match Round 3 (Saturday 22 November 2025) Coventry City v Port Vale
U18 Professional Development League Cup Group Stage
- Coventry U18 lost at home against Bolton Wanderers U18 (1 – 3)
- Coventry U18 lost away against Crewe Alexandra U18 (4 – 1)
- Coventry U18 lost at home against Port Vale U18 (2 – 4)
FA Youth Cup
Third Round Proper
Coventry U18 have been drawn at home against Birmingham City U18
- Coventry City U18 won at home against Birmingham City U18 (4 – 1)
- Alfie Wright
- Will Russon
- Josh Stidder
- Kah’Vanni Lincoln
Fourth Round Proper
Coventry City U18 have been drawn at home against Blackburn Rovers U18
- Coventry City U18 lost at home against Blackburn Rovers U18 (1 – 8)
- Success Nidjebu
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
Coventry City U21 are drawn in Group D against under 21 teams from Blackburn Rovers, Leyton Orient and Watford.
- Coventry City U21 drew at home against Blackburn U21 (1 – 1)
- George Shepherd
- Coventry City U21 lost away against Watford U21 (4 – 1)
- Aidan Dausch
- Coventry City U21 lost away against Leyton Orient U21 (4 – 3)
- Josh Stidder
- Rylie Siddall
- Joshua Toluwaloju
- Coventry City U21 drew at home against Watford U21 (0 – 0)
- Coventry City U21 won away against Blackburn Rovers U21 (0 – 1)
- Charlie Finney
- Coventry City drew at home against Leyton Orient U21 (1 – 1)
- George Shepherd
Birmingham Senior Challenge Cup
Second Round
Coventry City U21 will play away against Rugby Town on 18th November
- Coventry City U21 lost away against Rugby Town (3 – 1)
Coventry City Academy News
24th June 2025
The Under-21s will travel to Singapore this July to take part in the Soccer7s Series, where teams from across Europe, South America, and the Asia-Pacific region will compete in three tournaments.
30th June 2025
The following Under-21 players have agreed new contracts with the Sky Blues:
Tristen Batanwi, Elliot Betjemann, Riccardo Di Trolio, Charlie Finney, Greg Sandiford Jr, Rylie Siddall, and Kai Yearn have all signed new one-year deals.
4th July 2025
Goalkeeper Oscar Varney has joined Coventry City, where he will link up with the club’s Under-21s squad.
The 18-year-old has signed a two-year contract following his departure from Premier League side Fulham.
Six academy graduates are set to join Coventry City’s Under-21s ahead of the 2025/26 Professional Development League campaign.
Conrad Ambursley, Joshua Gordon, Jack James, David Mantle, Joseph McCallum, and MacKenzie Stretton have all signed contracts, becoming the latest group of players to progress through the Sky Blues Academy system.
11th July 2025
Goalkeeper Luis Lines has signed with Norwich City following his exit from Coventry City.
18th November 2025
Coventry U21 are out of the Birmingham Senior Cup after a 3-1 defeat away against Rugby Town.
4th December 2025
Coventry City U18s will host Birmingham City U18 in the FA Youth Cup third round proper on Monday December 15 at CBS Arena with kick-off at 7.00 pm.
16th December 2025
Coventry City U18s booked their place in the Fourth Round of the FA Youth Cup with a 4-1 win over Birmingham City U18. They will face Blackburn Rovers in the next round.
George Sheppard has signed his first professional contract with the club, just days after celebrating his 17th birthday.
22nd December 2025
Coventry City U18 will welcome Blackburn Rovers to CBS Arena for their fourth round tie on Wednesday 21 January, with kick-off at 7pm.
21st January 2026
Coventry City U18s’ FA Youth Cup journey came to an end in the fourth round with a 1 – 8 defeat at home to Blackburn Rovers U18s.
23rd January 2026
Defender Shay Dunn has completed a move to Coventry City, where he will join up with their Under-21s setup. Dunn came through the ranks at Isthmian League South East Division club Merstham.
12th February 2026
Coventry Academy midfielder Joseph McCallum, 18, has completed a permanent move to Wycombe Wanderers.