Stockport County Academy

Stockport County runs a category 3 academy based in Greater Manchester. They have an elite youth development program that nurtures young talent.

Stockport County Academy Vision: A launchpad for new lives in football.

The club focuses on developing young players for the first team, allowing them to progress to higher levels. T

his strategy generates transfer revenue, which is then reinvested to further strengthen the club’s structure.

Additionally, they nurture players who embody Stockport County FC’s culture, values, and playing style, acting as custodians of the club’s identity.

Some academy activities also take place at the first-team training ground at Carrington.

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

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 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Cheshire Senior Cup – a county knockout competition contested by Stockport County’s Reserves alongside sides from across Cheshire.

2025/26 Season

A proud 2024/25 season for the Stockport County Academy saw the club crowned EFL U15 Floodlit Cup Winners and reach the quarter-finals of the U17 Professional Development League Plate.

The Academy also made its debut in the U21 Premier League Cup tournament.

The Academy enters the 2025/26 season under Academy Manager Damien Allen and Lead Professional Development Phase Coach Jamie Crowther.

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

Ben Buckley (Goalkeeper), Nathan Hughes (Goalkeeper), Israel Pither (Defender), Harley Windsor (Defender), James Lewis (Midfielder), Sam Lennon (Midfielder), Jacob Maher (Midfielder)

Joe Astles (Forward), Jayden Nkodia (Forward), Alfie Jones (Forward), Newton Udoette (Forward), Mohamed Sheriff (Forward) and Daniel Marshall (Defender).

Academy Players on Loan 2025/26

• Jid Okeke (Defender) – Walsall
• Cian O’Shea (Goalkeeper) – Avro FC
• Christy Grogan (Defender) – Aldershot Town

International Players 2025/26

• Rhys Watson (Defender) – Wales U19

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Professional Development League Cup, Stockport County’s Under-17s were grouped with Under-17 sides from Grimsby Town, Mansfield Town and Barnsley, before being drawn against Salford City in the round of 16.

In the U18 Professional Development League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group E against Fleetwood Town, Blackpool and Wigan Athletic, with fixtures scheduled for 26 August, 12 October and 22 November 2025.

For the U18 Youth Alliance Cup, the Under-18s were drawn away against Salford City.

In the FA Youth Cup first round proper, the Under-18s were drawn away against Fleetwood Town.

Also in the U21 Premier League Cup, Stockport County’s Under-21s were drawn in Group F against Cardiff City, QPR and Burnley, taking part in the competition for the first time since the Academy was reinstated in 2022.

In the Cheshire Senior Cup, the Reserves were drawn away against Congleton.

Season Timeline

May 2025

• Stockport County secured the signatures of three promising young talents — Marcus Kouam, Rhys Watson, and Christy Grogan — on professional contracts ahead of the 2025/26 season.

July 2025

• Nathaniel Mapengu signed his first professional contract with Stockport County, committing his future to Edgeley Park until 2027.

August 2025

• Lee Williams completed a move to Vietnamese top-flight side The Cong-Viettel FC following his departure from Stockport County; the 18-year-old forward impressed during his loan spell at Warrington Town the previous season.

September 2025

• Talented midfielder Corey Edwards joined from National League side Rochdale, linking up with County’s Under-21s on loan until January.
• Stockport County confirmed that Senior Development Coach Jamie Crowther was set to leave the club to take up a new role with Aston Villa.

2024/25 Season

Based in Greater Manchester, Stockport County ran a Category Three academy.

Scholars 2024/25

Cian O’Shea (Goalkeeper), Jake Lewis (Defender), Nathaniel Mapengu (Defender), Chima Okoligan (Defender), John Williams-Lawless (Defender), Bruno Cina (Midfielder)

Michee Dialundama (Midfielder), Saul Gardner (Midfielder), Stephen Maylett (Midfielder), Louie Rawlinson (Midfielder) and Marcus Kouam (Forward).

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Jid Okeke (Defender) – South Shields; Rochdale
• Max Metcalfe (Goalkeeper) – Eastbourne Borough; Marine
• Andrew Wogan (Goalkeeper) – Drogheda United; Marine
• Cody Johnson (Midfielder) – King’s Lynn
• Ashton Mee (Midfielder) – South Shields
• Ethan Mann (Defender) – Buxton
• Lee Williams (Forward) – Warrington

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Jid Okeke (Defender, #29), Che Gardner (Midfielder, #31), Bruno Cina (Forward, #40), Saul Gardner (Midfielder, #42), John Lawless-Williams (Defender, #44), Jake Lewis (Defender, #45)

Nathaniel Mapengu (Defender, #46), Freddie Redshaw (Midfielder, #54), Rhys Watson (Midfielder, #55).

International Players 2024/25

• Rhys Watson (Defender) – Wales U18
• Cian O’Shea (Goalkeeper) – Republic of Ireland U19
• Andrew Wogan (Goalkeeper) – Republic of Ireland U21
• Benoný Breki (Forward) – Iceland U21

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Professional Development League Plate, Stockport County’s Under-17s were drawn at home against Carlisle United in the eighth-finals, before being drawn away against Burnley in the quarter-finals.

In the U18 Youth Alliance Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group 2 against Rochdale, Salford City, Shrewsbury Town, Port Vale and Wrexham.

For the U21 Premier League Cup, Stockport County were drawn in Group H against Charlton Athletic, Leeds United and Birmingham City, taking part in the competition for the first time since the Academy was reinstated in 2022.

In the Central League Cup, Stockport County’s Reserves were drawn in Group B against Wigan Athletic Reserves, Stoke City Reserves and Preston North End Reserves.

Season Timeline

October 2024

• In the first round of the FA Youth Cup, Stockport were drawn at home to Blackpool.

November 2024

• The FA Youth Cup journey came to an end for Stockport County after a first-round tie at home to Blackpool.

March 2025

• Stockport County Academy celebrated its first ‘Next Chapter Week’ as part of ongoing efforts to prepare scholars for the next stage of their journey.

May 2025

• Stockport County’s Under-15s were crowned national champions of the EFL U15 Floodlit Cup.

Released Academy Players (end of 2024/25)

Cody Johnson (joined FC Halifax Town).