West Ham Academy 2024-25

Highlights from the West Ham Academy 2024–25 season showcasing progress along the EPPP development pathway for youth players.

Based in East London, West Ham FC runs a category 1 academy.

Academy Manager: Kenny Brown

West Ham Scholars 2024/25

  1. Olanrewaju Awesu (Goalkeeper)
  2. Finley Hooper (Goalkeeper)
  3. Airidas Golambeckis (Defender)
  4. Aaron Kamara (Defender)
  5. Lewis Beckford (Midfielder)
  6. Chinaza Nwosu (Midfielder)
  7. Jonathan Unwin (Midfielder)
  8. David Chigwada (Forward)
  9. Andre Dike (Forward)
  10. Majid Balogun (Forward)

West Ham Academy Players On Loan 2024/25

Youth players on loan.

  1. Michael Forbes (Defender) Bristol Rovers; Colchester United
  2. Levi Laing (Defender) Cheltenham
  3. Gideon Kodua (Forward) Wycombe Wanderers
  4. Patrick Kelly (Midfielder) Doncaster
  5. Freddie Potts (Midfielder) Portsmouth
  6. George Earthy (Midfielder) Bristol City
  7. Callum Marshall (Forward) Huddersfield Town
  8. Mason Terry (Goalkeeper) AFC Hornchurch
  9. Krisztián Hegyi (Goalkeeper) Motherwell FC; Debreceni VSC
  10. Mohamadou Kanté (Midfielder) Paris FC
  11. Regan Clayton (Defender) Dagenham & Redbridge
  12. Junior Robinson (Defender) Sutton United
  13. Brad Dolaghan (Forward) Aldershot Town

West Ham Academy Players in the 1st Team 2024/25

  1. Oliver Scarles (Defender) #57
  2. Kaelan Casey (Defender) #42
  3. Lewis Orford (Midfielder) #61

West Ham Academy International Players

  1. Emmanuel Fejokwu (Midfielder) England U15
  2. Jude Longman (Midfielder) England U15
  3. Isaac Thomas (Forward) Wales U16
  4. Riley Ebho (Defender) England U16
  5. Martin Peychev (Midfielder) Bulgaria U17
  6. Tomas Jonyla (Defender) Lithuania U17
  7. Olanrewaju Awesu (Goalkeeper) England U17
  8. Chinaza Nwosu (Midfielder) England U17
  9. Andre Obinna Dike (Forward) England U17
  10. Airidas Golambeckis (Defender) England U18
  11. Chukwuemeka Adiele (Defender) England U18
  12. Lewis Orford (Midfielder) England U18, U19
  13. Finlay Herrick (Goalkeeper) England U19
  14. Josh Briggs (Defender) Northern Ireland U19
  15. Aaron Kamara (Defender) Sierra Leone U20
  16. Kaelan Casey (Defender) England U20
  17. Oliver Scarles (Defender) England U20
  18. George Earthy (Forward) England U20, U21
  19. Michael Forbes (Defender) Northern Ireland U21
  20. Patrick Kelly (Midfielder) Northern Ireland U21
  21. Gabriel Caliste (Midfielder) Mauritius First Team

Midfielder Lewis Orford has been named in the England U18s squad for two Tri-Nations Trophy fixtures at St George’s Park across the next week.

England face Northern Ireland on Wednesday (May 22) and then Morocco on Sunday (May 26th, 2024).

West Ham Academy Competitions For 2024/25

U17 and U18 Premier League Cup

In 2017, the Premier League introduced the U18 Premier League Cup and the U16 Premier League Cup, renaming the latter to the U17 Premier League Cup in 2020 for their respective age groups.

The seven group winners, along with the best runner-up determined by total points, goal difference, and then head-to-head record, will progress to the quarterfinals.

U17 Premier League Cup Group Stage

West Ham U17 are drawn in Group B against under-17 teams from West Brom, Norwich City and Tottenham.

  1. Lost away against Tottenham U17 (5 – 0)

U18 Premier League Cup Group Stage

West Ham U18 are drawn in Group D against under-18 teams from Everton, Southampton and Nottingham Forest.

  1. Won at home against Nottingham Forest U18 (2 – 0)
  2. Drew away against Everton U18 (4 – 4)
  3. Won at home against Southampton U18 (3 – 1)

U18 Premier League Cup Quarter-Finals

  1. Won at home against Manchester United U18 (2 – 2) (5 – 4 on pens)
    • Joshua Ajala
    • Gabriel Caliste

The U18 Premier League Cup Semi-Finals

  1. Won away against Derby U18 (3 – 1)
    • Joshua Ajala (2)
    • Josh Landers

U18 Premier League Cup Finals

  1. Won away against Reading U18 (2 – 1)
    • Joshua Ajala (2)

National League Cup

The National League Cup is a 32-team midweek competition, comprising of 16 Under-21s teams participating in Premier League 2 and 16 National League club first teams.

West Ham U21s have been placed in Group D of the new National League Cup competition.

They will face Braintree Town, Dagenham and Redbridge, Ebbsfleet United and Sutton United with all matches being played away from home.

National League Cup Group Stage

  1. Lost against Braintree Town (4 – 2)
    • Joshua Ajala
    • Oliver Scarles
  2. Won against Sutton United (2 – 0)
    • Joshua Ajala
    • Junior Robinson
  3. Won against Ebbsfleet United (2 – 1)
    • Joshua Ajala
    • Kamarai Swyer
  4. Lost against Dagenham & Redbridge (2 – 0)

Premier League 2

Starting from the 2023 season, all 26 Category 1 teams compete in a single league using the Swiss-style format.

Entry into or removal from this league depends on meeting the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) accreditation criteria.

Premier League 2 Playoffs Round of 16

  1. Won at home against Sunderland U21 (3 – 1)
    • Joshua Ajala
    • Lewis Orford
    • Ryan Battrum

The Premier League 2 Playoffs Quarter-Final

  1. Lost away against Manchester United U21 (4 – 1)
    • Chukwuemeka Adiele

Premier League International Cup

The participating teams are split into four groups of eight, each comprising four UK-based Under-21 teams and four invited overseas clubs represented by their development squads.

Each UK team will host all four overseas clubs in their group. The results will determine the standings in each group, with the top two teams advancing to the knockout stages.

West Ham U21 will face Athletic Club, Benfica, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Lyon in the initial phase of the tournament.

Blackburn, Sunderland and Middlesbrough are the other UK-based teams in their group.

West Ham U21 Premier League International Cup Group Stage

  1. Drew against Benfica U21 (2 – 2)
    • Luis Guilherme
    • Brad Dolaghan
  2. Drew against Athletic Club U21 (2 – 2)
    • Brad Dolaghan (2)
  3. Lost against Lyon Reserves (2 – 0)
  4. Won against Mönchengladbach U21 (3 – 1)
    • Lewis Orford
    • Luizão
    • Kamarai Simon-Swyer

West Ham Academy News

Joshua Ajala and Lewis Orford have been nominated for Premier League 2 Player of the Month award for August 2024.

16th November 2024

In the 3rd round of the FA Youth Cup, West Ham have been drawn away to Grimsby Town.

24th November 2024

West Ham are through to the quarter finals of the U18 Premier League Cup.

3rd January 2025

Loanee Michael Forbes has returned to the club from his loan to Bristol City.

7th January 2025

Defender Jethro Medine signs first professional contract with West Ham.

Midfielder Gabriel Caliste has signed his first professional contract with West Ham.

31st January 2025

Luke Cundle has joined Millwall for an undisclosed fee.

The 22-year-old midfielder has scored eight goals in 72 Championship appearances during loan spells at Swansea City, Plymouth Argyle, and Stoke City.

10th February 2025

Aaron Kamara has penned his first professional contract with West Ham.

6th March 2025

Josh Briggs and Lewis Orford have been nominated for the PL2 Player of the Month for February.

6th April 2025

West Ham Under-13s have been crowned the 2024/25 Premier League International Tournament champions after defeating Manchester City Under-13s in the semi-finals and overcoming AZ Alkmaar Under-13s in the final.

22nd April 2025

In the Premier League 2 Round of 16, West Ham U21s will take on Sunderland U21s. The match is scheduled for April 26th.

26th April 2025

West Ham Under-21s have advanced to the quarter-finals of the Premier League 2 knockout stage with a 2-1 victory over Sunderland U21, thanks to goals from Joshua Ajala, Lewis Orford and Ryan Battrum.

28th April 2025

West Ham Under-21s are set to play away against Manchester United Under-21s in the Premier League 2 knockout stage quarter-finals on Monday, May 5th.

4th May 2025

On-loan striker Callum Marshall has been awarded Huddersfield Town’s 2024/25 Hargreaves Memorial Player of the Year.

He also received the Blue & White Members Club Player of the Year award

5th May 2025

West Ham U21s journey ended with a 4–1 loss to Manchester United U21 in the Premier League 2 playoff quarter-final.

Chukwuemeka Adiele netted the Hammers’ only goal in the defeat.

8th May 2025

Lewis Orford is the winner of the Premier League 2 Player of the Month for April.

8th May 2025

Finlay Herrick and Lewis Orford have been nominated for the Premier League 2 Player of the Season award, with the winner set to be announced next Tuesday.

20th May 2025

Oliver Scales is the winner of the Mark Noble Young Hammer of the Year award.

2nd June 2025

Preston Fearon has been named as West Ham United Premier League Scholar of the Year.

Development Squad Players Released

  1. Kamarai Swyer
  2. Brad Dolaghan

Scholars Released

  1. Dondre Abraham
  2. Mehmet Halim