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Ipswich Town Academy

Full name	Ipswich Town Football Club Under-21s and Academy
Nickname(s)	The Tractor Boys
Ground	Playford Road Portman Road
Capacity	1,000 (Playford Road) 30,017 (Portman Road)
Owner	Gamechanger 20 Ltd.
Chairman	Mike O'Leary
Manager	John McGreal (U21s)
League	Professional Development League 2 (South Division)
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Ipswich Town Football Club currently runs a Category one Academy, which is run by Bryan Klug. The youth teams play their home games at the Ipswich Town Training Centre at Playford Road in Ipswich, Suffolk, while some home games are played at Portman Road.

Some of Ipswich's greatest ever players have come through the club's youth system since the 1960s, including Roger Osborne, Mick Mills, Kevin Beattie, Russell Osman, George Burley, John Wark, Terry Butcher and Jason Dozzell. The academy was also very successful during the 1990s, producing a number of first-team players including Richard Wright, Titus Bramble, James Scowcroft and Kieron Dyer. In more recent years, the academy has produced more young players going onto the main team including Connor Wickham, Jordan Rhodes, Luke Woolfenden, Flynn Downes and Andre Dozzell, who like his father Jason Dozzell, scored on his debut at the age of 16.

Under-21s squad

As of 20 October 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — GK  NZL Henry Gray — DF  ENG Jesse Ayoola — DF  IRL Daniel Babb — DF  ENG Henry Curtis — DF  ENG Ayyuba Jambang — DF  ENG Josh Lewis — DF  LTU Jokubas Mazionis — DF  IRL Daniel O'Connor — MF  ENG Emmanuel Okonowo — MF  ENG Abube Onuchukwu

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  NIR Rio Oundie-Morgan — MF  WAL Mathaeus Roberts — MF  ENG Steven Turner — FW  MSR Ashley Boatswain — FW  ENG Gerrard Buabo — FW  ENG Oli Davis — FW  ENG Tudor Mendel-Idowu — FW  IRL Jesse Nwabueze — FW  ENG Tom Taylor

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — GK  ENG Charlie Binns (at Bishop's Stortford until 31 May 2025) — GK  SCO Woody Williamson (at Chelmsford City until unknown date) — DF  IRL Edwin Agbaje (at Sutton United until 1 January 2025) — DF  ENG Harry Barbrook (at Lowestoft Town until unknown date) — MF  ENG Fin Barbrook (at Sutton United until 31 May 2025) — MF  ENG Ryan Carr (at Gateshead until 5 January 2025) — MF  ENG Osman Foyo (at Chelmsford City until unknown date) — FW  IRL Leon Ayinde (at Rochdale until 1 January 2025) — FW  ENG Nico Valentine (at Needham Market until unknown date)

Under-18s squad

As of 20 October 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — GK  POL Alan Fleischer — GK  ENG William Fletcher — DF  ENG Stevy Brouwers — DF  ENG George Chenery — DF  ENG Leon Elliott — DF  ENG Callum Frith — DF  ENG Fraser Heard — DF  NIR Darragh McCann — DF  ENG Lenny O'Sullivan — MF  IRL Afikunoluwa Adebayo — MF  ENG Ashton Boswell — MF  ENG Matthew Compton

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  ALB Revin Domi — MF  ENG Sidney Eldred — MF  ENG Nelson Eze — MF  ENG George Iorpenda — MF  ENG Usisya Longwe — MF  CYP Shakil Nicolaou — MF  ENG Bobby Sains — MF  ENG Luke Towler — MF  ENG William Unadike — FW  ENG Jackson Chukwu-Nsofor — FW  ENG James Mauge — FW  ENG Chuks Uzor-Greey

Academy key staff

Position	Name
Head of Coaching & Player Development	Bryan Klug
Under-21 Head Coach	John McGreal
Under-18 Head Coach	Olly Lee
Academy Manager	Dmitri Halajko
Head of Academy Goalkeeping	Carl Pentney
Head of Foundation Phase	Simon Tricker
Head of Academy Recruitment	Alex Kaufman
Academy Loans Manager	Chris Casement
Head of Academy Performance Analysis	Adam Cuthbert
Head of Academy Sports Medicine	Jack Wilce
Head of Academy Sports Science	Nathan Griffith
Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach	Vacant

Notable academy players

The following is a list of players who have played in the Ipswich Town youth system and gone on to make 3 or more senior appearances at Championship level or above or the top league of that country. Players who are currently playing for the club are highlighted in bold. Players who never made a senior appearance for the club are in italics.

• Colin Harper
• Mick Mills
• Derek Jefferson
• Geoff Hammond
• Laurie Sivell
• Brian Talbot
• Kevin Beattie
• Eric Gates
• Robin Turner
• George Burley
• Tommy Parkin
• John Wark
• Les Tibbott
• Russell Osman
• Alan Brazil
• Terry Butcher
• Gary Stevens
• Kevin Steggles
• Steve McCall
• Mich d'Avray
• Colin Clarke
• Ian Cranson
• Jason Dozzell
• Frank Yallop
• Mark Brennan
• Jon Hallworth
• Tony Humes
• Dalian Atkinson
• Craig Forrest
• Mick Stockwell
• Chris Kiwomya
• David Gregory
• Richard Hall
• Gavin Johnson
• Neil Gregory
• Adam Tanner
• Tony Vaughan
• Matthew Upson
• Richard Wright
• James Scowcroft
• Richard Naylor
• Keiron Dyer
• Wayne Brown
• Titus Bramble
• Scott Loach
• Arran Lee-Barrett
• Darren Bent
• Darren Ambrose
• Matt Bloomfield
• Matt Richards
• Ian Westlake
• Dean Bowditch
• Richard Keogh
• Lewis Price
• Scott Barron
• Chris Whelpdale
• Josh Simpson
• Owen Garvan
• Shane Supple
• Danny Haynes
• Billy Clarke
• Chris Casement
• Liam Trotter
• Ed Upson
• Ryan Bennett
• Morgan Fox
• Jordan Rhodes
• Stuart O'Keefe
• Tommy Smith
• Nick Pope
• Connor Wickham
• Jack Ainsley
• Macauley Bonne
• Tom Eastman
• Luke Hyam
• Ronan Murray
• Josh Carson
• Caolan Lavery
• Cody Cropper
• Jack Marriott
• Teddy Bishop
• Matt Clarke
• Harry Clarke
• Josh Emmanuel
• Myles Kenlock
• Andre Dozzell
• Flynn Downes
• Tristan Nydam
• Luke Woolfenden
• Ben Folami
• Jack Lankester
• Idris El Mizouni
• Liam Gibbs
• Tyreece Simpson
• Tawanda Chirewa
• Corrie Ndaba

Academy Player of the Year

Dale Roberts Academy Player of the Year
Year	Name	Ref
2001–02	Will Snowdon
2002–03	Darren Bent
2003–04	Dean Bowditch
2004–05	Billy Clarke
2005–06	Chris Casement
2006–07	Tommy Smith
2007–08	Jordan Rhodes
2008–09	Connor Wickham
2009–10	Tom Eastman
2010–11	Josh Carson
2011–12	Gunnar Thorsteinsson
2012–13	Jack Marriott
2013–14	Kyle Hammond
2014–15	Teddy Bishop
2015–16	Andre Dozzell
2016–17	Tristan Nydam
2017–18	Flynn Downes
2018–19	Jack Lankester
2019–20	Not awarded
2020–21	Not awarded
2021–22	Cameron Humphreys
2022–23	Edwin Agbaje
2023–24	Fin Barbrook

Youth honours

Reserves/Under-21s

League

• The Football Combination

Champions: 1972–73, 1975–76, 2006–07 (East Division), 2007–08 (East Division)

• FA Premier Reserve League South Division

Champions: 2001–02

• Professional Development League South Division

Champions: 2018–19, 2021–22

Academy

League

• U17 FA Premier Academy League

Champions: 2000–01

Cups

• FA Youth Cup

Winners: 1972–73, 1974–75, 2004–05

• Professional Development League Cup

Winners: 2021–22

• Suffolk Premier Cup

Winners: 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 2006–07, 2009–10

Notes

1. No Young Player of the Year award was given due to the Coronavirus outbreak resulting in the early curtailment of the 2019–20 season, and the cancellation of the Supporters' Club annual event.

References

1. "Management Team". Ipswich Town F.C. Archived from the original on 8 June 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
2. "Ipswich Town 6–2 Bolton". Ipswich Town Official Website. 9 March 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
3. "Our Academy - Ipswich Town FC Academy". Retrieved 15 April 2019.
4. Watson, Stuart (30 March 2015). "Ipswich Town academy director Bryan Klug on 'special' talent, Category One latest, competing with Norwich and being sacked by Roy Keane". East Anglian Daily Times. Archived from the original on 8 August 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
5. Pearce, Steve (4 May 2016). "Andre and Ben fly the flag for Town Academy in U17 European Championship squad". Ipswich Town F.C. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
6. "Sheffield Wednesday 1–1 Ipswich Town". BBC Sport. 16 April 2016. Archived from the original on 19 April 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
7. "Ipswich Town U21 Squad". Ipswich Town F.C. Archived from the original on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
8. "Ipswich Town U18 Squad". Ipswich Town F.C. Archived from the original on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
9. "Snowdon Wins Award". TWTD. 29 April 2002. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
10. "I Want to Stay - Pablo". TWTD. 28 April 2003. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
11. "Westy Player of the Year". twtd.co.uk (Those Were The Days). 2 May 2004. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
12. "Davis Wins Players' Award". twtd.co.uk (Those Were The Days). 3 May 2005. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
13. "Casement Wins Youth Gong". TWTD. 23 April 2006. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
14. "Legwinski Players' Player". TWTD. 1 May 2007. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
15. "Walters Wins Players' Player Award". TWTD. 22 April 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
16. "Richard Wright Wins Supporters Player of the Year". TWTD. 3 May 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
17. "McAuley Player of the Year". TWTD. 2 May 2010. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
18. "Bullard Player of the Year". TWTD. 30 April 2011. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
19. "Cresswell Player of the Year". TWTD. 21 April 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
20. "Smith Named Player of the Year". TWTD. 27 April 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
21. "Berra Player of the Year". TWTD. 12 April 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
22. "Murphy Players' Player of the Year". TWTD. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
23. "Bialkowski Wins Player of the Year". TWTD. 9 April 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
24. "Lawrence Wins Players' Player of the Year". TWTD. 2 May 2017. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
25. Heath, Mark (2 May 2018). "Bialkowski a double winner at Town's end of season awards as Celina claims best goal". East Anglian Daily Times. Ipswich. Archived from the original on 6 May 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
26. "Chambo Named Player Of The Year". Ipswich Town. 13 April 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
27. "No Player of the Year Award for 2019/20". TWTD.co.uk.
28. "Supporters club player of the year awards". Ipswich Town. 30 April 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
29. "Agbaje Wins Award". TWTD. 29 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
30. "End of Season Awards". Ipswich Town. 13 April 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
31. "U18 Town 7 - 0 Coventry". Ipswich Town F.C. 27 April 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.

External links

• Ipswich Town Academy official site
• The Blues Foundation

• Ipswich Town F.C.
• Football academies in England