Cardiff City F.C. Academy

Cardiff City

Full name	Cardiff City
Nickname(s)	The Bluebirds
Founded	2003
Chairman	Mehmet Dalman
Manager	Dick Bate (Head of Academy) Nilton Terroso (U21 Coach) Kevin Nicholson (U18 Coach)
League	Professional Development League 2
2010–11	Premier Academy League U18 Group B, 8th
Home colours Away colours

The Cardiff City F.C. Academy is the youth academy currently set up at Cardiff City in order to discover and nurture young talent. The academy has a range of players from ages seven to 21. The Under-21 league team compete in the Professional Development League 2.

Information

The youth academy was set up in 2003,^[1] the youth team however has taken part in several FA Youth Cup and Welsh Youth Cup competition before 2003.

Cardiff City House of Sport

The Academy uses the Cardiff City House of Sport (HOS), which is an indoor football centre and multi-sport facility. It is also used by the wider local community in Cardiff.^[2] The first phase of the building was opened in November 2010 and it was expended in the second phase (House of Sport 2) in April 2013.^[3] The third phase of the building (House of Sport 3) was opened on 18 January 2016.^[4]

According to the official Cardiff City FC Website:^[5] "The Cardiff City football academy, is not simply a scheme, or a group of young players and coaches. It is all of these things; but most importantly, it is a philosophy and a culture. The club has always been dependent upon, and focused around the local community. The great players and teams throughout the clubs' history have always been built on the foundations of local boys and local talent. Cardiff City has a fantastic and proud history of nurturing young talent and are committed to continuous development of youth teams in future years. Cardiff City Football Club is fully committed to their fantastic academy, and recognises the importance of youth development".

Cardiff's scouts currently concentrate on searching South Wales, Hereford, Worcester, Swindon and Oxford. Now looking towards other areas of the United Kingdom including Scotland, As well as Ireland and with the recent appointment of scouts in these areas by Neal Ardley^[6] Cardiff scouts are also based in foreign countries such as Austria, France and Guinea, with players coming to the academy from these countries.

On 1 July 2013, Kevin Nicholson was named Under 18s Head Coach, replacing Lee Skyrme. Nicholson joined from Exeter City FC and recently received the FA Elite Coaches Award.

Malaysia Grassroots Academy

As a result of their Malaysian ownership, Cardiff City also have an academy in Kuala Lumpur.^[7]

Notable graduates

Those in bold have been capped at full international level. Those marked * progressed prior to academy status confirmed.

Personnel

• Education & Welfare Manager
  • Steve Ellis
• Assistant Academy Manager
  • James McCarthy
• Academy Operations Manager
  • Anthony Redwood
• Academy Secretary
  • Sam Roberts
• Lead Professional Development Coach
  • Kevin Nicholson (U18-U21)
• Academy Goalkeeping Coach
  • Darran Lovell
• Lead Development Coach
  • James Rowberry (U16)
• Assistant Development Coach
  • Matthew Bloxham (U12-U16)
• Lead Foundation Coach
  • Mark Neville
• Head of Academy Recruitment
  • Paul McCarthy
• Head of Sports Science & Medicine
  • Andy Shea
• Development Squad Physiotherapist
  • Edward Richmond
• Kit Manager
  • Alan Cross
• Football Support Officer
  • Vinny Leach

Under 18s

The under-18s team plays in Group B of the FA Premier Academy League. Players with squad numbers have appeared in or are part of the senior team but regularly return to play for the under-18 team.

As of 6 September 2014

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

No. Position Player — GK Luke Wakeman — DF Rhys Abbruzzese — DF Rollin Menayese — DF Shane Parry — DF Dylan Rees — DF Sam Williams — MF Lloyd Humphries — MF Gary Lavery

No. Position Player — MF Tom Pearson — MF Will Taylor — FW Jamie Bird — FW Ellis Bellamy — FW Aidan Chappell-Smith — FW Elvis Menayese — FW Jake Watkins

Development Squad

In 2011, Cardiff City Football Club formed their Under-21 team who now compete in the Professional Development League 2 since the 2012-13 season.

As of 24 November 2015

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

No. Position Player 43 MF Theo Wharton 44 DF Thomas James 45 MF Tommy O'Sullivan 46 FW Rhys Healey 55 DF Jazzi Barnum-Bobb 58 DF Tidjan Balde 60 DF David Tutonda 61 MF Macauley Southam 62 MF Tyler Roche — DF Ashley Baker

No. Position Player — DF Jordan Blaise — MF Tom Burridge — MF Robbie Patten — FW Abdi Noor — DF Dylan Rees — MF Jamie Veale — GK Charlie Horton — FW Dane Griffiths — GK Luke O'Reilly

References