Liverpool F.C. Reserves and Academy

Liverpool Academy
Full nameLiverpool Football Club
Nickname(s)The Mighty Reds
Founded2014
GroundThe Academy, Kirkby
ManagerBarry Lewtas (U23)
Marc Bridge-Wilkinson (U18)
LeagueProfessional Development League 1
2021–224th
WebsiteClub website

Liverpool F.C. Under 23’s is the reserve & senior youth team of Liverpool F.C. It is the most senior level of the Liverpool academy beneath the first team. In the summer of 2012, the whole English reserve football system was overhauled and replaced with an Under 21 league system, the Professional Development League. Liverpool's reserve team became the Liverpool under 23 team and competes in the Professional Development League 1 which is also known by its sponsorship name of Barclays under 21 Premier League and Premier League 2. The team generally consists of Under-21 players at the club but at times senior players also play for the reserves when they are recuperating from injury. Following the introduction of new regulations from the 2012–13 season, only three outfield players and one goalkeeper over the age of 21 can play for the reserves regularly.

Liverpool F.C. Academy is the youth set up Liverpool Football Club. It trains players from the U6 age group[1] up to the U21 squad. The academy has separate head coaches in charge of development in the U6-U9, U10-U11, U12-U14 and U15-U16 age groups. At U21 and U18 level there are dedicated coaching teams managed by Michael Beale with the U21 position vacant as of 2 March 2020. Alex Inglethorpe was promoted from U21 manager to Academy Director in the summer of 2014 and hold overall responsibility for operation of the academy. The academy has won the FA Youth Cup, a competition for players of age 15 to 18, four times in 1996, 2006, 2007 and 2019.

Liverpool F.C. Academy is considered to be one of the most productive football academies of the richer clubs both in England and in the world. Various current and past Liverpool players have graduated through the academy with the likes of Billy Liddell, Ronnie Moran, Ian Callaghan, Phil Thompson, Robbie Fowler, Steve McManaman, Michael Owen, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and Trent Alexander-Arnold, among many others.

Reserve team (Under 23’s)

Liverpool Under 23’s played in Premier League 2. The Reserves won the regional division title in 2000 and again 2008 winning also the national league that year. It competed in the Lancashire Combination from 1896 to 1911, with the exception of the 1898–99 season, in which it joined The Combination. From 1911 on, it took part in the Central League until becoming inaugural members of the Premier Reserve League North in 1999. The team also participated in the Liverpool Senior Cup and the Lancashire Senior Cup; the last time it took part in them was the 2009–10 season when it also won both competitions.

The last reserve team manager was Rodolfo Borrell, who was appointed in July 2011 and led the reserve team during its final season before taking over the newly formed under-21 side in July 2012. The reserves last played their home games at Prenton Park (the home of Tranmere Rovers);[2] in previous seasons the team has also played at the club's academy, the Halliwell Jones Stadium (home of Warrington Wolves), Haig Avenue (the home of Southport), Totally Wicked Stadium (the home of St Helens R.F.C.) and the Racecourse Ground (home of Wrexham).

The most successful Liverpool Reserves manager was Roy Evans. Evans spent most of his playing career as a reserve team player, making only 11 appearances for the first team. After an injury ended his career in 1974, he was appointed manager of the reserves by Bob Paisley. Evans subsequently led the reserves to victory in a series of Central League championships, including three in his first three seasons, a four in a row sequence from 1978, and two more in the early 1980s. Throughout the history of Liverpool FC, many of the club's best known players have progressed through the reserve team. These include people who at one point were first team squad members including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Steven Gerrard, Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen, Steve McManaman, Jamie Carragher and Raheem Sterling.

The Academy

Main article: The Academy, Kirkby
The Academy

In 1998, a new state-of-the-art Youth Academy was opened in Kirkby, Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley. It replaced the older, more informal youth system, and enables the club to focus their youth development and scouting, employing new techniques and FA standards.

Scouts attend many local youth matches looking for talented boys. A boy will then be invited to attend training sessions at the Academy. They are currently taken in as young as the age of six. Former England International player Jamie Carragher started at Liverpool when he was aged just nine, with Michael Owen joining at eleven, and Steven Gerrard joining at the age of eight.[3]

On the walls of the indoor centre hang the words 'Technique', 'Attitude', 'Balance', and 'Speed'. 'TABS' is the key word preached at The Academy.[4] Academy director Alex Inglethorpe has said the remit of the academy is to produce physically, technically, tactically and mentally elite players with enough quality to represent the senior side in the Champions League.[1] Liverpool won the 2005 Champions league with two locally born academy graduates starting in the final.

Academy partnerships

The Academy has a long-lasting affiliation with MTK Budapest's Sándor Károly Football Academy[5] and maintains a number of football schools worldwide through partnerships with football clubs and commercial and sports organisations.[6] LFC International Football Academy currently has branches in Scandinavia[7] (Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Gran Canaria during winter), America[8] (Texas and Plymouth, the latter through an affiliate[9] with CS United Soccer Club), Egypt[10] (Cairo), South Africa[11] (Durban and Johannesburg), China[12] (Guilin), India[13] (Pune, in cooperation with DSK Shivajians), and Japan[14] (Tokyo). Previously schools were also run in Abuja, Belfast, Boston, Charlotte, Cyprus, Dublin, Hong Kong, Iceland, Jakarta, Katwijk, Lisbon, Madrid, Malta, Mumbai, Manila, Nairobi, Saint Vincent, and Singapore.[6]

Academy squad

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

Out on loan

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

Players listed in bold have made at least one senior first-team appearance.

Staff

Current coaching and medical staff

In addition, the Academy employ staff from the first-team.

Reserve team manager history

Awards

Liverpool Academy Players' Player of the Year

Players in bold are still playing for Liverpool.

Season Name Nationality Position Ref(s)
2013–14 Jordan Rossiter  England Midfielder [33][34]
2014–15 João Carlos Teixeira  Portugal Midfielder [35]
2015–16 Brad Smith  Australia Defender [36]
2016–17 Trent Alexander-Arnold  England Defender [37]
2017–18 Harry Wilson  Wales Winger [38]
2018–19 Not Awarded

Honours

*Asterisk denotes a shared title.

Noted graduates

Established at Liverpool

Liverpool's youth system has only seen moderate success over the years; with only a few players who have come through it have gone on to feature in the first-team. The following players have gone on to play over ten competitive matches for the first team.

Established elsewhere

Many of the former Liverpool youth and reserve team players have found success with other clubs. None of these players became established members of the Liverpool first team.

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Notes

  1. ^ On 15 January, Hewitson's loan at Stalybridge was extended until the end of season.

References

  1. ^ a b "Alex Inglethorpe insists it is important for Liverpool FC to bring through local talent". Liverpool Echo. 7 September 2014.
  2. ^ "Reserves Travel – Liverpool FC". Liverpool FC. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  3. ^ "Photos: Jordan's rise through LFC's ranks". Liverpool F.C. 23 September 2014.
  4. ^ Griffiths, Ian (22 March 2003). "Just for kicks". The Guardian. London.
  5. ^ "Sándor Károly Football Academy". Retrieved 24 March 2015. The Academy also has a partnership agreement with Liverpool FC. The Academy is regularly inspected by representatives of this outstanding club to be informed about the players' development first hand.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ a b "LFC International Academy – International Courses". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  7. ^ "LFC International Football Academy Scandinavia". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  8. ^ "LFC International Football Academy America". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  9. ^ "CS United Soccer Club". CS United Soccer Club. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  10. ^ "LFC International Football Academy Egypt". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  11. ^ "LFC International Football Academy South Africa". Liverpool F.C. Archived from the original on 23 March 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  12. ^ "LFC International Football Academy Guilin". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  13. ^ "LFC International Football Academy DSK Shivajians". Liverpool F.C. Archived from the original on 1 April 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  14. ^ "LFC International Football Academy Japan". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  15. ^ "Luke Chambers seals loan move to Wigan Athletic". Liverpool FC. 12 January 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  16. ^ "Vitezslav Jaros signs new LFC deal and joins Sturm Graz on loan". Liverpool FC. 9 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Owen Beck rejoins Dundee on loan until the end of the season". Liverpool FC. 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  18. ^ "Luke Hewitson joins Stalybridge Celtic on loan". Liverpool FC. 21 August 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  19. ^ "Luke Hewitson to continue loan at Stalybridge Celtic". Liverpool FC. 15 January 2024. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  20. ^ "Jakub Ojrzynski joins Den Bosch on loan for 2023-24". Liverpool FC. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  21. ^ "James Norris: Tranmere Rovers sign Liverpool defender on loan}". BBC Sport. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  22. ^ "Dominic Corness makes loan move to Yverdon Sport". Liverpool F.C. 20 July 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  23. ^ "Tyler Morton completes loan move to Hull City". Liverpool FC. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  24. ^ "James Balagizi joins Kilmarnock on loan". Liverpool FC. 24 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  25. ^ "Billy Koumetio joins Blackburn Rovers on loan". Liverpool FC. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  26. ^ "Luca Stephenson makes loan move to Barrow". Liverpool FC. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  27. ^ "Harvey Davies to join Crewe Alexandra on loan". Liverpool FC. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  28. ^ "Anderson Arroyo, contundencia, velocidad y experiencia en la categoría para la zaga del Burgos CF" (in Spanish). Burgos CF. 26 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  29. ^ "Adam Lewis joins Newport County on loan". Liverpool F.C. 29 July 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  30. ^ "Reece Trueman joins Colwyn Bay on loan". Liverpool FC. 2 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  31. ^ "Academy, U21s and U18s". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  32. ^ "Dynasty: The Joe Fagan Years 1983-1985". LiverpoolHistory.net. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  33. ^ "Suarez bags treble at awards dinner". Liverpool F.C. 6 May 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2015. Hot prospect Jordan Rossiter scooped the Academy Players' Player of the Year honour
  34. ^ "Rossiter: This prize means the world". Liverpool F.C. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  35. ^ "2015 Players Awards". Official Site Liverpool FC. 18 May 2015. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  36. ^ "Quartet of accolades for Philippe Coutinho at LFC Players' Awards". Liverpool FC. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  37. ^ Shaw, Chris (9 May 2017). "Sadio Mane takes top prizes at LFC Players' Awards". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  38. ^ Shaw, Chris (10 May 2018). "Mohamed Salah takes top prizes at LFC Players' Awards". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 5 August 2018.

Sources

External links