Walsall F.C. Youth and Reserves

Walsall Football Club in England are represented at Reserve and Youth team level by the Walsall Development Squad and Walsall Academy. The Development Squad currently compete in the Central League North-West Division and the academy team compete in the Youth Alliance North-West Division.

WFC Development Squad
Full nameWalsall Development Squad
Nickname(s)The Saddlers
GroundRay Hall Lane, Birmingham
Bescot Stadium, Walsall
ChairmanLeigh Pomlett
ManagerDev. Squad: Spain Miguel Llera
Academy: England Kyle Kirby
LeagueDev. Squad: Central League NW
Academy: Youth Alliance NW

Both teams play the majority of their home games at the Birmingham County FA Headquarters at Ray Hall Lane in Perry Barr, although some games are played at the senior side's Bescot Stadium home.

The Development Squad is currently managed by Miguel Llera and the academy side by Kyle Kirby. The make up of both sides is usually very similar, with Walsall's Academy side joining more experienced first team players on the fringes of the EFL League Two matchday squad and those who are returning from injury, in the majority of Development Squad fixtures.

Walsall Development Squad also compete in the Birmingham Senior Cup and Walsall Senior Cup, winning each competition on a number of occasions.

Players

Current squad
As of 1 July 2021.[1][2]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK England ENG Zac Hedge
31 GK England ENG Tommy Jackson
— GK England ENG Lewis Walker
— DF England ENG Noel Angafor
— DF England ENG Dan Baldwin
30 DF England ENG Danny Coogan
29 DF England ENG Joe Foulkes
— DF England ENG Rio Sawyers
— DF England ENG Josh Simcox
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF England ENG Antonio Christofaro
— MF England ENG Saif Mukadam
— MF England ENG Joe Perry
— MF England ENG Jack Shaw
— MF England ENG Arjun Toor
32 MF England ENG Shay Willock
— FW England ENG Callum Derry
— FW England ENG Kymani Hunter
— FW England ENG Marvellous Onabirekhanlen

Notable academy graduates

Walsall's Youth Academy has produced a number of first team players throughout the club's history. In recent years, notable graduates to go on to play in higher divisions include Matty Fryatt, Julian Bennett, Scott Dann, Jamie Paterson, Will Grigg and Troy Deeney.

Two graduates have gone on to play full international football for England: Allan Clarke and Michael Ricketts. Clarke had a hugely successful career, scoring a winning goal in an FA Cup final while at Leeds United.

References
  1. "Development Squad". Archived from the original on 3 August 2017.
  2. "Academy - Walsall FC".

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