Everton F.C. Under-21s and Academy

Lore & Background

The academy has produced a long list of players who have been named Player of the Season, including Victor Anichebe (2006), John Irving (2007 and 2008), Kieran Agard (2009), Shane Duffy (2010), Jose Baxter (2011), Adam Forshaw (2012), Tyias Browning (2014), Brendan Galloway (2015), Joe Williams (2016), Jonjoe Kenny (2017), Morgan Feeney (2018), Nathan Broadhead (2019), Anthony Gordon (2020), and Ryan Astley (2021). No Player of the Season was recorded for 2013, 2022, 2023, 2024, or 2025.

The academy staff includes Lead Coaches Paul Bennett, Tom Kearney, and Paul Tait, along with a coaching team, sports science and medicine staff, recruitment personnel, education and welfare officers, operations staff, and an analytics and strategic planning role held by Owen O’Connor.

Reader's Guide

Everton's academy has a significant legacy in English football, having won multiple honours across various youth competitions. The Under-21 team has won Premier League 2 twice, in 2016–17 and 2018–19, and the Premier League Cup once, in 2019. The academy has also claimed the FA Youth Cup three times (1965, 1984, 1998) and been runners-up four times (1961, 1977, 1983, 2002). Other honours include the U18 Premier League (2014), the Premier Academy League (2011), and the Central League (1914, 1938, 1954, 1968). The academy has won the Lancashire Senior Cup seven times and the Liverpool Senior Cup 41 times, with six joint wins. International youth tournaments have also been successful, with seven SuperCupNI titles and one CEE Cup win in 2017. The academy's consistent production of first-team players and its trophy record underline its importance to Everton's long-term strategy.

Did You Know?

• The Under-21 team plays home matches at Walton Hall Park.
• Both Under-21 and Development squads have been based at Finch Farm since 2007.
• The academy has won the FA Youth Cup three times: 1965, 1984, and 1998.
• The academy has won the Liverpool Senior Cup 41 times outright.