The Huddersfield Town Academy encompasses all of League One football club Huddersfield Town's youth development and pathway teams. The Academy was upgraded to Category Two status ahead of the 2025–26 season.
The Under 21s are the most senior level team and compete in the Professional Development League, providing a bridge between Academy football and the first team. Beneath them, the Academy fields age-group sides including the Under 18s, who play in the U18 Professional Development League 2, and whose most notable achievement is reaching the FA Youth Cup final in the 1973–74 season, losing 2–1 on aggregate to Tottenham Hotspur.
Home matches are primarily staged at the club’s Canalside training complex, with selected high-profile fixtures occasionally held at the first team's Accu Stadium.
Under 21s
The club first entered a reserve team into a competition in the 1910–11 season, taking the first team's place in the Midland Football League upon their election to the Football League. They later played one season in the Yorkshire Combination, before joining the Central League in 1913–14, a competition they have won four times.
History
Reserve team years The Huddersfield Town reserves competed in The Central League Division One East until the 2009–10 season when Huddersfield Town manager Lee Clark chose not to enter a reserve team in the Central League during the 2010-11 season, instead planning a series of high-quality friendlies. Clark stated that "the idea of reserve team football is to bridge the gap between youth teams and first team football" and that "[we] have faced a lot of very young sides in the reserve league this season, and that will not provide our own young professionals with the test they need".
Whilst playing at reserve league level, the reserves split their home games between A.F.C. Emley's Welfare Ground and the Galpharm Stadium.
First team coach Paul Stephenson was the last serving reserve team manager.
Development squad (2009–2012)
Lee Clark saw through his idea to discontinue the reserve team and subsequently created the club's development squad, to be managed by development coach Steve Watson. Following a behind-closed-doors game at Doncaster Rovers, Watson described the team's games as "working very well" "from both perspectives – fitness for our first team squad members and as a way of integrating the younger players into a higher level of football."
When Lee Clark left as manager of the first team on 15 February 2012, his coaching staff (including Watson) also left the club. On 12 April 2012 the club appointed former Manchester City Elite Development Squad leader and Rochdale first team manager Steve Eyre as the club's senior professional development Coach.
Most fixtures have so far been played at the club's training ground, Canalside, but occasionally the Galpharm Stadium has been used to host Development Squad games that are open to the public.
Professional Development League (2012–2020) From the 2012–13 season, Huddersfield's development squad will compete in the newly formed Under-21 Professional Development League in the League 2 North Division. The league was set up as part of the wide-reaching Elite Player Performance Plan, and Town will be one of 12 clubs in the Category 2 Northern section along with Crewe Alexandra, Barnsley, Birmingham City, Coventry City, Derby County, Leeds United, Leicester City, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday and Wigan Athletic. The fixtures are set up to mirror those in the FA Premier Academy League for Under 18s.
In the 2019–20 season, a Huddersfield team entered a small league (under-21 plus three overage) along with Brentford and four Scottish clubs.Celtic and Rangers join new cross-border reserve competition along with Aberdeen and Hibs, Daily Record, 16 September 2019
B Team (2020–2025) In 2020 the club launched its B Team, effectively replacing the under-21 and under-23 age-level teams, and re-entered the Central League whilst continuing to take part in the Premier League Cup competition.
Under 21s (2025–) Ahead of the 2025–26 season, the club announced their intention to rename the B Team to the Under 21s as part of the Academy upgrade to Category Two status, providing consistency across all Academy sides and mirroring the naming formats of other academy structures.
The Under 21s finished sixth in the 2025–26 Professional Development League table, progressing to the playoff stage against Premier League 2 opposition. The team beat Reading, Bournemouth and Everton on their way to the final, where they beat Norwich City 4–2 at Carrow Road to become Professional Development League champions.
Current squad
Out on loan
Honours The Central League Champions: 1914–15, 1924–25, 1925–26, 1930–31 Professional Development League League phase winners: 2013–14, 2015–16 Play-off champions: 2015–16, 2025–26
Under 18s
The role of the Huddersfield Town Academy is to develop players and their abilities to their full potential for the club's first team. The academy has produced a number of players, including former England under-21 players Andy Booth and Jon Stead, former Irish Under 21 internationals Michael Collins and James Berrett as well as Nathan Clarke, who made 300 appearances for the first team. The current Academy Manager is former academy graduate Jon Worthington, with the under-18 team coached by Oliver Jeffries.
History
Future After the arrival of chairman Dean Hoyle in the summer of 2009, there was an overall development in every aspect of Huddersfield Town, including the academy. The main development taking place with regards to the academy is the current redevelopment of the club's new training complex, Canalside. The project will conclude with the academy players training alongside their first-team counterparts for the first time at a high quality, purpose-built facility.
The 2024-25 season saw the return of the academy to Category Three status, seeing the reinstation of teams below the under-19 level.
Current squad
Honours Professional Development League League phase winners: 2013–14, 2014–15 Play-off champions: 2013–14
Current academy staff
Recent academy graduates Academy graduates who still play for Huddersfield, including those that are currently out on loan to other clubs, are highlighted in green.
Appearances and goals are those in competitive fixtures for Huddersfield Town. PlayerCurrent ClubBornInternational HonoursDebutAppsGoalsManager Nicholas Bilokapic Huddersfield Town Camperdown Australia U-17 Age 19 v Burnley (a), 8 January 2022 1 0 Carlos Corberán Etienne Camara Huddersfield Town Noisy-le-Grand Age 17 v Plymouth Argyle (h), 9 January 2021 1 0 Myles Bright Huddersfield Town London Age 18 v Plymouth Argyle (h), 9 January 2021 1 0 Mustapha Olagunju Huddersfield Town Plumstead Age 19 v Plymouth Argyle (h), 9 January 2021 1 0 Pat Jones Huddersfield Town Stockport Wales U-17 Age 17 v Plymouth Argyle (h), 9 January 2021 3 0 Brahima Diarra Huddersfield Town Paris Age 17 v AFC Bournemouth (a), 12 December 2020 2 0 Romoney Crichlow Huddersfield Town Luton Age 21 v Rochdale (h), 5 September 2020 6 1 Ben Jackson Huddersfield Town Stockport Age 19 v Rochdale (h), 5 September 2020 3 0 Josh Austerfield Huddersfield Town Morley Age 19 v Rochdale (h), 5 September 2020 2 0 Scott High Huddersfield Town Sheffield Scotland U-21 Age 19 v Millwall (a), 22 July 2020 40 0 Danny Schofield Micah Obiero Huddersfield Town London Age 19 v Millwall (a), 22 July 2020 1 0 Kian Harratt Huddersfield Town Barnsley Age 17 v Leeds United (h), 7 December 2019 1 0 Danny Cowley Rarmani Edmonds-Green Huddersfield Town London Age 19 v Lincoln City (h), 13 August 2019 27 2 Jan Siewert Ryan Schofield Huddersfield Town Huddersfield England U-20 Age 19 v Lincoln City (h), 13 August 2019 35 0 Lewis O'Brien Huddersfield Town Colchester Age 20 v Queens Park Rangers (a), 10 August 2019 128 8 Matty Daly Huddersfield Town Stockport England U-18 Age 18 v Watford (h), 20 April 2019 12 1 Aaron Rowe Huddersfield Town London Age 18 v AFC Bournemouth (h), 9 March 2019 26 2 Jordan Williams Barnsley Huddersfield England U-18 Age 17 v Rotherham United (h), 23 August 2017 1 0David Wagner Lloyd Allinson Gainsborough Trinity Rothwell Age 22 v Brentford (h), 7 May 2016 1 0 Flo Bojaj Etar London Albania U-17 Age 19 v Milton Keynes Dons (h), 20 October 2015 7 1 Chris Powell Joe Wilkinson Ossett Albion Dewsbury Age 19 v Blackburn Rovers (h), 25 April 2015 1 0 Jake Charles Stafford Rangers Leeds Wales U-21 Age 19 v Fulham (h), 21 March 2015 1 0 Will Boyle Cheltenham Town Leeds Age 19 v Reading (h), 24 February 2015 2 0 Matt Crooks Rotherham United Leeds Age 20 v AFC Bournemouth (h), 9 August 2014 1 0 Mark Robins Philip Billing Bournemouth Copenhagen Denmark U-21 Age 17 v Leicester City (h), 26 April 2014 91 6 Duane Holmes Huddersfield Town Columbus, Georgia United States Age 18 v Hull City (a), 24 September 2013 86 9 Jordan Sinnott Deceased Bradford Age 18 v Leicester City (h), 26 January 2013 5 0 Mark Lillis Aidan Chippendale Shaw Lane Bradford Age 18 v Bristol Rovers (a), 12 March 2011 1 0 Lee Clark Jack Hunt Bristol City Rothwell Age 20 v Colchester United (h), 23 January 2011 121 4 Chris Atkinson Farsley Celtic Halifax Age 18 v Macclesfield Town (h), 27 November 2010 13 1 Liam Ridehalgh Tranmere Rovers Halifax Age 19 v Charlton Athletic (h), 28 August 2010 26 0 Simon Eastwood Oxford United Luton England U-19 Age 19 v Leyton Orient (a), 2 May 2009 1 0 Alex Smithies Cardiff City Huddersfield England U-19 Age 17 v Southend United (a), 5 December 2007 274 0 Andy RitchieDaniel Broadbent Mossley Leeds England U-16 Age 17 v Tranmere Rovers (a), 26 October 2007 6 0 Shane Killock Bradford Park Avenue Huddersfield Age 18 v Crewe Alexandra (a), 7 September 2007 1 0 Lucas Akins Burton Albion Huddersfield Age 18 v Northampton Town (a), 27 April 2007 6 0 James Berrett Halifax Town Halifax Rep. Ireland U-21 Age 18 v Oldham Athletic (a), 7 April 2007 41 2 Gerry MurphyDanny Racchi Free Agent Elland Age 19 v Port Vale (h), 31 March 2007 6 0 Joe Skarz Kettering Town Huddersfield Age 17 v Scunthorpe United (h), 4 November 2006 81 1 Peter JacksonJames Hand Kingscourt Harps Drogheda Rep. Ireland U-21 Age 18 v Boston United (a), 19 October 2005 2 0 Aaron Hardy Farsley South Elmsall Age 19 v Boston United (a), 19 October 2005 19 0 Matty Young Frickley Athletic Leeds Age 19 v Walsall (h), 15 October 2005 42 2 Michael Collins Alfreton Town Halifax Rep. Ireland U-21 Age 18 v Blackpool (h), 19 February 2005 197 22 Tom Clarke Salford City Halifax England U-19 Age 17 v Milton Keynes Dons (a), 12 February 2005 112 3 John McAliskey Huddersfield YMCA Huddersfield Rep. Ireland U-21 Age 19 v Macclesfield Town (h), 13 March 2004 48 8 Anthony Lloyd Retired Taunton Age 19 v Leyton Orient (h), 27 September 2003 51 3 Adnan Ahmed Retired Burnley Pakistan Age 19 v Rochdale (a), 16 September 2003 45 2 Andy Holdsworth Barnsley (Academy Coach) Pontefract Age 19 v Bristol Rovers (h), 30 August 2003 261 8 John McCombe Chester Pontefract Age 17 v Oldham Athletic (h), 3 May 2003 20 0 Mel MachinDavid Mirfin Mansfield Town Sheffield Age 18 v Oldham Athletic (h), 3 May 2003 179 12 Phil Senior Retired Huddersfield Age 20 v Crewe Alexandra (a), 18 January 2003 57 0 Mick WadsworthNat Brown Brighouse Town Sheffield Age 21 v Northampton Town (a), 14 September 2002 84 0 Paul Scott Retired Wakefield Age 22 v Peterborough United (a), 17 August 2002 37 2 Jon Worthington Huddersfield Town (Academy Physio) Dewsbury Age 19 v Plymouth Argyle (a), 13 August 2002 237 14 Jon Stead Notts County Huddersfield England U21 Age 19 v Brentford (h), 10 August 2002 100 27 Nathan Clarke Halifax Town Halifax Age 18 v Stoke City (a), 8 September 2001 299 10 Lou Macari
Information in the above table is correct as of 5 May 2022
References