Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Development Squad and Academy

Wolverhampton Wanderers Under-23s (or the Development squad) is a football team that competes in Division 2 of the newly created Premier League 2. The club qualify as an entrant in the competition, by virtue of their academy holding Category 1 status.^[1] Although the league is designed for players aged 23 and below, three overage players may also feature.

The team is currently under the management of Jamie Collins and home games are primarily staged at Kidderminster Harriers' Aggborough home, though the team also plays games at Molineux.^[2] The team has been a pathway into Wolves' first team for the past two seasons^{[clarification needed]}, with the likes of current first-team players Hugo Bueno and Mateus Mané progressing from the U23 side.

Development squad and U23s

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 36 FW  ENG Mateus Mané 41 FW  WAL Josh Esen 44 FW  ENG Leon Chiwome 45 MF  ENG Ty Barnett 46 DF  ENG Alfie Pond 52 FW  ENG Fletcher Holman 54 FW  ESP Dani Ángel 55 MF  ENG Alfie White 56 MF  WAL Makenzie Bradbury 57 MF  ITA Temple Ojinnaka 59 DF  ENG Saheed Olagunju 60 FW  SCO Ethan Sutherland 61 DF  ENG Wes Okoduwa

No. Pos. Nation Player 62 MF  ENG Luke Rawlings 63 FW  KOR Minkyu Ji 64 MF  ENG Myles Dayman 68 FW  POR Leo Lopes 70 GK  NIR Josh Gracey 72 MF  WAL Finn Ashworth 74 MF  ENG Tom Edozie 76 DF  ENG Caden Voice — GK  ENG Alfie Brooks — MF  JAM Fabian Reynolds — MF  IRL Luke O'Donnell — MF  ENG Conor McLeod

Out on loan

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 42 MF  ENG Harvey Griffiths (on loan at Crewe Alexandra) 48 GK  IRL James Storer (on loan at Greenock Morton) 49 GK  ENG Arthur Nasta (on loan at Hornchurch) 71 DF  ENG Hayden Carson (on loan at Chester) — GK  WAL Lewys Benjamin (on loan at Chester) — DF  JAM Dexter Lembikisa (on loan at Lincoln City)

Academy and Under 18s

Wolverhampton Wanderers Academy is a Category 1 status facility and has produced several high-profile graduates including internationals Robbie Keane and Joleon Lescott.^[3] Many other players have gone on to play first team football at Molineux, including current first-team player Hugo Bueno.

The current U18 lead coach is James McPike and is based at the club's Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground.^[4][5]

All players are correct in accordance to the Wolves Official Website (not including trialists)^[6]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 75 GK  ENG Alfie Arnold 78 FW  ENG Emilio Ballard-Matthews — GK  IRL Xander Grieves — MF  ITA Elvis Elendu — DF  ENG Josh Gidaree — DF  SCO Sebastian Lochhead — DF  ENG Max Ruddock — DF  WAL Ashton Williams — MF  ENG Hayden Ford

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  NOR Bjørn Marwa — MF  AUT David Osifo — MF  ENG Elliot Saba — MF  ENG Ollie Stafford — MF  ENG Mason Stevens — MF  ENG Jake Wilcox — FW  ENG Reiss Bowen — FW  ENG Fabian Salmon

Michael Bristow Trophy / Academy Scholar of the Year

The Michael Bristow trophy is named after Mike Bristow, a lifelong Wolverhampton Wanderers FC supporter, who died in 2008.

The trophy was donated to Wolverhampton Wanderers FC by Keith Brown.

The trophy is a sterling silver cup, below which are engraved the names of the annual winner, which is decided upon by Wolves and awarded annually to their Academy Scholar of the Year. The trophy is retained in the trophy room at the Molineux.

The presentation is generally made on the pitch in one of the final first team home games of the season, by Keith Brown, Hazel Bristow and Matt Bristow. The winner is given an engraved trophy donated by Keith Brown or Hazel Bristow, to mark their achievement.

Season	Winner
2009	John Dunleavy
2010	Jamie Reckord
2011	Johnny Gorman
2012	Sam Whittall
2013	Dominic Iorfa
2014	Ibrahim Keita
2015	Regan Upton
2016	Ryan Leak
2017	Cameron John
2018	Ryan Giles
2019	Taylor Perry
2020	Christian Marques
2021	Jack Hodnett
2023	Owen Farmer

References

1. "In Reserve". wolves.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013.
2. "In Reserve". wolves.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013.
3. "Category One academy". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. 27 July 2012.
4. "Scott Sellars appointed as Head of Academy". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. 12 March 2019.
5. "Academy undergoes summer restructure". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. 7 September 2019.
6. "Under-18".