Chelsea F.C. Development Squad and Academy

Chelsea F.C. Development Squad are the development team of Chelsea Football Club. They play in the Premier League 2, which is the top level of reserve football in England. They were the champions in the 2013–14 and 2019–20 seasons. The team mainly consists of under-21 players at the club, although senior players occasionally feature, when recovering from injuries or otherwise not in the first team. The under-21 team is managed by Filipe Coelho and the under-18 team is managed by Hassan Sulaiman.

Chelsea F.C. Academy is the under-18 team of Chelsea Football Club. It is a member of the Professional U18 Development League. They have won the FA Youth Cup nine times, including five consecutive titles between 2014 and 2018. The academy has produced many successful players such as the brothers Ron and Allan Harris, Peter Bonetti, Bobby Tambling, Barry Bridges, Bert Murray, John Hollins, Peter Osgood, Ray Wilkins, Graeme Le Saux, Bobby Smith, Terry Venables, Jimmy Greaves, John Terry, Mason Mount, Reece James and Conor Gallagher. Chelsea are the only English club to reach the final of the UEFA Youth League, winning it twice in four final appearances.

Neil Bath, who is the Head of Youth Development, is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the academy.^[2]

The development team play their home games at Kingsmeadow, while the under-18s play at the club's Cobham Training Centre in Cobham, Surrey. Both teams occasionally use the club's home ground Stamford Bridge for important matches.

Current squads

Bold indicates players to have at least one first-team appearance for Chelsea.

U21 squad

As of 24 July 2024^[3]

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

U18 squad

As of 12 July 2024^[4]

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

Management team

As of 11 July 2024^[5]

Notable Academy players and graduates

Players who have at least 10 appearances for Chelsea first-team or represented a country at full international level, are categorised by the decade in which they left or graduated from the academy.
Players who still play for Chelsea, including those that are currently out on loan to other clubs, are in bold.

Before World War II

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Academy graduates in Premier League era (1992–present)

Players who still play for Chelsea, including those that are currently out on loan to other clubs, are in bold.

Annual awards

Young Player of the Year

Academy Player of the Year

Honours

Reserves team

U21 Premier League / Premier League 2
- Winners (2): 2013–14, 2019–20
The Football Combination
- Winners (11): 1948–49, 1954–55, 1957–58, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1964–65, 1974–75, 1976–77, 1984–85, 1990–91, 1993–94
Premier Reserve League – National Champions
- Winners (1): 2010–11
Premier Reserve League – Southern Champions
- Winners (1): 2010–11
London Challenge Cup
- Winners (5): 1919–20, 1926–27, 1949–50, 1959–60, 1960–61
Metropolitan League
- Winners (3): 1954–55, 1956–57, 1957–58

Academy team

UEFA Youth League
- Winners (2): 2014–15, 2015–16
U18 Premier League – National Champions
- Winners (2): 2016–17, 2017–18
U18 Premier League – Southern Champions
- Winners (5): 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2023–24
FA Youth Cup
- Winners (9): 1959–60, 1960–61, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18
U18 Premier League Cup
- Winners (2): 2017–18, 2021–22^[6]
U17 Premier League Cup
- Winners (1): 2023–24^[7]
U16 Premier League Cup
- Winners (1): 2018–19^[8]
Southern Junior Floodlight Cup
- Winners (5): 1955–56, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1963–64
South East Counties League
- Winners (10): 1954–55, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1973–74, 1983–84
South East Counties League Cup
- Winners (11): 1952–53, 1953–54, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1962–63, 1964–65, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1983–84, 1986–87
North Surrey Minor League
- Winners (1): 1953–54
London Minor Challenge Cup
- Winners (3): 1949–50, 1951–52, 1953–54

References

^ "Group Tax Strategy". Chelsea F.C. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
^ "Neil Bath | Official Site | Chelsea Football Club". Chelsea F.C. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
^ "Academy – U21s". Chelsea F.C. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
^ "Academy – U18s". Chelsea F.C. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
^ "Academy – Staff". Chelsea F.C. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
^ "U18 Premier League Cup – Champions". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^ "PL Cup report: Wolves 1–3 Chelsea". Chelsea F.C. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
^ "Arsenal U16 2–5 Chelsea U16: Talented young guns fall to lively Blues in showpiece final". Islington Gazette. 15 March 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2022.

External links

About the Academy at Chelsea F.C. official website
Why Chelsea could finally be reaping the rewards of their outstanding academy – These Football Times (2017)