Sheffield United Football Club Youth Academy are the youth team of Sheffield United. The Under-18 and Under-23 teams play in Professional Development League 2.
The academy is currently run by Jack Lester while Derek Geary coaches the U18s side. Sheffield United's youth system was given Academy status in December 2002. In July 2017 the academy was recognised, in a study conducted by Press Association Sport, for having the 7th best academy for minutes played in the 2016–17 Premier League. In between Arsenal and Chelsea they placed by far the highest for a club outside the top-flight.
The team plays at the Shirecliffe Ground at Firshill Crescent.
Current squad Updated 10 July 2026
Out on loan
List of Academy managers
NameNationalityFromToNotes England England England Nick Cox England Travis Binnion Ireland1 July 201619 July 2019 Jack Lester England19 July 201925 November 2021 Derek Geary Ireland11 January 2022
Notable Academy Graduates The academy has produced England internationals such as Phil Jagielka, Kyle Walker and Harry Maguire as well as many players who have gone on to have careers in professional football, whether at Sheffield United or at other clubs. Current Sheffield United players are highlighted in green.
PlayerCurrent ClubBornInternational HonoursNotes Liban Abdi Retired Burao Micky Adams Retired Sheffield England Youth Former Manager Frank Barlow Retired Mexborough Former Assistant Manager Aaron Barry Bray Wanderers Dublin Alan Birchenall Retired East Ham England under-23 David Brooks Bournemouth Warrington Full Wales call-up Scott Boden Boreham Wood Sheffield Dominic Calvert-Lewin Everton Sheffield Full England cap Adam Chapman Gainsborough Trinity Doncaster Northern Ireland under-21 Ryan Cresswell Retired Rotherham Kevin Davies Retired Sheffield Full England Cap Connor Dimaio Boston United Chesterfield Ireland under-21 Diego De Girolamo Buxton Chesterfield Italy under-19 Martin Donnelly Linfield Belfast Full Northern Ireland Cap Jonathan Forte Retired Sheffield Full Barbados Caps Alan Hodgkinson Retired Laughton-en-le-Morthen Full England Caps Evan Horwood West Auckland Town Billingham Kevan Hurst Guiseley Chesterfield Phil Jagielka Retired Sale Full England Caps Mick Jones Retired Worksop Full England Caps Otis Khan Walsall Ashton-under-Lyne Full Pakistan Caps Nicky Law Indy Eleven Nottingham George Long Millwall Sheffield England under-20 Matthew Lowton Burnley Chesterfield Harry Maguire Manchester United Sheffield Full England caps World Record Transfer Fee for a Central Defender Callum McFadzean Wrexham Sheffield Scotland under-21 Kyle McFadzean Blackburn Rovers Sheffield England C Jacob Mellis Southend United Nottingham England under-19 Nick Montgomery Retired Leeds Scotland Futures Kyle Naughton Swansea City Sheffield England under-21 George Oghani Retired Manchester David Parkhouse Ballymena United Strabane Northern Ireland under-21 Tony Philliskirk Retired Sunderland Ben Purkiss Retired Sheffield Stephen Quinn Mansfield Town Dublin Full Ireland Caps Wayne Quinn Retired Truro Aaron Ramsdale Arsenal Stoke-on-TrentFull England Caps Louis Reed Swindon Town Barnsley England under-20 Chris Robertson Coalville Town Dundee Jordan Slew FC Halifax Town Sheffield England under-19 Billy Sharp Hull City Sheffield EFL Championship record goalscorer Graham Shaw Retired Sheffield Full England Caps Deceased Ben Starosta Free Agent Sheffield Poland under-20 Aymen Tahar Athlitiki Enosi Larissa Sheffield Algeria under-20 Nicky Travis Retired Sheffield Michael Tonge Retired Manchester England under-21 Kyle Walker Manchester City Sheffield Full England Caps Sam Wedgbury Stalybridge Celtic Oldbury Alan Woodward Retired Chapeltown Dane Whitehouse Retired Sheffield Elliott Whitehouse Forest Green Rovers Worksop Ben Whiteman Preston North End Rochdale Harvey Gilmour Rochdale Sheffield Tyler Smith Rochdale Sheffield
Honours Professional U21 Development League 2 Champions: 2023–24 FA Youth Cup Runners-up: 2011 Professional U18 Development League 2 North Division Champions: 2016–17, 2021–22 Champions: 2016–17, 2021–22
Notes
References Sheffield United Academy Official Page Academy profiles from October 2010