X-Nico

10 unusual facts about youth system


Aleksandr Filimonov

After finishing with the Burevestnik football academy in Yoshkar-Ola, he moved to his first adult football team in summer 1990—FC Stal Cheboksary, from the Soviet Second League B.

Bogdan Stancu

In 2001, at the age of 14, Stancu was at the youth academy of FC Argeş when his father died due to heart failure.

Carlos Castro Caputo

Grown in the youth ranks of local Sevilla FC, Castro never appeared officially for the first team, going on to resume his career almost exclusively in Segunda División B, namely with Hércules CF.

Christian Jelves

He remained there as a youth player until 2007 when he trained with the first-team squad, under the direction of the coach Raul Toro.

Damian Mills

In 1992, days before his 13th birthday, Damian became a member of The Manitoba Junior Provincial Team and for the first time tried out for The Canadian National Youth Team in Toronto.

Elite Player Performance Plan

The intention of the EPPP is to free up movement of younger players by establishing a hierarchy of association football academies in England and fixing the transfer fees between academies.

Francisco Arcos

Francisco "Paco" Arcos Arcos (born 16 December 1974 in Ibi, Province of Alicante) is a Spanish football manager currently in charge of the physical trainer and assistant manager of Alicante CF, and coordinator of youth football at club.

After refusing several offers from European teams, he signed for Alicante CF as a physical trainer and assistant manager, in addition to being the coordinator of the youth football at club.

Hassan Rowshan

Hassan was born in Tajrish (Shemiran)on 21st march 195 He was only 13 when he first joined Taj youth team.

Kris Renton

Having been spotted playing in the summer of 2006 in Scotland playing for Musselburgh Windsor by Academy scout Karl Brady, Renton began the 2006–07 season in the youth team.


Danny Fox

Fox was born in Winsford, Cheshire and learnt his trade at his boyhood club Everton's youth system but the closest he came to a first team appearance was as an 18-year-old being named on the bench for Everton's home match against Aston Villa in October 2004.

Darren Williams

Born in Middlesbrough, Williams played for Cleveland and North Yorkshire Boys and Marton Boys before joining the York City youth system in July 1993, scoring 16 goals for the Intermediate side in the 1993–94 season.

John Guidetti

This meant that Guidetti had to leave BP, and he joined the Impala BrommaBoys football academy based in Nairobi.