Youth to First Team at DRFC - the graduates (in numbers)

ARTICLE UPDATED AND CORRECT AS OF 10TH AUGUST 2022

Have you ever wondered just how many lads have come through the youth system at Doncaster Rovers?

Since 2004 (when the club's academy was relaunched after promotion back to the Football League), there's been several players to have achieved the feat - whether it be Craig Nelthorpe and Adam Brown from the Belle Vue days, Waide Fairhurst and James Husband from the Championship seasons, or Liam Mandeville and Louis Jones in more recent times.

But just how many lads, in total, have made the transition?

Louis Jones is the only 'keeper to have played for the first team since the academy reformed
(Photo: James Williamson).

These are the specific numbers in regards to the youth to first team pathway since the academy reformed in 2004:

- 16 youth/academy graduates have started in at least one league game.

- 25 youth/academy graduates have featured in at least one league game.

- 40 youth/academy graduates have made at least one first team appearance in all competitions.

- 73 youth/academy graduates have been involved in a matchday squad in all competitions.

Of the 15 ex-scholars who have started a league game, James Husband made the most appearances with 64 (54 starts / 10 sub apps) closely followed by Harry Middleton who featured 63 times (31/32). Liam Mandeville, Mitchell Lund and Branden Horton also appeared prominently and they made 49 (18/31), 40 (33/7) and 31 (23/8) appearances respectively. Other names amongst this batch of players are Danny Amos, Waide Fairhurst, Liam Wakefield, Craig Nelthorpe, Alex Peterson, Jack McKay and more recently AJ Greaves, Lirak Hasani, Ben Blythe and Liam Ravenhill.

Interestingly, Louis Jones (23 league appearances) is the only 'keeper who has graduated from the youth to first team since the academy reformed and appeared in a competitive game. Despite carving out a decent career elsewhere, Jonny Maxted was only ever an unused substitute in his time at the club.

The nine others to feature in at least one league game as a substitute but who weren't included in a starting xi are Adam Brown, Liam Green, Jordan Ball, Billy Whitehouse, Will Longbottom, Jake Fletcher, Rieves Boocock, Tavonga Kuleya and Bobby Faulkner.

Will Lonbottom with his 'Young Player Of The Year' award in 2016 (Photo: Unknown).

That leaves 15 other lads who appeared in at least one cup fixture during their time at the club.

Amongst them are Josh Meade and Evan Finnegan who both featured in the same EFL Trophy tie away at Crewe Alexandra in 2012/13. Striker Brad Grayson featured for extra-time in a Carling Cup defeat to Accrington Stanley two seasons earlier when Sean O'Driscoll was boss as did Robbie Clark. Meanwhile, Paul McKay was in the starting line-up for a 0-0 draw against Burton Albion in the EFL Trophy during the final few days of Paul Dickov's reign.

The next batch of players were all handed their first senior outing by either Darren Ferguson (2015-18) or Grant McCann (2018-19): Cody Prior, James Morris, Joe Pugh, Lewis Scattergood, Morgan James, Reece Fielding, Tyler Walker.

More recently, Ethan Harrison's maiden appearance came from the bench in a Carabao Cup tie at Stoke City in August 2021 before Will Hollings and Jack Goodman became the next youngsters to feature at first team level when they appeared in an EFL Trophy tie at Scunthorpe United on a night where 12 academy players were in the matchday squad (which is an all-time club record).

Cody Prior's away shirt hangs up in the dressing room during the 2017/18 season.

There are 33 graduates who made it as far as the bench but never (or haven't yet in certain cases) made it onto the pitch for a competitive game. Those players are Aaron Jones, Alex Fletcher, Alex Wolny, Ben Askins, Ben Bottomley, Brett Lucas, Chaz Fisher, Corie Cole, Dan Wilds, Dec Ogley, Eddie Wilding, Jack McLaren, Jack Raper, Jack Watson, Jak Whiting, Jonny Maxted, Jordan Binns, Jordan Bradshaw, Jordan Linley, Josh Barker, Keegan Townrow, Kevin Mbuti, Lee Cockerham, Lewis Ferguson, Matt Noble, Matty Davies, Michael Carberry, Myron Gibbons, Paddy Mullen, Rob Pacey, Robbie Oldham, Scott Brown and Tom Henson.

Finally, some youngsters (such as Cameron Foulkes in the 2018/19 campaign) were rewarded with a first team squad number but never got included in a matchday squad.

The ones that got away...

As is often the case not every player makes it professionally and there are others who move elsewhere and absolutely flourish. Three youngsters who were on Rovers' books at one point and ended up forging decent careers are Andrew Boyce (over 330 appearances at National League level or higher), Jerry Yates (currently at Blackpool) and Jack Muldoon (nowadays leading the attack at Harrogate Town).

Rovers also received a fee for both Owen Gamble (signed by Sunderland in 2015) and Ben Andreucci (currently in Leeds United's youth team and eligible for Ireland and Scotland at international level). Meanwhile, Mason Warren was in the DRFC ranks up to Under 16s level before he ended up signing professionally at Rotherham United, whilst Ethan Bojang and Lewis Cunningham were released at the end of their youth scholarships in 2020/21 and later penned deals with Peterborough United and York City.

***For avoidance of doubt, the definition of a 'youth/academy graduate' in this piece is a player who either came through the junior ranks or completed their scholarship (aged 16-18) at the club.

Note 1: During the 2003/04 season - Rovers' first campaign back in the Football League, several players featured in matchday squads for the first team who'd been involved at youth level during the club's five-year stay in the Football Conference. These players included Jamie Price, Jon Maloney, Rob O'Brien, Bryan Craig, Chris Dickman and Martin Drury. 

Note 2: Ben Jackson is NOT included, despite having appeared at both youth and first team level during the 2004/05 season. He appeared for the youth team as an 'over-age' player but completed his YTS scholarship at Newcastle United.