George Cowmeadow (Swindon Town – on loan at Swindon Supermarine) born 2003, Forward.
George was an academy player at Swindon for six years before becoming a scholar at the club at the start of the 2020/21 season. He continued to impress the coaching staff when playing for their U-18 team and had done well enough to earn a bench appearance for the first team for their first league game last season. He remained in the matchday squad for their Carabao Cup tie a few days later, followed by the same scenario for a Papa John’s Trophy game a few weeks later. He then made his debut when substituted in during the next Papa John’s Trophy game and was on the field for almost a half hour of the match. The next big occasion for him was the signing of a professional contract with the club in the spring of 2022 and so this season is his first full one as a professional. He started the season playing in the club’s Carabao Cup tie and then a couple of weeks later made a substitute appearance in a Papa John’s Trophy game. Since that time, he has mostly been out on loan, gaining some first team experience at non-league clubs. A one month loan in September at Slough Town was followed by a period at Kidlington. A one month loan at Poole Town in February/March has been followed by a remainder of the season loan with Swindon Supermarine.

Josh Farrell (Recreativo Granada – on loan at Villanovense) born 2003, Forward.
As a youth player at Spanish second division club Granada, Josh did well enough to graduate and become a member of the U-19 squad in the summer of 2020, continuing to perform well and so was elevated to the first team squad at the start of this season. It has been a season of learning for him, with loans at Torremolinos and now Villanovense giving him the opportunity to play first team football in the fourth tier of the Spanish league pyramid. Josh was first selected in a Wales squad at U-17 level, an occasion that became disrupted when covid lockdown was enforced. He eventually did play for the nation last season as a member of the U-19’s and this season he has played for the U-21 team.

Luke Mariette (Blackpool) born 2003, Midfielder.
After being an academy player at Wigan Athletic, Luke moved to Blackpool and became a scholar with them at the start of the 2020/21 season. He did well enough playing for the U-18 team to be selected on the bench for a December 2020 Papa John’s Trophy match. Bench appearances in January, for an FA Cup third round tie and a league game were a result of an injury crisis but a management quote described him being deserving to be selected. Luke made his first team debut when substituted in for the last roughly twenty minutes of the club’s final Championship game last season, having been on the bench for a league game a few months earlier. He is now a professional at the club and has been playing regularly for the U-21 team. As a youngster, Luke took part in the 2017 Cymru Cup matches and then played for the Wales U-18 team in February 2021.

Jadan Raymond (Crystal Palace) born 2003, Midfielder.
Associated with the Palace academy teams since the age of eight, Jadan has impressed his coaches throughout his time there, becoming a scholar at the club in the summer of 2020. His scholar contract was replaced with a professional one in October of that year upon reaching his seventeenth birthday. He continued playing for the U-18’s in a period punctuated by some injury absences and this season has been playing for the U-21 team. Included in the senior squad that travelled for their pre-season preparations, club management certainly believe he can contribute at first team level in the future. Jadan first played for Wales when doing so for the U-15’s and was then a member of the 2018/19 Victory Shield squad. England then persuaded him to play for them at U-16 level later that season and the following season for the U-17’s. In the 2020/21 season, he was selected for the Wales U-18’s but injury triggered his withdrawal. He played for the U-19’s last season and has been a member of both U-21 squads selected this season.

Ryan Viggars (Charlton Athletic – on loan at Maidstone United) born 2003, Forward.
An academy player and then a scholar at Sheffield United, Ryan featured in around a half of the U-18 team’s games but was allowed to leave the club in 2021 and so it was Charlton who offered him the opportunity to remain in full time football after he impressed in a trial match. Last season he played for what was at that time the club’s U-23 team and was given a brief introduction to first team football when substituted in for the last quarter of an hour of a Papa John’s Trophy match. This season he has been playing for the U-21 team and did spend a five week loan period with Needham Market in the early weeks of the season. A couple of weeks ago, he joined Maidstone on loan and will be hopeful of getting some experience of National League football between now and season’s end. Ryan has a sizeable collection of caps accumulated over the seasons. He first played for Wales as an U-15 and then was a member of the U-16 squads for Victory Shield and development games. He added more when playing for the U-17’s as well one for the U-18’s in the 2020/21 season. Another half dozen increased the number when playing for the U-19 team.

Keelan Williams (Burnley) born 2003, Defender.
An abundance of similarly talented players in his position prompted Liverpool to allow Keelan to join Burnley as a scholar as he came to the end of his time in their academy. In the 2020/21 season and the last one, he played regularly for the U-18’s, persuading management to sign him as a professional to become a member of this season’s U-21 squad. Keelan has missed some time this season through injury but has been playing regularly for the U-21’s when available, appearing in almost half their games. He will be hoping that there will an offer of a new contract when the season concludes. He is another player with plenty of Welsh caps in his collection doing so from the U-15’s through to the U-19’s and has captained teams on occasion.

Callum Wood (Bristol City) born 2003, Defender.
After previously being with Hereford FC, Callum caught the attention of scouts with impressive displays for the Cindeford Town first team in the 2019/20 season. Amongst the clubs with an interest in adding his talent to their roster of players, Bristol City were successful in acquiring his signature after spending a brief time on trial with them. He played for their U-18 team and also the U-23’s, before spending the first half of last season on loan with Bath City. The continuation of his positive progress is demonstrated by his regular appearances on the bench for City’s first team in recent weeks, suggesting the manager may look for an opportunity to expose him to some Championship minutes in the before the end of the season. Callum’s excellent play when at Bath City early last season resulted in selection for the Wales U-19 squad. Disappointment when injury required his withdrawal was lessened when again selected for the squad a few weeks later and he subsequently played in two of the three games played.