Cian Ashford (Cardiff City) born 2004, Forward.
A long time member of the Cardiff academy teams, Cian was highly regarded by his coaches throughout that part of his career and considered good enough to play for the club’s U-18 team as a fifteen year old in the 2019/20 season. Having played a half dozen times in that season, it was followed by eleven appearances in the next one and finishing the season as top scorer for the team with eight goals. There was also an introduction to the next level of development with one start and one substitute appearance for the U-23 team. Upon reaching his seventeenth birthday in September of last year, Cian signed a professional contract with the club and during the season it was an equal mix of appearances for both the U-18’s and U-23’s. His availability was somewhat disrupted by injury issues and that has again been the case this season when he has only made seven starts and four substitute appearances for the U-21 team. Cian also has a long association with Wales teams, playing for the U-15 and U-16 teams as a schoolboy and then progressing to the U-17’s when only a training camp gathering was possible due to covid cancellations. Last season, he played for the U-18’s in an early season game and then had to withdraw due to injury from the squad that played some games in February 2022.

Ruben Davies (Swansea City) born 2004, Forward.
Ruben played for the Swans U-18 team as an academy member in the 2019/20 season when making a couple of substitute appearances for them. He then joined the club as a scholar in the summer of 2020, but injury restricted his availability over the next two seasons, leading to a combined total of ten games played for both the U-18’s and the U-23’s. The opinion of the coaching staff, as regards their value of his quality, was reflected when the club retained his services at the end of last season signing him as a professional. Although he has again been unavailable at times and appeared in less than half of the U-21 team’s games, his goal scoring rate, having netted nine times in fourteen games, has vindicated this decision to keep him at the club. His performances have in fact warranted a recent extension to his contract that keeps him affiliated with them next season. Now, his intention will be to quickly build on this success and attempt to make an even bigger impression on both management and fans. As a schoolboy, Ruben played for both the Wales U-15 and U-16 teams, including being a member of the co-champion 2019/20 Victory Shield squad. He then attended the training camp conducted for the U-17 squad early in the 2020/21 season but was unavailable for one scheduled in the latter part of it.

Callum Hutton (Bristol City) born 2004, Forward.
Joining the Robins academy teams as an U-7’s player, Callum’s association with the club now extends beyond ten years and during that time he has done well enough to have become a scholar at the club at the start of the 2020/21 season. Playing regularly for the U-18 team, his performances for them have warranted a management announcement of their recent decision for him to be included amongst the graduating scholars awarded a professional contract and be a member of next season’s U-21 squad. Over the two seasons as a scholar, he has been given a brief introduction to this level of development, making a half dozen appearances. His challenge will be to show that he is not only very capable of competing at that level but also convince his coaches that he has a continuing potential of improvement and an ability to perform in first team football circumstances.

Iwan Roberts (Liverpool) born 2004, Forward.
Recruited by Liverpool as a thirteen year old having previously been attached to the Wrexham academy teams, Iwan succeeded well enough to secure a scholarship contract with the club. During both last season and this one, he has made sporadic appearances for the U-18 team, his cumulative total amounting to a little under twenty and an additional few on the bench. I suspect that there may have been some injury unavailability issues during that time but unfortunately, I lack information to verify that comment. As a youngster, Iwan was an attendee at both the 2017 and 2018 Cymru Cup games and then played for the U-15 and U-16 teams. He was selected for the 2019/20 Victory Shield squad but had to withdraw prior to the matches taking place. He was involved in the training camps as an U-17 and then played for the U-18’s last season.

Mathaeus Roberts (Arsenal) born 2004, Midfielder.
Playing in one game for the Arsenal U-18 team as an academy player in the 2020/21 season, Mathaeus then became a scholar with the club and is now nearing the end of the time in that capacity. In the meantime, he played in half of the team’s games last season and has replicated that statistic in the games played so far this season. He has also made a couple of substitute appearances for the U-21 team and will now be waiting to be informed whether he will be retained to become a member of that squad next season. Mathaeus first played for Wales as a member of the 2019/20 U-16 development squad and then was amongst those selected for an U-17 training camp the following season. Last season he played regularly for the U-18 team.

Tom Tweedy (Burnley) born 2004, Forward.
Signed from Cymru Premier side Penybont in the January transfer window, Tom had obviously impressed the Burnley scouts during his time with the South Wales club. He began playing for the first team during the second half of last season and continued being in the matchday squad throughout the first half of this one, making a total of twenty-five appearances for the club before his transfer. Tom is still eligible to play for the U-18 team and has done so once for them. The coaching staff’s intention is primarily for his development with the U-21 team and has made four appearances for them. His aim will be to get acclimatized to the benefits of full time training as quickly as possible, developing his skills to a level that will get him consideration for first team football.