For decades, West Ham United have been synonymous with the discovery and development of the best young footballers in the country.
At the age of 16, players graduate from schoolboys to scholars, spending the next two seasons working towards what they hope will be their first professional contract.
Overseen by Academy Manager and Head of Coaching and Player Development Terry Westley and managed by Steve Potts, West Ham's U18s compete in the Barclays U18 Premier League South Group during the 2014/15 season.
U18s - Squad
Fatia Adebayo
First-year scholar
Born: 11 September 1997
Position: Midfielder
Left-footed attacking midfielder who hails from nearby Canning Town...Joined West Ham United as an U13...Appeared as a substitute in the U18s pre-season match at Charlton Athletic on 30 July 2013, when just 15...Made his competitive debut for the U18s as a second-half substitute in the 3-1 Barclays U18 Premier League South Group win at West Bromwich Albion on 16 August 2014.
Tunji Akinola
Schoolboy
Born: 21 November 1998
Position: Defender
Promising defender who made his U18s debut for the Hammers while still an U15 schoolboy...Made his Barclays U18 Premier League debut at Everton on 29 March 2014...A regular member of the U18 squad at the start of the 2014/15 season, while still just 15.
Jeremiah Amoo
Second-year scholar
Born: 10 June 1997
Position: Forward
Versatile forward able to play out wide or through the middle...Joined the Hammers at the age of 12...Made his U18s debut by starting at Tottenham Hotspur on 2 March 2013 - his only appearance of the 2012/13 season...In 2013/14 he scored twice in 17 U18 appearances...Netted in the 2-1 opening-day Barclays U18 Premier League win over Manchester United in August 2013...Scored his second league goal of the 2013/14 season in a 3-0 victory over Arsenal in March 2014...Made two appearances for the U21s in 2013/14, scoring once in a 2-1 defeat at Chelsea in January 2014...Netted in a 2-0 win over Belgian club Anderlecht at the Eurofoot Tournament in France in August 2014.
Kieran Bailey
Second-year scholar
Born: 25 December 1996
Position: Midfielder
A two-footed attacking midfielder who loves to create chances for his teammates...Joined the Academy of Football at the age of eight...Made his U18s debut as a second-half substitute at Newcastle United on 2 November 2013...Made seven U18 appearances as a first-year scholar in 2013/14...Netted his maiden U18s goal with the winner in a 3-2 victory over Southampton at Little Heath on 20 September 2014.
Clarke Bogard
First-year scholar
Born: 29 October 1997
Position: Goalkeeper
Joined West Ham United at the age of seven...Appeared as a substitute in the U18s' pre-season fixture at Charlton Athletic on 30 July 2013...Made his competitive U18s debut in a 2-2 league draw at Chelsea on 13 September 2014 - the first of three consecutive starts.
Dan Boness
First-year scholar
Position: Goalkeeper
Young stopper who impressed for the U16s during a successful trial period in spring 2014...Spent five season with Ipswich Town between U9 and U14 levels as a schoolboy...Spent a short period with Luton Town and a season with Cambridge United before joining Colchester United during the 2013/14 season...Signed a two-year scholarship with West Ham United in summer 2013.
Oscar Borg
First-year scholar
Born: 5 September 1997
Position: Winger
Joined the West Ham United Academy as an U13 player...A U16 regular in 2013/14...Made three Barclays U18 Premier League appearances, making his debut at Aston Villa on 8 February 2014...Scored his maiden competitive goal for the U18s in a 4-0 Barclays U18 Premier League win at Reading on 27 September 2014.
Jordan Brown
Second-year scholar
Born: 10 November 1996
Position: Forward
Fast and powerful centre forward who joined West Ham United from Arsenal in summer 2013...Represented England at U16 level…Netted his first goals for the Hammers by scoring twice in a pre-season fixture at Charlton Athletic on 30 July 2013...Scored 12 goals in 26 league and cup matches for the U18s in 2013/14...Scored in West Ham United's 2-1 Barclays U18 Premier League Play-Off semi-final defeat at Manchester City on 10 May 2014...Netted three goals in seven U21s appearances in 2013/14...Scored five goals in the opening six Barclays U18 Premier League matches of the 2014/15 season...Names Ruud van Nistelrooy and Thierry Henry as his favourite all-time strikers.
Tim Brown
Second-year scholar
Born: 12 June 1997
Position: Goalkeeper
Goalkeeper who served as Sam Howes' back-up for much of the 2013/14 season - the first of his scholarship...Made three Barclays U18 Premier League starts in 2013/14, including his debut at Reading on 16 November 2013...Sent out on work experience to Ryman League Premier Division side Dulwich Hamlet in spring 2014, where he gained first-team experience as a 16-year-old...Returned to West Ham United, making his Development Squad debut in a 2-1 home Barclays U21 Premier League win over Middlesbrough on 28 March 2014...Totalled two Barclays U21 Premier League appearances in 2013/14...Allowed to join Ryman League Premier Division side Canvey Island on work experience in September 2014.
Marcus Browne
First-year scholar
Born: 18 December 1997
Position: Midfielder
Joined the Academy at the age of eight...Was injured for large parts of 2013/14 season… Made his only appearance of the 2013/14 season in a pre-season match at Charlton Athletic on 30 July 2013...Is a serious threat from dead ball situations...Scored an incredible free-kick in the 2-0 Champions Cup win over Real Madrid at Tottenham Hotspur on 6 September 2014...Scored his maiden competitive goal for the U18s in the 2-2 Barclays U18 Premier League draw at Chelsea on 13 September 2014.
Reece Burke
Second-year scholar
Born: 2 September 1996
Position: Centre-back
A tall, determined and accomplished defender capable of playing at either centre-back or right-back...Joined West Ham United at the age of nine...Made eight U21 appearances as a 16-year-old schoolboy during the 2012/13 season...Made his U18s debut at Sunderland on 16 February 2013...Made his first-team debut in the FA Cup third-round defeat at Nottingham Forest on 5 January 2014...Totalled 21 Barclays U18 Premier League and one FA Youth Cup appearance in 2013/14...Scored the winner in the Marathonbet Cup victory over Italian Serie A side Sampdoria at the Boleyn Ground on 9 August 2014...Started the home League Cup second-round defeat by Sheffield United on 27 August 2014...Signed his first professional contract with West Ham United on 1 October 2014, penning a deal until summer 2017...Made his international debut for England Under-18s in the 4-0 win over Hungary in October 2013.
Matt Carter
First-year scholar
Born: 2 October 1997
Position: Midfielder
Central midfielder who made his U18s debut while still a 15-year-old schoolboy, as a substitute in the Barclays U18 Premier League fixture at Sunderland on 16 February 2013...Made just one appearance for the U18s in 2013/14, appearing in the pre-season fixture at Colchester United on 20 July 2013...Appeared as a substitute in the 2-1 Barclays U21 Premier League Cup defeat at Chelsea in January 2014 - his debut for the Development Squad...Suffered a broken arm in the pre-season fixture at Brentford on 9 August 2014.
Grady Diangana
First-year scholar
Born: 19 April 1998
Position: Attacking midfielder
Describes himself as flair player in the mould of Brazil great Ronaldinho...Joined West Ham United at the age of 12...Originally a striker, he was converted to an attacking midfielder at U15 level…Made five U18 appearances in 2013/14, including his debut at Fulham on 22 February 2014...Netted his maiden competitive goal at U18 level in the opening-day 3-1 victory at West Bromwich Albion on 16 August 2014...Scored his side's second goal in the 4-0 Barclays U18 Premier League win at Reading on 27 September 2014.
Ross Elsom
First-year scholar
Born: 22 December 1997
Position: Midfielder
Joined West Ham United from non-league club Billericay Town as a schoolboy...Made his Barclays U18 Premier League debut as a schoolboy at Aston Villa on 8 February 2014...Made his 2014/15 season debut as a second-half substitute in the 4-0 Barclays U18 Premier League victory at Reading on 27 September 2014.
Jahmal Hector-Ingram
Schoolboy
Born: 11 November 1998
Position: Forward
England U16 international striker who has been part of the West Ham United Academy since he was eight-years-old...Enjoyed a free-scoring 2013/14 season for the Hammers' U16 side...Made his Barclays U18 Premier League debut while still an U15 schoolboy at Everton on 29 March 2014...Scored his maiden competitive goal at Barclays U18 Premier League level when he netted in the 3-2 home win over Southampton on 20 September 2014.
Sam Howes
First-year scholar
Born: 10 November 1997
Position: Goalkeeper
A commanding goalkeeper who joined West Ham United at U10 level from Crystal Palace...Made his Barclays U18 Premier League debut by starting at Blackburn Rovers on 1 December 2012, just three weeks past his 15th birthday...Totalled five Barclays U18 Premier League starts in 2012/13, when he was just an U15 schoolboy...Took over as U18s No1 while still an U16 schoolboy in 2013/14...Totalled 23 appearances, including one in the FA Youth Cup, for the U18s in 2013/14...Made five Development Squad appearances in 2013/14 - three in the Barclays U21 Premier League and two in the Barclays U21 Premier League Cup...Capped a superb 2013/14 season by winning the Young Hammer of the Year award...Joined the first-team squad on their Football United Tour of New Zealand in July 2014...Made his first-team debut in the Football United Tour fixture with Sydney FC at Westpac Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand, on 26 July 2014...Capped by England at U16, U17 and U18 levels...Was part of the England squad which won the UEFA European U17 Championship title in Malta in summer 2014.
Kyle Knoyle
Second-year scholar
Born: 24 September 1996
Position: Right-back
England U18 international full-back...Joined the West Ham United Academy as a 13-year-old after being recommended by coaches on a Junior Hammers coaching course...Totalled six U18 starts while still an U16 schoolboy, starting the final half-dozen matches of the 2012/13 Barclays U18 Premier League season...Made 20 U18 appearances and eight Barclays U21 Premier League appearances - all of them starts - in 2013/14...Capped by England at U18 level, making his debut in a friendly international with Hungary in October 2013.
Vashon Neufville
Schoolboy
Born: 18 July 1999
Position: Left-back
England U16 international who spent time with Chelsea before joining West Ham United as an U14...Made his Barclays U18 Premier League debut by starting the goalless home draw with Leicester City on 23 August 2014.
Emmanuel Onariase
Second-year scholar
Born: 21 October 1996
Position: Centre-back
Tall central defender who joined West Ham United at the age of 12...Has great natural talent, is comfortable in possession and is a threat from set pieces...Was a regular for the U18s in his U16 season, missing just five competitive matches in league and cup in 2012/13...Totalled 24 U18 appearances in 2012/13...Made two competitive appearances for the Development Squad in 2013/14...Played 22 times for the U18s in 2013/14, scoring his only goal of the campaign at Arsenal on 8 March 2014.
Reece Oxford
Schoolboy
Born: 16 December 1998
Position: Centre-back
Highly-rated centre-back who was named among the substitutes for the League Cup second-round defeat by Sheffield United on 27 August 2014, aged 15...Talented all-round defender who is also comfortable bringing the ball out from the back...Joined West Ham United as an U13...Made his U18 debut for West Ham United in a league game at Norwich City on 18 January 2014 while still an U15 schoolboy...Made his Development Squad debut for the Hammers when he started the 2-1 Barclays U21 Premier League defeat by Tottenham Hotspur at Stevenage on 18 August 2014...Capped by England at U17 level, captaining the side at the Nordic Tournament in Denmark in July/August 2014.
Djair Parfitt-Williams
Second-year scholar
Born: 1 October 1996
Position: Forward
Talented Bermuda-born, United States-raised forward who can play as a striker, a No10 or out on either wing...Spotted by West Ham United legend Clyde Best as part of the Hammers' international scouting programme when he was playing for San Jose Earthquakes in the USA...Featured in the Barclays U18 Premier League while still a schoolboy, starting the final four matches of the 2012/13 season...Enjoyed a very impressive 2013/14 season by scoring nine goals in 27 appearances, including one FA Youth Cup game...Started the Premier League International Cup fixture with Spanish side Bilbao Athletic at the Boleyn Ground on 15 October 2014 - his Development Squad debut.
Josh Pask
First-year scholar
Born: 1 November 1997
Position: Defender
Joined the Academy at the age of eight...Began his career as a striker as a schoolboy...Is now a centre-back who can also play as a holding midfielder...Made nine U18 appearances in 2013/14 as an U16 schoolboy, making his debut at Norwich City on 18 January 2014...Made his Development Squad debut as a substitute at home to Liverpool on 12 September 2014...Started the Premier League International Cup fixture with Spanish side Bilbao Athletic at the Boleyn Ground on 15 October 2014.
Alex Pike
Second-year scholar
Born: 8 February 1997
Position: Right-back
Joined West Ham United as an U11 midfielder before being converted to a right-back as a schoolboy...Made his Barclsys U18 Premier League debut while still an U16 schoolboy at home to Tottenham Hotspur on 12 January 2013...Featured 13 times for U18s in the league in 2013/14, having missed the opening half of the season with a knee injury...Made a strong start to the 2014/15 Barclays U18 Premier League season, starting five of the team's opening eight matches.
Decarrey Sheriff
First-year scholar
Born: 18 February 1998
Position: Winger
First-year scholar who predominantly operates as a left winger...Joined the Hammers as a 14-year-old, having also had trials at Arsenal before deciding to join West Ham United...Featured once in the Barclays U18 Premier League as an U16 schoolboy in 2013/14, appearing as a substitute at Wolverhampton Wanderers on 31 August 2013.
Noha Sylvestre
First-year scholar
Born: 29 December 1997
Position: Midfielder
Central midfield player who joined the Hammers from his native Switzerland…Described as a combative holding midfielder by U18 assistant manager Mark Phillips...Began his career with FC Bure in his homeland before joining US Boncourt and then Swiss Second Division club FC Concordia Basel as an U16...Made his Barclays U18 Premier League debut by starting the opening-day 3-1 win over West Bromwich Albion on 16 August 2014...Started the opening eight Barclays U18 Premier League fixtures of 2014/15 as the Hammers made an unbeaten opening to the season.