BLUES Under-21s get their league season underway in Stratford-upon-Avon on Friday (August 15).
Stoke City Under-21s are the visitors to the Arden Garages Stadium (kick-off 7pm) as Blues begin a campaign in Premier League 2 (PL2) for only the second time in club history.
That’s because of the award of a Category One Academy licence, which means Blues will now be competing against some of the country’s best as opposed to a diet of Professional Development League (PDL) football.
The youngsters are under new management after Mark Kennedy, the experienced former Republic of Ireland international, was appointed Under-21s Professional Phase Coach in June.
Kennedy will be assisted by Danny Barham, who has made the step up from Blues Under-18s.
It will be strange not seeing the presence of Steve Spooner, who had been coaching Blues Under-21s or Under-18s for almost two decades.
Spooner decided to retire at the end of last season, thus creating the opening which Kennedy, who previously assisted Lee Bowyer at Blues, filled.
As a result of the change, Spooner’s right-hand man last season, former Blues full-back Marcos Painter, has switched to an Under-18s role.
Ex-Millwall, Liverpool and Wolves star Kennedy began his coaching career with Ipswich Town’s academy before spending two years with Manchester City’s youth teams.
He left Bowyer’s Blues in May 2022 to take the head coach role at Lincoln City in League One, where he achieved the club’s second-highest league finish for more than 40 years.
Most of Blues Under-21s matches will be played on Friday and Monday nights, with Stratford Town’s ground being their ‘home’ venue.
Blues have extended their relationship with Jed McCrory’s Southern League Premier Division Central club into a second season.
With the likes of Josh Home (Gateshead), Junior Dixon (Boreham Wood), Ben Beresford (Alfreton Town), Sahid Kamara (Braintree Town) and Harley Hamilton having moved on, the 21s will have a different look this campaign.
There will still be a core of players familiar to followers of Blues Academy football, including first year professionals Zaid Betteka, Billy Burrell and Briar Bateman, plus Cody Pennington, all of whom had experience with the first team on tour in pre-season.
Then there are nucleus of second year professionals Menzi Mazwi – who made his international debut for Zimbabwe over the summer – Wil O’Sullivan, Zach Willis, Godfred Boakye, Cameron Eubank, O’Shea Ellis, Daniel Isichei, Alvaro Ruiz Rente and Frank Tattum.
They provided the backbone of the Academy’s PDL championship and play-off double winning Under-18s in 2023/24 and several also helped the Under-21s to the PDL play-off final.
As Blues seek to further the development of their youngsters, last season’s Under-21s captain Byron Pendleton and Ben Wodskou both recently agreed season loans to National League side Yeovil Town, who are managed by former Blue Mark Cooper. Goalkeeper Tyrese Warmington has been loaned to Redditch United.
Tattum is being eased back in after ankle surgery at the end of last season, whilst Kurtis Havenhand is likewise on the mend after an ankle injury. First year professional George Wynne is also being rehabilitated after a hamstring operation.
Blues could field third goalkeeper Brad Mayo as and when in the Under-21s and other members of the first team squad, to get minutes and keep them ticking over. Kanya Fujimoto and Alfie Chang recently started for Blues Under-21s in their pre-season victory at West Bromwich Albion.
Clubs can field up to three outfield overage players, and an overage goalkeeper, in PL2.
There are no longer two divisions in PL2, with promotion and relegation.
All 29 Category One teams form a solitary league with the top 16 advancing into a play-off format to determine the overall champion. Blues play 20 regular season games – and there are derbies against Aston Villa (Friday, January 30 at home) and West Bromwich Albion (Friday, March 13 away).
In a new addition, eight PL2 teams finishing from 17th to 24th go into a cross-category play-off competition with the top eight teams from the PDL.
Admission to the Under-21s games at Stratford Town is FREE for Blues season tickets holders, otherwise £4 (adults) and £2 (concessions).
Blues Under-21s fixtures in August:
Blues Under-21s v Stoke City Under-21s – Friday, August 15 at Stratford-upon-Avon (kick-off 7pm).
Derby County Under-21s v Blues Under-21s – Saturday, August 23 at Moor Farm training ground (kick-off 12 noon).
Blues Under-21s v Newcastle United Under-21s – Friday, August 29 at Stratford-upon-Avon (kick-off 7pm).
- Blues Under-18s begin their Premier League campaign with a home game against Crystal Palace at the Knighthead Performance Centre, Wast Hills, on Saturday, August 16 (kick-off 11am). The 18s have been placed in the South section of the League, which will pit them against Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion home and away.
