By any measure it has been another extraordinary season to celebrate for Manchester City’s Academy.
Having deservedly established a reputation for being one of the country’s most renowned production lines of top-quality emerging talent, City’s Academy hit arguably even greater heights across a memorable 2022-23 campaign.
Our Elite Development Squad created history as we became the first side to claim a hat-trick of Premier League 2 titles.
What’s more, Brian Barry-Murphy’s exciting Under-21 group achieved the feat with the style, technique and panache which has become synonymous with Manchester City as a whole over the past few years.
The City youngsters finished the PL2 season 13 points clear of nearest challengers Liverpool, building and developing on the success that had brought us the title in 2021 and 2022.
On a host of statistical metrics – both collective and individual – City’s EDS proved a class apart.
And the manner of our latest success thanks to the beguiling brand of bewitching football overseen by Barry-Murphy elicited the purest sense of joy and excitement from all those lucky enough to witness the side over the past 10 months.
Likewise, it has been another campaign to savour and celebrate for City’s Under-18s.
Once more led with distinction and class by head coach Ben Wilkinson, City’s Under-18s also carved their name into the record books by making history in securing a third straight Under-18 Premier League National title thanks to a thrilling 2-1 win over West Ham in the showpiece event held at the Etihad.
It was a clash that pitted the two best youth teams in the country and deservedly saw City emerge victorious after extra time with a Justin Oboavwoduo brace ultimately proving the difference.
That memorable success came hard on the heels of yet another Under-18 Premier League North title success.
Wilkinson’s squad demonstrated grit alongside our guile as we withstood a tremendous challenge from Sunderland to lift what was a fourth successive regional crown.
And, appropriately enough, we clinched the regional crown by overcoming the Black Cats youngsters 4-2 in a thrilling clash at the CFA which served as an effective title decider.
It’s a roll call that garners the highest praise.
And by way of celebration we have put together a special souvenir edition of the City Magazine to reflect, analyse and showcase a season to remember.
"I really do think this squad have the talent and the potential to surprise people this year..."
Those were the promising – and as it turns out prophetic words - of Elite Development Squad head coach Brian Barry-Murphy when he spoke last August at the very outset of the 2022-23 Premier League 2 campaign.
Having overseen a superb title-winning success in his first season at the City helm in 2021-22, the Irishman was hungry and even more driven to help once again get the very best out of his young charges.
However, there were challenges aplenty if City were to claim a third title in a row – something which no other side had ever achieved prior to this season.
For starters, there was an even greater sense of urgency and determination amongst all of our PL 2 opposition to try and put a spoke in City's momentum.
What’s more, the bedrock of the richly talented group who had formed the bedrock of Barry-Murphy’s title winning squad of 2021-22 were not around this season.
While the likes of CJ Egan-Riley, Romeo Lavia, Sam Edozie and Darko Gyabi had all moved on to new challenges elsewhere, fellow young guns James McAtee, Luke Mbete, Cieran Slicker, and Liam Delap, to name but a few, had been assigned loan moves to further aid their own professional development.
It meant Barry-Murphy integrated a new core group of exciting talent fast-tracked from the Under-18s into his squad alongside experience in the reassuring shape of newly appointed skipper Shea Charles and the likes of Oscar Bobb, and Finley Burns.
So there were challenges aplenty. But Barry-Murphy knew better than most the calibre of talent at his disposal.
And rather than any mystical powers, his encouraging pre-season assertion was based on his detailed professional know-how of the quality of the cohort – allied to the drive, ambition and desire that embodies City’s Academy.
And for Barry-Murphy, who has garnered huge praise too for the way he and his staff have helped inspire the very best out of the players, the fact that City were able to harness style alongside substance made this title success all the more rewarding.
“I said to the players that it’s not the winning that has impressed me – it’s the way we have done it,” the head coach said as he reflected on what has been a season to savour.
“Winning the title again at Blackburn was an amazing day for the players and fitting reward for the work they have put in across the season.
“I have just been a big fan of the way we have played for much of the season.
“To play with such style in such an important game, when we won the title at Blackburn, was so impressive and some of our play that day was exhilarating.
“The players and all the staff all deserve to be congratulated on such a magnificent achievement.”
Further reflecting on City’s third crown in a row, Barry-Murphy was especially keen to praise the role of his staff as well as predecessor Enzo Maresca, who over saw our first title success in 2021, as well as the rest of the Academy coaches.
And though silverware may well have become synonymous within the Academy over the past memorable few years, the EDS head coach was at pains to stress how special such achievements are - and how much they should be cherished.
But the defining mantra and ultimate professional reward for the former Rochdale manager was the way his young charges had constantly sought to better themselves as players and look to learn at every opportunity.
“To win the title again is very rewarding. It doesn’t always work out that way, as in any sport," he added.
“You always want the players to try their best and to improve throughout the season but it’s not always possible to win titles.
“I won very few in my whole career, so these players are more accustomed to it than I am.
"So, to give them that sense of winning things and playing the way we want them to is so important for this club and what we are about.
“Every single day we remind the players they want to improve all the time and look to get better.
“I also think PL2 is becoming such a competitive league where every team is putting so much resource and prep into it - it feels like a proper league.
“So, to make that achievement (a third title) is testament to everyone at the Club. Enzo, before me, did me so much work as did the coaches with the players when they were younger.
“It’s easy to forget too, that the pre-season expectations were that this year would be more difficult with the likes of James (McAtee), CJ (Egan-Riley), Cole (Palmer) all not involved with the group this season.
"A lot of our players may have been unheralded, but they worked so hard during the course of the season."
For Barry-Murphy, the other defining takeaway from a memorable campaign has been in the way his players have managed to overcome the inevitable setbacks that every side has to deal with over the course of a season.
From his perspective, the head coach is adamant those experiences have only served to further illustrate the strong character and positive personality of his players.
“They have had to suffer disappointments in the season such as getting knocked out of the UEFA Youth League in the last 16 away at Hajduk Split and in the EFL Trophy on penalties up at Grimsby,” Barry-Murphy reflected.
“Along the way, they have had so many challenges and difficult situations, but they have shown an amazing capacity to learn and to get better.
“So, they have had learnings like that too, and this dressing room have taken a real ownership of things. They are such a close-knit group with a real close camaraderie and special team spirit.
“For me, to see the players overcome all the challenges and to go on and be successful at the end is such a fitting reward.”
Appropriately enough, City’s Elite Development Squad harnessed style alongside real substance by sealing a third consecutive Premier League 2 title...
Brian Barry-Murphy’s supremely talented group of Under-21s once again perfected the fiendish art of making the difficult look easy as we became the first side to win three straight PL2 crowns.
It was a memorable success built on City’s overarching principles of beautiful, beguiling football allied to a ferocious work-ethic, relentless hunger to improve and underpinned by the collective rather than the individual.
It’s yet another magnificent achievement for our youngsters and one that capped a special second season at the helm for Barry-Murphy.
Appointed to the role in the summer of 2021 in succession to Enzo Maresca, City’s Under-21s have gone on to thrive under the former Rochdale manager’s inspired leadership.
Our brand of exciting, possession-based attacking football has garnered widespread praise and the EDS squad went from strength to strength as the season has progressed.
In his two seasons at the helm, several members of Barry-Murphy’s squad have also been afforded their City first team debuts as well as furthering their football education by regularly training alongside Pep Guardiola’s squad.
Furthermore, since last summer, three members of the EDS group – Northern Ireland’s Shea Charles, Tomas Galvez of Finland, and Australia’s Alex Robertson - have all been capped at senior international level by their countries to further illustrate a remarkable 12 months.
It was a new-look EDS side that embarked upon the 2022-23 campaign with several of the mainstays of the group which lifted the 2021-22 crown either having left for new challenges elsewhere or departed on loan.
As a result, a number of last season’s all-conquering Under-18 squad were fast-tracked up to work alongside Barry-Murphy and his coaching team.
But though it may have been a youthful and largely inexperienced squad, the talent and technique that have been the bedrock of City’s Academy set-up were evident from the get-go.
Having benefited from the advice and input of John Stones, Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden, who had all accompanied the squad on a successful pre-season tour to Croatia, our Under-21s promptly hit the ground running with a superb 3-0 success at Liverpool on the opening day of the season.
That was the precursor to an impressive – and intense – run of fixtures which took the squad through until the break for the World Cup finals in early November.
Barry-Murphy’s side shoehorned 20 games into just over three months across the league, EFL Trophy and UEFA Youth League.
Though October saw us slip to losses at home to Blackburn and away to Everton, those twin setbacks proved the exception rather than the rule in the league with City’s class and consistency already earmarking us out as the side to beat once more.
And a quite remarkable 6-1 demolition derby success away at Manchester United in early November ensured we went into the World Cup break on a huge high with effervescent Portuguese winger Carlos Borges claiming his third hat-trick of the season at Leigh Sports Village in a campaign that would eventually see him net 29 goals in total.
Our success wasn’t restricted to the league, either.
A superb UEFA Youth League group campaign saw us go undefeated as we topped Group G to qualify for the knockout stages for the first time in four years, a stunning 5-1 win away at Sevilla on gameday one establishing the template for our European successes.
And though our EFL Trophy hopes ended in the lottery of a penalty shootout defeat at Grimsby after a 1-1 draw, nothing could detract from the promise and panache of a superb 3-1 win away at a hugely experienced Derby earlier in the group stages.
A subsequent winter training camp in Agadir, Morocco also proved a real catalyst in terms of further fostering and harnessing the already tight spirit and camaraderie within the Under-21s before many of the group, along with Barry-Murphy and his coaching staff, then accompanied City’s first team on a warm weather trip to Abu Dhabi.
"We saw in these parts of the campaign where you go from being so caught up in game, game, game, that those trips gave us a chance to really zone in on the important development parts for each individual player," the head coach asserted.
Refreshed and refocused after those twin overseas trips, City regrouped in January eager to mirror the way our two earlier title triumphs had gathered New Year momentum in 2021 and 2022.
The young Blues more than answered the clarion call.
Our first game back after a two-month break saw Barry-Murphy’s side crush previously unbeaten league leaders Arsenal 6-0 at the Academy Stadium in a quite magnificent display.
The win saw us leapfrog the Gunners into top spot and from that point on, our Under-21s never looked back.
In the league, we put together a 10-game unbeaten run, featuring a 5-0 rout of high-flying Crystal Palace in southeast London, a 6-0 home derby victory over Manchester United that neatly bookended our away win earlier in the season, and a similarly impressive 5-1 triumph at West Ham.
By the time we had despatched Chelsea 3-1 at Academy Stadium in mid-April, that third title win was within our grasp.
And, appropriately enough, we sealed the deal in emphatic fashion, clinching the title with a dominant 3-0 success away at Blackburn Rovers in late April on a memorable weekend that also saw our Under-18s claim the Under-18 Premier League North crown and City’s first team reach the FA Cup final.
The only setback came in Europe in late February when, in front of a partisan 15,000 strong crowd in Croatia, we exited the UEFA Youth League 2-1 to Hajduk Split at the last-16 stage.
City could, and arguably should, have emerged victorious that afternoon. But both Barry-Murphy and midfield playmaker Oscar Bobb, who enjoyed another superb campaign overall, spoke afterwards about how the lessons learned from that setback would only stand the players in good stead looking towards the future.
As regards our latest league success, on every metric City proved a class apart.
Our title triumph has also proved a real collective effort with every member of Barry-Murphy’s squad making their own vital contribution to the cause with 20 players either scoring or providing an assist.
It was a campaign that will live long in the collective memory and one that again saw the players demonstrate the very best of Manchester City.
EDS skipper Shea Charles looks back at a rewarding campaign…
Elite Development Squad skipper Shea Charles says the manner of City’s historic third straight PL2 title success served as the most satisfying aspect of our latest league triumph.
Brian Barry-Murphy’s exciting Under-21s made history by becoming the first side to win three successive PL2 crowns in the wake of a thumping 3-0 success at Blackburn.
It’s a magnificent achievement and one which has seen midfield anchor Charles and his teammates etch their name into the record books.
But for the 18-year-old on-field leader of the group, the fact we have been crowned champions playing the City way, as epitomised by first team manager Pep Guardiola, was the most rewarding aspect to our latest title success.
“I feel that the way we play is sort of mirrored off the way Pep and the first team play,” Shea reflected in the wake of that record-breaking third straight title.
“I just feel like in every game we have gone out there and what we’ve done is we've played how City are meant to play and it has been great to be part of that.
“We’re all so excited to have won the title again. People probably heard that excitement when we celebrated in the changing room at Blackburn!
"I’m so happy to have been part of two of the title wins but yeah (to win three) shows how far we've come as a club."
Reflecting on the benchmarks that have underpinned our latest title success, the Northern Ireland international pointed to the technical build-up and ferocious pressing that have been the hallmark of the team once again this season.
And he said that City’s third PL2 title success in a row had been a real unified squad effort.
“I'd probably just say the way we build up from the back,” Shea answered when asked to pinpoint the key ingredient in our latest PL2 title success.
"There are not many teams that can build up like us and the way we press from the front to the opposition you can tell that they feel the pressure straight away with the likes of Carlos Borges and Dire Mebude closing them down.
“The pace we have up top is ridiculous, really. Everyone has contributed - from the goalkeeper to the attackers... it has been great.
"All the different keepers, all the different midfielders, defenders, and attackers... it's come from the whole squad throughout. It’s just a very strong group."
In keeping with the tradition established at first team level, Charles was elected skipper by his EDS peers in a squad vote held prior to the start of the season.
Operating in the key midfield holding role, Charles was the very epitome of leading by example with his calm, composed demeanour the perfect embodiment of the values and ethos instilled in the group. For his part, Shea said it had been an enormous privilege to captain the group and he reflected on a year of enormous growth and development - both personally and professionally.
“Me being made captain was something that was voted on by the players at the start of the year,” he said..
"It’s always good to know that the players back you to lead the team and I’d like to think that I have made a good job of it. The players trust me and, hopefully, I’ve repaid that trust.
“I wouldn’t say that I’m the type of person to be shouting and screaming at people. I’d like to think I lead by example instead. I say things when they need to be said.
“You don’t want to ruin anyone’s confidence just by shouting at someone after just one mistake.
“It’s all about giving each other confidence and looking to gee each other up.
“I feel like I have done well this year and improved a lot. Compared to last season, I have been in this one position in holding midfield and that has been good just to improve in that position.
“Especially being one of the older ones in the group – there are a couple of us who are a little bit older - so that helps in terms of leading everyone with more confidence and playing how I want to play.
“For me I was just so happy to see us finish the season so strong like this as a team.
“Some of us have been together a while. Other guys are a bit newer, but it’s such a close squad and to have won the title in the way we have is a really special feeling.”
Ben Wilkinson says he has nothing but admiration for the way City’s Under-18s have grown and risen to the challenge in securing a remarkable third straight Under-18 Premier League National title alongside a fourth consecutive Under-18 Premier League North crown.
The City youngsters married artistry, athleticism and attitude to powerful effect as we held off formidable challenges to retain our national and regional titles once again.
A solid first half of the campaign had put the young Blues into a positive position going into the break for Christmas and New Year, lying just behind Sunderland in second place in the Northern division.
However, City kicked on once again in 2023, embarking on a stunning run that saw us record 12 consecutive league wins to overhaul the Black Cats and seal a fourth straight regional title.
That paved the way for an eagerly-awaited National final against southern champions West Ham, staged at the Etihad.
Once again, the City youngsters rose to the occasion against the FA Youth Cup winners, fighting back from a goal down to secure a wonderful 2-1 victory after extra time to make it an historic hat-trick of National crowns.
It was a second successive set of titles for Wilkinson, who took charge of the group in the summer of 2021, and he has nothing but praise for the way his young players again answered every challenge that has been put their way.
"We were a bit inconsistent before Christmas. In the first half of the season I thought we needed to be better and have a bit more intensity and grow up quicker," the head coach reflected.
“But I think we have answered all those questions since Christmas remarkably well.
“Since the New Year, I think we have really grown in terms of the level of focus, concentration, intensity, competitiveness, and aggression.
“In all those key areas of the game I think we have really developed, and it has really shown both in our performances and the results.
“They have really grown in terms of their performance levels and their maturity towards the games.
"We asked all the players for a greater level of consistency at Christmas and greater maturity and understanding of what we are after.
“And certainly, they have given us that post-Christmas. We put together what was a fantastic run and the boys showed they had got the bit between their teeth.
“To win 12 games in a row says a lot and we have played in the way we try to get across at the Club aligned with a real resilience.”
What made a fourth consecutive regional title win all the sweeter was the fact City were pushed all the way by a dogged, determined, and resolute Sunderland side.
Whilst City embarked on a superb 11-match winning run after the resumption of action following the festive break, we were matched win for win by the Wearsiders.
It set up the tantalising prospect of an effective title shoot-out at the CFA in late April when City and Sunderland met in what was our penultimate league match of the season.
With City going into the game a point ahead, the stakes were deliciously simple.
Win and the title was ours, lose and the advantage would go the way of the Black Cats heading into the last match.
For the delighted head coach, the way City's players answered the challenge when it mattered most, securing a stunning 4-2 victory, spoke volumes as to the talent and winning mindset engendered in the group as a whole.
“I was really, really pleased with the way we handled what was a big occasion,” Wilkinson reflected.
“We knew the game would be tough as Sunderland had the opportunity to win it as well. So, we knew we couldn’t afford to slip.
"Sunderland had been on an outstanding run and deserved huge credit for how they pushed us all the way.
“But our first half against them was outstanding with the way we played and our attitude.
“These games are so valuable as I think when you are playing for a title or trophy you see a performance and growth in all of the players.
“They deserved huge credit to perform to that level when so much was riding on it.”
Our latest title triumphs added to the catalogue of outstanding success at Academy level these past few years, with our Elite Development Squad also creating history by claiming a third consecutive PL2 crown.
For Wilkinson too, the emergence of Rico Lewis as such a key player in Pep Guardiola’s first team squad this season only further amplifies the amazing work being done throughout the Academy.
Our Under-18 skipper at the start of the 2021-22 season, Lewis’s incredible progression since personifies the thread of opportunity and reward that runs throughout the whole Club and is the embodiment of what the Academy stands for.
Looking ahead, for Wilkinson and his coaching cohort, the challenge now is to maintain the drive and vision that has helped produce the calibre of quality demonstrated by Lewis who has garnered praise both from Guardiola and beyond for his seamless transition into the first team set-up.
“We have been in a really great place at the Academy for a few years in terms of success at this level,” Wilkinson added.
“Obviously, it’s a lot sweeter when you see the progress of someone like Rico at first team level.
“Ultimately, that is what we are here for. But if you can consistently be challenging for competitions it would suggest you are doing something right.
“The challenge for us as an Academy is to convert a lot of those players who were maybe in the Under 18s last year and Under-21s this year to see if they can go on and affect the first team either here or elsewhere.
“This year has been so positive for us, be it through success here at the Club or with some top loan moves both domestically and abroad, so I think now the next step is to keep on progressing on that front.
“What you ideally want to see on Saturdays is as many players as possible who have come from the Academy.”
City Under-18s captain Nico O’Reilly believes our hard work, determination and commitment to the cause paid off in 2022/23 following an immensely successful campaign.
Ben Wilkinson’s side lifted the Premier League North title for a fourth consecutive season at the end of the term, before being crowned national champions with a dramatic 2-1 final victory over West Ham in extra-time.
The victory in the showpiece event at the Etihad Stadium represented our third successive PL Under-18 National title, City becoming the first club to achieve that notable feat.
It was the perfect end to an already wonderful season, which saw us finish at the northern section summit with 57 points after a strong domestic run of 18 wins, three draws and three losses.
And O’Reilly says our youngsters reaped the rewards for our devotion to the task at hand while crediting the success to the rich chemistry within City's Under-18s’ ranks.
“It is a great achievement,” O'Reilly declared
“Captaining the team carries a lot of pressure following previous years, so we are happy we have won it,
“The squad’s morale was pretty good. Everyone grew within the season, we all got on and there were no bad vibes between anyone.
“The chemistry was so good on the pitch. We knew what everyone was good at, and we just utilised that on the pitch.
"Working with Ben Wilkinson again has been very good, I’ve really enjoyed it. I did last season, too.
“Training is always good and always fun. We work with him, he works with us, so it was all good.”
City found ourselves a goal down at half-time in the National final when the Hammers’ Gideon Kodua fired home from close range on 30 minutes.
Undeterred by falling behind, though, we hit back with 16 minutes remaining when Justin Oboavwoduo’s precise header found the net – forcing extra-time.
Buoyed by our equaliser before the final whistle, the forward struck again in extra time to seal that historic third successive title.
O’Reilly played the entirety of the showpiece event and couldn’t contain his pride for his two-goal teammate, while also hailing Wilkinson’s influence on the team.
He added: “After Justin scored that equaliser, we were very confident going into extra time.
“We were on the front foot throughout the second half. West Ham had a few chances and were dangerous off set-pieces, but we were very confident once we got level.
“It was an unbelievable feeling to see Justin saw his second, everyone around me was excited and happy.
“We had a few tactical problems in the first half as we struggled with our pressing, but we changed that at half-time.
“Ben told us to give it everything in that second half, and that we didn’t have anything to lose. He sorted us out tactically and we did just what he said, and it worked.”
O’Reilly also enjoyed a phenomenal individual campaign, while wearing the captain’s armband with pride and conviction.
The versatile midfielder proved to be a vital gem in Wilkinson’s engine room a fact illustrated by him registering 13 assists – more than any other player.
His fantastic goal-scoring ability was also on show in sky blue this season, O'Reilly netting 11 times.
Among those strikes were several spectacular efforts, including a crucial, stinging scorpion kick to earn City an injury time 2-1 win away at Middlesbrough two games before being confirmed champions.
The 18-year-old said he was pleased with the progress he made and the experiences he gained in 2022/23.
"I think I’ve had a pretty good season. I’ve got a few goals and assists to go with it and my performances have been good.
“I’m always happy to get good stats but it’s not always about the stats and it’s how you play throughout the 90 minutes, but I’m happy with the way we’ve played this season, and I’ll go again next season.
“I played in the UEFA Youth League as well as the FA Youth Cup and we did well in both of those competitions.
“We [unfortunately] didn’t go the whole way, but I think we’ve been good, and I feel I had a good season.
“I think playing in so many competitions adds to your experience. In the UEFA Youth League, we played against top opponents from around Europe and different countries.
“In the FA Youth Cup, you face the best teams in England, and we competed and did well. It's been a great year."
In what was a Premier League Under-18 campaign of Grand National proportions, it was only fitting that Ben Wilkinson’s Manchester City Under-18s once again emerged as the ultimate thoroughbreds...
Taken at face value, one could be forgiven for thinking that claiming a historic third National title and fourth successive and unprecedented regional crown merely represented business as usual as far as City were concerned.
However, these latest stunning twin title successes proved anything but.
In the race for the regional crown, Wilkinson’s young charges were pushed all the way to the finishing line by a resolute and resilient Sunderland in what proved a thrilling and compelling battle for supremacy that went all the way to the penultimate weekend of the season.
The fact that City once again emerged victorious is a testament to the group's talent and technique.
That was further amplified by the way we saw off the formidable challenge of southern champions and newly crowned FA Youth Cup holders West Ham in what proved a memorable and high-quality National final at the Etihad
A 2-1 extra time win over the Hammers secured after a dramatic and strength-sapping 120 minutes provided another resounding demonstration of the grit and guile that goes alongside raw talent in terms of the demands and disciplines that underpin City’s Academy.
With several members of last season’s Under-18 National title winning squad having been elevated up into our Under-21s, it meant an even younger look to this season’s squad for City when the campaign kicked off back in August.
City though soon demonstrated the same desire and drive that had characterised our three previous regional title triumphs.
After an opening day 2-2 draw away at Newcastle United, our Under-18s swiftly gained traction and momentum, a thrilling 4-3 win away at Liverpool, then followed in October by successive 6-2 and 5-0 victories at home to Leeds and Blackburn respectively.
The sole league setback was a 3-2 derby defeat to Manchester United – but City would ensure we gained revenge on our nearest neighbours later in the campaign.
In the cup competitions meanwhile, the autumn and winter were full of encouraging omens as we progressed through the group stages of the Under-18 Premier League Cup with aplomb and also motored through the gears in the early rounds of the FA Youth Cup.
Despite that encouraging first half of the campaign however, for Wilkinson and his coaching staff the belief was that City had only scratched at the surface of our potential with the head coach challenging the players to up the ante once we regrouped after the Christmas and New Year break.
It was Wilkinson’s contention that City needed to harness our hunger, desire, and work rate to even greater heights if we were to prevail.
"We asked all the players for a greater level of consistency at Christmas and greater maturity and understanding of what we are after,” Wilkinson revealed.
To an individual, the group more than answered the call.
From the January 7 restart, City embarked on a quite magnificent run of 13 consecutive league victories, the last of which - a 4-2 home win over Sunderland – saw us overhaul the Wearsiders to claim the Northern crown in quite fitting style.
Along the way there were several memorable and thumping triumphs including an eight-goal haul against Wolves, a 6-2 win against Leeds United and 5-0 victories over Blackburn Rovers and Nottingham Forest.
City also served up a more than a measure of revenge for that earlier derby defeat, gaining ample satisfaction with a crucial and deserved 3-1 win away at United.
Furthermore, skipper Nico O’Reilly provided two contenders for goal of the season with an outrageous injury time scorpion kick which sealed a dramatic 2-1 win at Middlesbrough, before he then executed a quite breathtaking and audacious long-range chip in that victory at United.
Boasting the most potent attack and the steeliest defence in the Premier League North, few could deny we once again proved deserved regional champions.
The only twinges of regret came in our exits from the Premier League Cup and FA Youth Cup at the quarter-final and semi-final stages respectively.
In both games – a 1-0 home loss to Spurs in the PL Cup and agonising 2-1 extra time defeat away at Arsenal in the Youth Cup semi – Wilkinson’s side had been reduced to 10 men early in the first half.
Despite that numerical impediment, in both games City could count ourselves desperately unlucky not to prevail.
"There have been so many positives but, inevitably, there have been a couple of bumps along the way," Ben reflected.
“In terms of the FA Youth Cup and Premier League Cup, we were a little bit disappointed that in both games we went down to 10 men in the first half of the game and still could have won both matches so there were some lessons there.
“So there is still loads of learning as everyone has had their own individual journey. Some have flown since day one, others have had to navigate bumps in the road.
“Some will come out thinking they have had a great year; some may be a little disappointed, but their year may be next year.
“Looking at the bigger picture, we are very pleased with the way the season has gone but we always look at it that there is room for improvement.
“That, after all, is the essence of what this Club stands for and represents.”
A year to remember….
Academy Director Jason Wilcox acclaimed City’s latest title-winning successes in Premier League 2 together with the Under-18 Premier League National final and North regional division, saying they served as a source of enormous pride for everyone at the Club.
It has been another campaign to savour for City’s phalanx of talented youngsters with our Elite Development Squad claiming a historic third straight PL2 title whilst our Under-18s followed suit with a third straight PL National crown after having been crowned Premier League North champions for a fourth straight year.
Reflecting on the past 10 months, Wilcox – who will be moving on to a new challenge at Southampton in the summer after a hugely successful time at City – hailed the magnitude of the side’s latest haul of silverware.
And he was also keen to praise the tireless efforts of players and staff alike in helping the Club enjoy what has been another memorable season to celebrate.
Said Wilcox, a Premier League winner as a player with Blackburn Rovers:
"To win the Premier League 2 title for a third season in a row is an incredible achievement from our Elite Development Squad.
“We have once again fielded one of the youngest squads in PL2 and whilst we have been extremely proud of the superb results this season, we are even more proud and appreciative of the way this latest title has been won.
“Our Under-21s have once again served as the benchmark for the style of play we want all our age groups to adopt here at the Academy.
“Winning a hat-trick of Premier League 2 titles is another hugely significant moment for our Academy.
“And this latest title is once again testament, not only to our talented players and coaches, but every single of member of staff who works extremely hard every day with great dedication to help deliver success.”
Wilcox was equally complimentary in reflecting on the way our Under-18s had risen to the challenge in lifting the Premier League National and North titles once again.
"Winning the Under 18 Premier League National title for a third season in a row is the perfect way to end an excellent campaign for our Academy,” Jason declared.
"The players have played some excellent football again this season – exactly the kind of style we want to see at all age groups across our Academy system,
“While development is central to our day-to-day programme at the Academy, winning titles reinforces that this Club is doing the right things on and off the pitch in terms of creating good footballers and good people.
“So many people work hard every single day to make sure our Academy is the best it can be. This win is for all of them.
“Congratulations to all of the staff and players that have worked so hard for this historic achievement.
“Meanwhile, to win the U18 Premier League North four years in a row is something we are very proud of.
“Our priority is developing individual players and maximising their potential, but to finish top of the league for four consecutive years requires a huge team effort and every member of Academy staff has played an active role. They should all be very proud.
“On behalf of everyone at the Academy, I would like to send huge congratulations to Ben (Wilkinson), his multi-disciplinary team and the players for what they have achieved.”
Looking further in-depth, Wilcox said he also believes the Academy's ethos, aimed at setting players up for a successful career whether that be with City or elsewhere, was helping make the most of their potential as good people as well as supremely talented professionals.
"When you look at the Academy as a whole, we view our success on and off the pitch and we’re really pleased with what we’re doing in terms of developing good people away from the pitch as well as good players on it," added Wilcox.
"It’s easy sometimes to look at the Under-18s winning their titles and competitions and the Under-21s too, then you look at the transfer window which has been amazing, but there’s an awful lot of great work that goes on producing good people and that’s really important to us.
"We’re not judging our success on titles by any stretch. We’re here to maximise potential and produce as many players as we can for the world game and to give them a good chance in life.
“That’s very important for us all.”
EDS and Under-18s’
outstanding seasons in numbers ...
It has been yet another fantastic campaign for Brian Barry-Murphy and Ben Wilkinson’s teams.
Here, we look back on a fantastic term for our youngsters by viewing the statistics behind our success in 2022/23…
Across a combined 50 league fixtures for both teams (24 in the PL U18 and 26 in the PL 2), we recorded 36 wins - 18 for both sides - en route to their respective titles.
That equates to a win success percentage of 75% for our Under-18s and a rate of 69% for Barry-Murphy’s side.
In European competition, our EDS racked up four wins as we qualified for the round of 16 of the UEFA Youth League, while in the FA Youth Cup, Ben Wilkinson’s side won four games as we reached the semi-final stage.
Impressively, both sides tasted defeat on only four occasions in all competitions, while our Under-18s drew three and our EDS drew seven.
Fast paced, attacking football is the epicentre of the philosophy within our Men's, Women's, and Academy teams.
And that was showcased across our EDS and Under-18s’ respective league seasons, with City scoring a staggering 161 goals all told.
Wilkinson’s side netted 81 strikes across 24 games, averaging more than three goals per northern section match.
Meanwhile, Barry-Murphy’s team averaged a similar three goals per game with 80 throughout our 26 PL2 games.
Perhaps, unsurprisingly, with respective totals of 80 and 81, City were the highest scorers across both domestic divisions.
The second highest scorers in the Premier League 2 were Brighton with 58 (22 behind our EDS), while Sunderland scored 63 PL U18 northern section goals (28 behind our Under-18s).
Winger Carlos Borges has enjoyed a tremendous individual Premier League 2 campaign.
The 19-year-old finished as the division’s top goalscorer with 21 – eight goals higher than West Ham’s Divin Mubama in second place.
However, he didn’t just flourish in front of goal as Borges also finished the league term with nine assists – ranking third across the league.
Ahead of Borges in the assist charts were City colleagues Dire Mebude (14) and Oscar Bobb (17).
The latter sat atop the assists charts too in what was a remarkable season for the Norway Under-21 international.
Elsewhere, Justin Oboavwoduo also had a clinical campaign in front of goal for our Under-18s – netting 21 goals and registering four assists.
And not only did Under-18s captain Nico O’Reilly spearhead us to the northern title from central midfield, he also registered an impressive G+A (goals and assists) of 24 – 11 goals and 13 assists.
Our Elite Development Squad won 6-0 on two separate occasions in the PL2 across 2022/23.
The first came at the Academy Stadium when we dispatched Arsenal in January 2023 thanks to two goals each from Robertson, Borges and Mebude.
Only two months later we repeated the trick in the same arena, when we recorded an impressive victory over our city rivals, Manchester United.
For our Under-18s, the biggest success came in the form of a superb 8-0 win over Wolves at the CFA.
What perhaps added the gloss to an already phenomenal result was the fact seven different players were on the scoresheet, while Matthew Whittingham bagged a brace.
Alongside our stellar attacking statistics, both of City’s youth teams also boasted formidable defensive records.
Barry-Murphy’s EDS conceded the second lowest amount of PL2 goals with 31 – only two more than Liverpool’s 29 – and faced the second fewest shots in the division with 99.
Additionally, our Under-18s conceded the fewest number of goals in the northern section (23), which was seven less than Sunderland who were breached 30 times.
By lifting the Premier League Under-18 National title with a dramatic 2-1 win over West Ham, we became the first side to win three successive championships.
A sublime Oboavwoduo brace secured the historic feat at the Etihad Stadium as we came from behind to seal the victory in extra-time.
Our first national title arrived in 2021 when City beat Fulham 3-1 at the Academy Stadium thanks to goals from Sam Edozie, Borges and Bobb.
We then retained our trophy a year later at St Mary’s Stadium, coming from a goal down to beat Southampton 2-1.
Congratulations to both our Elite Development Squad and Under-18s on two fantastic seasons!
‘The best win we have had in
my two years in the job..’.
Ben Wilkinson
That was the verdict of an immensely proud Ben Wilkinson after the head coach had seen City's all-conquering Under-18s fight from behind to overcome West Ham 2-1 in a titanic Under-18 Premier League National final at the Etihad.
Fittingly, for a clash that pitted together the two best youth teams in the country, it was a pulsating, high quality encounter that went all the way to extra time.
The Hammers had taken a 30th minute lead through skipper Gideon Kodua before City deservedly drew level on 76 minutes thanks to a Justin Oboavwoduo header.
Then, amidst an Etihad downpour with the tension at fever pitch, Oboavwoduo claimed his second goal of the night on 102 minutes to settle the contest and ensure City were crowned champions.
For City it meant a historic third successive Under-18 National title – something no side has ever achieved before.
Coming hard on the heels of fourth straight Under-18 North regional success, it set the seal on another remarkable season for Wilkinson, his staff and players.
And reflecting on an absorbing contest that saw City have to come from behind against the FA Youth Cup winners, Wilkinson was in no doubt as to the magnitude of this latest success.
"It was a top, top game. There was a lot riding on it and I think it’s the best win we have had in two years in the job," the proud Under-18 head coach reflected.
“Certainly, it’s the most satisfying win for me as a coach given the calibre of opposition. It was a great night featuring the two best teams in the country.
“So, to come through with a positive result given the adversity we faced is a nice way to end the season.
“Physically, West Ham were outstanding, but I thought we showed how strong we could be too - especially in extra time.
“I thought there was only going to be one winner then which is a credit to our lads.
"There were moments where we had to suffer for sure. The tactical, technical and physical elements of our game were right up there.
“I’m so pleased for all our players, and I felt that it was the perfect way for us to end the season.
“These moments are great for us to judge the players and where they are at, so it's an amazing reward for us and everyone is really proud.”
Further reflecting on an astounding season, Wilkinson also referenced the incredible work that had gone into shaping and honing the players from a very young age.
The head coach also referenced the way standards and a desire to seek to constantly improve and better yourself were inspired by the flawless example of Pep Guardiola and City’s first team environment.
“It’s an amazing place to come to work every day,” Wilkinson added.
“The expectations are the standards that have been set at the Club. The manager sets that from the first team down.
“You come back in July and know you have got to do it again. You never settle and that continued desire to get better involves everyone. The culture of the Club is fantastic and long may it continue.
“Winning this latest National title is a great achievement and you can’t ask for anymore.
“To win three times in a row shows the level of player and the work that has gone in for a long, long period of time. In a lot of instances for 10 or 11 years.
“Jason Wilcox has put the foundations in for a long period and the work put in coaching staff from our Under-6/7 age group onwards has been outstanding.
“We’re lucky to see nights like this at the end of the journey but it’s a credit to everyone who has been involved in the Academy.”
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