Bristol City are excited about the next generation of talent gradually making the step up from the academy

10:27, 17 May 2025Updated 10:28, 17 May 2025

Bristol City Under-18s celebrate after their PDL National final win over Watford(Image: Photo by Rogan/Bristol City)

Brian Tinnion has hailed a “brilliant year” for the Bristol City academy after professional deals have been awarded to a core part of their Under-18 side, which won the Professional Development League National title on Friday afternoon.

Ten members of that Young Robins side have been handed pro contracts to continue their development at the High Performance Centre and eventually push for first-team inclusion.

City topped their division before they managed to beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 in the play-off semi-final last weekend. Then, on Friday afternoon, in front of a reasonable crowd at Ashton Gate, the Young Robins managed to secure the PDL National title with a 2-1 win over Watford.

READ MORE: Bristol City yet to receive approach from Norwich City for head coach Liam Manning amid reportsREAD MORE: Bristol City U18s 2-1 Watford U18s recap: Reds crowned PDL National champions at Ashton Gate

The Reds took the lead early in the second half when a mazy run from Leo Pecover ended with the winger slotting into the back of the net brilliantly. It looked like that would be enough for City to secure the win when Hornets midfielder Thomas Georgiou saw red, but Kyamni Smith Daley was able to force extra time when he found the net at the back post deep in stoppage time.

Fortunately, in the additional 30 minutes, the Robins made their man advantage count and Trayvion Jackson managed to find the winning goal as he tapped in from close range following a smart stop from Watford’s goalkeeper Samuel Morris.

Midfielder Zac King-Phillips, forward Jack Griffin, and goalkeepers Isaac Finch and Jack Witchard have all put pen to paper on two-year deals. In addition, Thomas Chaplin and Ruebin Sheppard have signed one-year agreements, as have defenders Max Davies and Jack Hooper, forward Charlie Filer and goalkeeper Ben Clark.

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“It has been another brilliant year for these young players, and to win the Professional Development League South title and National title is a testament to their hard work,” explained the Robins’ technical director, Tinnion.

“These experiences will only help them develop, and we are all excited to see how they progress over the next couple of years.”

City are expected to publish their retained list soon, with the deadline looming. In terms of senior players, the likes of Kal Naismith, Nahki Wells, Stefan Bajic, Ayman Benarous and Lewis Thomas are all out of contract.

While it is unclear at this stage how many of those, if any, will remain in BS3, both Manning and Wells have been open about their desire for the Bermudian to extend his stay in the West Country.

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