AS part of the EFL’s Youth Development Week, we are taking a look at the numbers behind Burton Albion’s Academy and the success our Young Brewers have had, despite the Academy opening less than a decade ago.
APPEARANCES: 329
Over the course of the Academy’s existence, eight of the players that have come through the system have gone on to play a combined total of 329 times (so far) for the Brewers.
179 of those appearances have been starts, with Matty Palmer, Marcus Harness, Ben Fox, Joe Sbarra and Reece Hutchinson all being named in a league starting line up during their time with the Brewers.
The five Academy graduates with the most appearances for Burton Albion across all competitions are:
- Matty Palmer: 159 (114 starts).
- Marcus Harness: 66 (16 starts)
- Joe Sbarra: 36 (12 starts)
- Ben Fox: 32 (18 starts)
- Reece Hutchinson: 24 (19 starts)
BURTON ALBION GOALS: 14
The three Academy graduates that have scored for Burton Albion have combined to net 14 times for the Brewers.
Palmer is the most prolific of our Academy graduates, scoring eight times over the course of his Burton Albion career, while Marcus Harness’ goalscoring exploits this season have seen him jump to second on the list.
Ben Fox completes the trio with two goals for the Brewers.
The list is:
- Matty Palmer: 8
- Marcus Harness: 4
- Ben Fox; 2
Academy graduates have also created 25 goals for the Brewers through assists over the years. Five players have claimed assists for Albion after coming through the Academy.
ELSEWHERE IN THE EFL
It is not only for the Brewers that our Academy graduates have made an impact in the EFL. Between them, Matty Palmer and Marcus Harness have made 85 EFL appearances for other clubs.
Palmer was the first to do this when he was loaned-out to Oldham Athletic during the 2015-16 season, making 14 appearances and scoring once. The bulk of his 43 games away from the Brewers have come with his current club: Rotherham.
Palmer has played 29 times for the Millers since moving to the New York Stadium in January 2018.
Harness made 42 EFL appearances while out on-loan at Port Vale last season. He started 29 games across all competitions and even managed to score twice for the League Two side before coming back to the Pirelli Stadium and becoming a first team regular this season.
Outside of the EFL, graduates such as Marcus Dinanga and Callum Hawkins have had great success in non-league. Dinanga had two prolific loan spells below the EFL before earning a move to Telford last month.
Hawkins signed his first professional deal with the Brewers in the summer of 2018 after becoming the first choice goalkeeper for Gesley FC during an impressive loan spell.