Academy Graduates
Academy Graduates
David Beckham, George Best, Sir Bobby Charlton, Duncan Edwards, Ryan Giggs, Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford are just some of the world-famous names who have emerged from Manchester United's legendary youth system, in a long and illustrious tradition spanning 4,000 competitive games and more than 50 trophies.
Here's the full list of Reds who rose through the ranks to play in our first team...
Here's the full list of Reds who rose through the ranks to play in our first team...
2020 onwards
The tradition of handing first-team debuts to deserving Academy players has continued into a new decade with the likes of Elanga, Garnacho and Hannibal...
2020s
No. | Player | Debut date | Opponents | Age at debut | Total appearances |
251 | Toby Collyer | 10 August 2024 | Manchester City | 20 | TBC |
250 | Ethan Wheatley | 24 April 2024 | Sheffield United | 18 | TBC |
249 | Omari Forson | 8 January 2024 | Wigan Athletic | 18 | TBC |
248 | Willy Kambwala | 23 December 2023 | West Ham United | 19 | TBC |
247 | Dan Gore | 26 September 2023 | Crystal Palace | 19 | TBC |
246 | Kobbie Mainoo | 10 January 2023 | Charlton Athletic | 17 | TBC |
245 | Charlie McNeill | 8 September 2022 | Real Sociedad | 18 | TBC |
244 | Alejandro Garnacho | 28 April 2022 | Chelsea | 17 | TBC |
243 | Charlie Savage | 8 December 2021 | BSC Young Boys | 21 | 1 |
242 | Zidane Iqbal | 8 December 2021 | BSC Young Boys |
18 | 1 |
241 | Tom Heaton | 8 December 2021 | BSC Young Boys |
35 | TBC |
240 | Will Fish | 23 May 2021 | Wolves | 17 | TBC |
239 | Hannibal | 23 May 2021 | Wolves | 18 | TBC |
238 | Anthony Elanga | 11 May 2021 | Leicester City | 19 | 55 |
237 | Shola Shoretire | 21 February 2021 | Newcastle United | 17 | TBC |
236 | Dean Henderson | 22 September 2020 | Luton Town | 23 | 29 |
235 | Teden Mengi | 5 August 2020 | LASK Linz | 18 | 2 |
2010 - 2019
Featuring Pogba, Lingard, Rashford and McTominay, it's been another successful decade of producing home-grown first-team talent...
2010s
No. | Player | Debut date | Opponents | Age at debut | Total appearances |
234 | Largie Ramazani | 28 November 2019 |
Astana | 18 | 1 |
233 | Ethan Galbraith | 28 November 2019 | Astana | 19 | 1 |
232 | D'Mani Mellor | 28 November 2019 | Astana | 19 | 1 |
231 | Dylan Levitt | 28 November 2019 | Astana | 19 | 1 |
230 | Ethan Laird | 28 November 2019 | Astana | 18 | 2 |
229 | Di'Shon Bernard |
28 November 2019 | Astana | 19 | 1 |
228 | Brandon Williams | 25 September 2019 | Rochdale | 19 | TBC |
227 | Mason Greenwood | 6 March 2019 | PSG | 17 | TBC |
226 | James Garner | 27 February 2019 | Crystal Palace | 17 | 7 |
225 | Tahith Chong | 5 January 2019 | Reading | 19 | 16 |
224 | Demetri Mitchell | 21 May 2017 | Crystal Palace | 20 | 1 |
223 | Josh Harrop | 21 May 2017 | Crystal Palace | 21 | 1 |
222 | Angel Gomes | 21 May 2017 | Crystal Palace | 16 | 10 |
221 | Scott McTominay | 7 May 2017 | Arsenal | 20 | TBC |
220 | Joel Pereira | 29 January 2017 |
Wigan | 20 | 3 |
219 | Axel Tuanzebe | 29 January 2017 | Wigan | 19 | 37 |
218 | James Weir | 28 February 2016 | Arsenal | 20 | 1 |
217 | Tim Fosu-Mensah | 28 February 2016 | Arsenal | 18 | 30 |
216 | Marcus Rashford | 25 February 2016 | Midtjylland | 18 | TBC |
215 | Joe Riley | 22 February 2016 | Shrewsbury | 19 | 2 |
214 | Donald Love | 3 February 2016 | Sunderland | 21 | 2 |
213 | Cameron Borthwick-Jackson | 7 November 2015 | West Brom | 18 | 14 |
212 | Tom Thorpe | 27 September 2014 | West Ham | 21 | 1 |
211 | Paddy McNair | 27 September 2014 | West Ham | 19 | 27 |
210 | Reece James | 26 August 2014 | MK Dons | 20 | 1 |
209 | Andreas Pereira | 26 August 2014 | MK Dons | 18 | 75 |
208 | Saidy Janko | 26 August 2014 | MK Dons | 18 | 1 |
207 | Jesse Lingard | 16 August 2014 | Swansea | 21 | 232 |
206 | Tyler Blackett | 16 August 2014 | Swansea | 20 |
12 |
205 | Tom Lawrence | 6 May 2014 | Hull City | 20 | 1 |
204 | James Wilson | 6 May 2014 | Hull City | 18 | 20 |
203 | Adnan Januzaj | 11 August 2013 | Wigan | 18 | 63 |
202 | Robbie Brady | 26 September 2012 | Newcastle | 20 | 7 |
201 | Scott Wootton | 26 September 2012 | Newcastle | 21 | 1 |
200 | Ryan Tunnicliffe |
26 September 2012 | Newcastle | 19 | 3 |
199 | Will Keane | 31 December 2011 | Blackburn | 18 | 2 |
198 | Michael Keane | 25 October 2011 | Aldershot | 19 | 3 |
197 | Larnell Cole | 20 September 2011 | Leeds United | 18 | 1 |
196 | Zeki Fryers | 20 September 2011 | Leeds United | 18 | 6 |
195 | Paul Pogba | 20 September 2011 | Leeds United | 18 | 233 |
194 | Tom Cleverley | 7 August 2011 | Manchester City | 21 | 79 |
193 | Ravel Morrison | 26 October 2010 | Wolves | 17 | 3 |
2000 - 2009
Evans, Fletcher, Welbeck and the scorer of that goal against Aston Villa, Macheda, are among the names given noughties debuts by Sir Alex Ferguson...
2000s
No. | Player | Debut date | Opponents | Age at debut | Total appearances |
192 | Joshua King | 23 September 2008 | Wolves | 17 | 1 |
191 | Federico Macheda | 5 April 2009 | Aston Villa | 17 | 36 |
190 | Richard Eckersley | 24 January 2009 | Tottenham | 19 | 2 |
189 | James Chester | 20 January 2009 | Derby County | 19 | 2 |
188 | Ben Amos | 23 September 2008 | Middlesbrough | 18 | 7 |
187 | Danny Welbeck | 23 September 2008 | Middlesbrough | 17 | 142 |
186 | Danny Simpson | 26 September 2007 | Coventry | 20 | 8 |
185 | Jonny Evans | 19 August 2007 | Manchester City | 19 | 135 |
184 | Fraizier Campbell | 19 August 2007 | Manchester City | 19 | 4 |
183 | Michael Barnes | 25 October 2006 | Crewe | 18 | 1 |
182 | Ryan Shawcross | 25 October 2006 | Crewe | 19 | 2 |
181 | David Gray | 25 October 2006 |
Crewe | 18 | 1 |
180 | Kieran Lee | 25 October 2006 | Crewe | 18 | 3 |
179 | Phil Marsh | 25 October 2006 | Crewe | 19 | 1 |
178 | Darron Gibson | 26 October 2005 | Barnet | 18 | 84 |
177 | Ritchie Jones | 26 October 2005 |
Barnet | 19 | 5 |
176 | Lee Martin | 26 October 2005 | Barnet | 18 | 3 |
175 | Adam Eckersley | 26 October 2005 | Barnet | 20 | 1 |
174 | David Jones | 1 December 2004 | Arsenal | 20 | 4 |
173 | Giuseppe Rossi | 10 November 2004 | Crystal Palace | 17 | 14 |
172 | Gerard Pique | 26 October 2004 | Crewe | 17 | 23 |
171 | Sylvan Ebanks-Blake | 26 October 2004 | Crewe | 18 | 2 |
170 | Jonathan Spector | 25 August 2004 | Dinamo Bucharest | 18 | 8 |
169 | Paul Tierney | 3 December 2003 | West Brom | 21 | 1 |
168 | Phil Bardsley | 3 December 2003 | West Brom | 18 | 18 |
167 | Eddie Johnson | 28 October 2003 | Leeds United | 19 | 1 |
166 | Chris Eagles | 28 October 2003 | Leeds United | 17 | 17 |
165 | Mark Lynch | 18 March 2003 | Deportivo La Coruna | 21 | 1 |
164 | Darren Fletcher | 12 March 2003 | Basel | 19 | 305 |
163 | Mads Timm | 29 October 2002 | Maccabi Haifa | 17 | 1 |
162 | Kieran Richardson | 23 October 2002 | Olympiacos | 18 | 81 |
161 | Danny Pugh | 18 September 2002 | Maccabi Haifa | 19 | 7 |
160 | Lee Roche | 5 November 2001 | Arsenal | 21 | 3 |
159 | Jimmy Davis | 5 November 2001 |
Arsenal | 19 | 1 |
158 | Daniel Nardiello | 5 November 2001 | Arsenal | 19 | 4 |
157 | Danny Webber | 28 November 2000 | Sunderland | 18 | 3 |
156 | Michael Stewart | 31 October 2000 | Watford | 19 | 14 |
155 | Paul Rachubka | 11 January 2000 | South Melbourne | 18 | 3 |
1990 - 1999
Our most famous crop of youngsters since the Busby Babes emerges, following the FA Youth Cup win of 1992...
1990s
No. | Player | Debut date | Opponents | Age at debut | Total appearances |
154 | David Healy | 13 October 1999 |
Aston Villa | 20 | 3 |
153 | Richie Wellens | 13 October 1999 |
Aston Villa | 19 | 1 |
152 | Luke Chadwick | 13 October 1999 | Aston Villa | 18 | 39 |
151 | John O'Shea | 13 October 1999 | Aston Villa | 18 | 392 |
150 | Nick Culkin | 22 August 1999 | Arsenal | 21 | 1 |
149 | Alex Notman | 2 December 1998 | Tottenham | 18 | 1 |
148 | Mark Wilson | 21 October 1998 | Brondby | 19 | 10 |
147 | Danny Higginbotham | 10 May 1998 | Barnsley | 19 | 7 |
146 | Wes Brown | 4 May 1998 | Leeds | 18 | 360 |
145 | Michael Twiss | 25 February 1998 | Barnsley | 20 | 2 |
144 | Ronnie Wallwork | 25 October 1997 | Barnsley | 20 | 28 |
143 | Phil Mulryne | 14 October 1997 | Ipswich | 19 | 5 |
142 | John Curtis | 14 October 1997 | Ipswich | 19 | 18 |
141 | Michael Clegg | 23 November 1996 | Middlesbrough | 19 | 24 |
140 | Michael Appleton | 23 October 1996 | Swindon | 20 | 2 |
139 | Terry Cooke | 16 September 1995 | Bolton | 19 | 8 |
138 | Phil Neville | 28 January 1995 | Wrexham | 18 | 386 |
137 | Kevin Pilkington | 19 November 1994 | Crystal Palace | 20 | 8 |
136 | Chris Casper | 21 September 1994 |
Port Vale | 19 | 1 |
135 | Simon Davies | 21 September 1994 |
Port Vale | 20 | 20 |
134 | John O'Kane | 21 September 1994 |
Port Vale | 19 | 7 |
133 | Paul Scholes | 21 September 1994 | Port Vale | 19 | 707 |
132 | Colin McKee | 8 May 1994 | Coventry | 20 | 28 |
131 | Ben Thornley | 26 February 1994 | West Ham | 18 | 14 |
130 | Keith Gillespie | 5 January 1993 | Bury | 17 | 14 |
129 | Nicky Butt | 21 November 1992 | Oldham | 17 | 387 |
128 | David Beckham | 23 September 1992 | Brighton | 17 | 394 |
127 | Gary Neville | 16 September 1992 | Torpedo Moscow | 17 | 603 |
126 | Ian Wilkinson | 9 October 1991 | Cambridge | 18 | 1 |
125 | Paul Wratten | 2 April 1991 | Wimbledon | 20 | 2 |
124 | Ryan Giggs | 2 March 1991 | Everton | 17 | 919 |
123 | Darren Ferguson | 26 February 1991 | Sheffield United | 19 | 30 |
122 | Mark Bosnich | 30 April 1990 | Wimbledon | 18 | 38 |
1980 - 1989
Three players who would score goals in FA Cup finals - Hughes, Whiteside and Martin - are among the notable names here...
1980s
No. | Player | Debut date | Opponents | Age at debut | Total appearances |
121 | Derek Brazil | 10 May 1989 | Everton | 20 | 2 |
120 | David Wilson | 23 November 1988 | Sheffield Wednesday | 19 | 6 |
119 | Mark Robins | 12 October 1988 | Rotherham | 18 | 70 |
118 | Russell Beardsmore | 24 September 1988 | West Ham | 19 | 73 |
117 | Lee Martin | 9 May 1988 | Wimbledon | 20 | 109 |
116 | Deiniol Graham | 7 October 1987 | Hull | 18 | 4 |
115 | Tony Gill | 3 January 1987 | Southampton | 18 | 14 |
114 | Gary Walsh | 13 December 1986 | Aston Villa | 18 | 63 |
113 | Nicky Wood | 26 December 1985 | Everton | 19 | 4 |
112 | Stephen Pears | 12 January 1985 | Nottingham Forest | 22 | 5 |
111 | Billy Garton | 26 September 1984 |
Burnley | 19 | 51 |
110 | Clayton Blackmore | 16 May 1984 | Nottingham Forest | 19 | 245 |
109 | Graeme Hogg | 7 January 1984 |
Bournemouth | 19 | 110 |
108 | Mark Dempsey | 2 November 1983 | Spartak Varna | 19 | 2 |
107 | Mark Hughes | 26 October 1983 | Port Vale | 19 | 467 |
106 | Alan Davies | 1 May 1982 | Southampton | 20 | 10 |
105 | Norman Whiteside | 24 April 1982 |
Brighton | 16 | 274 |
104 | Scott McGarvey | 13 September 1980 |
Leicester | 17 | 25 |
103 | Mike Duxbury | 23 August 1980 |
Birmingham | 20 | 378 |
1970 - 1979
Our seventies list features four starters and one substitute from our 1977 FA Cup final success - Albiston, McCreery, McIlroy, Nicholl and Brian Greenhoff...
1970s
No. | Player | Debut date | Opponents | Age at debut | Total appearances |
102 | Andy Ritchie | 26 December 1977 | Everton | 17 | 42 |
101 | Martyn Rogers | 22 October 1977 | West Brom | 17 | 1 |
100 | Jonathan Clark | 10 November 1976 | Sunderland | 17 | 1 |
99 | Steve Paterson | 29 September 1976 | Ajax | 18 | 10 |
98 | Peter Coyne | 24 April 1976 | Leicester | 17 | 2 |
97 | Jimmy Kelly | 20 December 1975 | Wolves | 18 | 1 |
96 | Tony Grimshaw | 10 September 1975 | Brentford | 17 | 2 |
95 | Jimmy Nicholl | 5 April 1975 | Southampton | 18 | 248 |
94 | David McCreery | 15 October 1974 | Portsmouth | 17 | 110 |
93 | Arthur Albiston | 9 October 1974 | Manchester City | 17 | 485 |
92 | Paul Bielby | 13 March 1974 | Manchester City | 17 | 4 |
91 | Clive Griffiths | 27 October 1973 | Burnley | 18 | 7 |
90 | Brian Greenhoff | 8 September 1973 | Ipswich | 20 | 271 |
89 | Arnie Sidebottom | 23 April 1973 | Sheffield United | 19 | 20 |
88 | Peter Fletcher | 14 April 1973 | Stoke | 19 | 7 |
87 | John Connaughton | 4 April 1972 | Sheffield United | 22 |
4 |
86 | Sammy McIlroy | 6 November 1971 | Manchester City | 17 | 419 |
85 | Tommy O'Neil | 5 May 1971 | Manchester City | 18 | 68 |
84 | Ian Donald | 7 October 1970 | Portsmouth | 18 | 6 |
83 | Willie Watson | 26 September 1970 | Blackpool | 20 | 14 |
82 | Tony Young | 29 August 1970 | West Ham | 17 | 97 |
1960 - 1969
A decade of successful rebirth for the first team, and the birth of a superstar from the club's youth system...
1960s
No. | Player | Debut date | Opponents | Age at debut | Total appearances |
81 | Paul Edwards | 19 August 1969 | Everton | 21 | 68 |
80 | Don Givens | 9 August 1969 | Crystal Palace | 20 | 9 |
79 | Steve James | 12 October 1968 | Liverpool | 18 | 161 |
78 | Carlo Sartori | 9 October 1968 | Southampton | 20 | 55 |
77 | Jimmy Rimmer | 15 April 1968 | Fulham | 20 | 46 |
76 | Alan Gowling | 30 March 1968 | Stoke | 19 | 87 |
75 | Frank Kopel | 9 September 1967 | Burnley | 18 | 12 |
74 | Francis Burns | 2 September 1967 | West Ham | 18 | 156 |
73 | Brian Kidd | 12 August 1967 | Tottenham | 18 | 266 |
72 | Jimmy Ryan | 4 May 1966 | West Brom | 20 | 27 |
71 | Bobby Noble | 9 April 1966 | Leicester | 20 | 33 |
70 | John Aston Jnr | 12 April 1965 | Leicester | 17 | 187 |
69 | John Fitzpatrick | 24 February 1965 | Sunderland | 18 | 147 |
68 | Albert Kinsey | 9 January 1965 | Chester City | 19 | 1 |
67 | Wilf Tranter | 7 March 1964 | West Ham | 19 | 1 |
66 | Willie Anderson | 28 December 1963 | Burnley | 16 | 12 |
65 | George Best | 14 September 1963 | West Brom | 17 | 470 |
64 | David Sadler | 24 August 1963 | Sheffield Wednesday | 17 | 335 |
63 | Dennis Walker | 20 May 1963 | Nottingham Forest | 18 | 1 |
62 | Phil Chisnall | 2 December 1961 | Everton | 18 | 47 |
61 | Sammy McMillan | 4 November 1961 | Sheffield Wednesday | 20 | 15 |
60 | Ronnie Briggs | 21 January 1961 | Leicester | 17 | 11 |
59 | Harold Bratt | 2 November 1960 | Bradford | 21 | 1 |
58 | Nobby Stiles | 1 October 1960 | Bolton | 18 | 395 |
57 | Ian Moir | 1 October 1960 | Bolton | 17 | 45 |
56 | Frank Haydock | 20 August 1960 | Everton | 19 | 6 |
55 | Jimmy Nicholson | 20 August 1960 | Preston | 17 | 68 |
54 | Nobby Lawton | 9 February 1960 | Luton | 20 | 44 |
1950 - 1959
Five-times winners of the FA Youth Cup, the Busby Babes would enter football folklore for both triumphant and tragic reasons...
1950s
No. | Player | Debut date | Opponents | Age at debut | Total appearances |
53 | Johnny Giles | 12 September 1959 | Tottenham | 18 | 115 |
52 | Reg Hunter | 27 December 1958 | Aston Villa | 20 | 1 |
51 | Joe Carolan | 22 November 1958 | Luton Town | 21 | 71 |
50 | Bobby Harrop | 5 March 1958 | West Brom | 21 | 11 |
49 | Mark Pearson | 19 February 1958 | Sheffield Wed | 18 | 80 |
48 | Shay Brennan | 19 February 1958 | Sheffield Wed | 20 | 359 |
47 | Kenny Morgans | 21 December 1957 | Leicester | 18 | 23 |
46 | Peter Jones | 19 October 1957 | Portsmouth | 19 | 1 |
45 | Alex Dawson | 22 April 1957 | Burnley | 17 | 93 |
44 | Gordon Clayton | 16 March 1957 | Wolves | 20 | 2 |
43 | Tony Hawksworth | 27 October 1956 | Blackpool | 17 | 1 |
42 | David Gaskell | 24 October 1956 | Manchester City | 16 | 119 |
41 | Bobby Charlton | 6 October 1956 | Charlton | 18 | 759 |
40 | Ronnie Cope | 29 September 1956 | Arsenal | 21 | 106 |
39 | Eddie Colman | 12 November 1955 | Bolton | 19 | 108 |
38 | Wilf McGuinness | 8 October 1955 | Wolves | 17 | 85 |
37 | Walter Whitehurst | 14 September 1955 | Everton | 21 | 1 |
36 | Billy Whelan | 26 March 1955 | Preston | 19 | 98 |
35 | Geoff Bent | 11 December 1954 | Burnley | 22 | 12 |
34 | Albert Scanlon | 20 November 1954 | Arsenal | 19 | 127 |
33 | Freddie Goodwin | 20 November 1954 |
Arsenal | 21 | 107 |
32 | Paddy Kennedy | 2 October 1954 | Wolves | 19 | 1 |
31 | Dennis Viollet | 11 April 1953 | Newcastle | 19 | 299 |
30 | Les Olive | 11 April 1953 | Newcastle | 24 | 1 |
29 | Duncan Edwards | 4 April 1953 | Cardiff | 16 | 177 |
28 | Noel McFarlane | 13 February 1953 | Tottenham | 19 | 1 |
27 | Bill Foulkes | 13 December 1952 | Liverpool | 20 | 688 |
26 | David Pegg | 6 December 1952 | Middlesbrough | 17 | 150 |
25 | John Doherty | 6 December 1952 | Middlesbrough | 17 | 26 |
24 | Eddie Lewis | 29 November 1952 | West Brom | 17 | 24 |
23 | Johnny Scott | 4 October 1952 | Wolves | 18 | 3 |
22 | Jackie Blanchflower | 24 November 1951 | Liverpool | 18 | 117 |
21 | Cliff Birkett | 2 December 1950 | Newcastle | 17 | 13 |
20 | Mark Jones | 7 October 1950 | Sheffield Wed | 17 | 121 |
19 | Billy Redman | 7 October 1950 | Sheffield Wed | 22 | 38 |
18 | Don Gibson | 26 August 1950 | Bolton | 21 | 115 |
17 | Tom McNulty | 15 April 1950 | Portsmouth | 20 | 60 |
16 | Jeff Whitefoot | 15 April 1950 | Portsmouth | 16 | 95 |
15 | Frank Clempson | 18 February 1950 | Sunderland | 19 | 15 |
1940 - 1949
Matt Busby's plan for post-war success begins as Mitten, Morris and Aston break through in time for the 1948 FA Cup final...
1940s
No. | Player | Debut date | Opponents | Age at debut | Total appearances |
14 | Brian Birch | 27 August 1949 | West Brom | 17 | 17 |
13 | Berry Brown | 31 January 1948 | Sheffield United | 20 | 4 |
12 | Sammy Lynn | 3 January 1948 | Charlton | 27 | 13 |
11 | Johnny Anderson | 20 December 1947 | Middlesbrough | 26 | 40 |
10 | James Pegg | 15 November 1947 | Derby | 21 | 2 |
9 | Johnny Morris | 26 October 1946 | Sunderland | 23 | 93 |
8 | John Aston Snr | 18 September 1946 | Chelsea | 25 | 284 |
7 | Charlie Mitten | 31 August 1946 | Grimsby | 25 | 162 |
6 | Joe Walton | 26 January 1946 | Preston | 20 | 23 |
1930 - 1939
On 30 October 1937, Manley and Wassall would start a remarkable sequence - the first of 4,000 consecutive United games to feature a youth product in our squad...
1930s
No. | Player | Debut date | Opponents | Age at debut | Total appearances |
5 | Jimmy Hanlon | 26 November 1938 | Huddersfield | 21 | 69 |
4 | Stan Pearson | 13 November 1937 | Chesterfield | 18 | 343 |
3 | Johnny Carey |
25 September 1937 |
Southampton |
18 | 344 |
2 | Jackie Wassall | 9 November 1935 | Swansea | 18 | 47 |
1 | Tom Manley | 5 December 1931 | Millwall | 19 | 195 |