The Girls Academy has enjoyed yet another year of success within the youth ranks, tasting triumph at a number of levels, lifting both league titles and domestic cups.
Read from several of the club’s Girls Academy coaches as they discuss the success that their respective squads achieved this season, as well as the progress within the club’s PGA with our U21 side.
U12s
U12 Lead Football Coach James Rose led his side to success in both the Tandridge Boys League Spring Gold Shield and also the London County Cup.
James claimed, “Our u12s here at Charlton Athletic have been a special group to have worked with this season and one that I am extremely grateful for. All of our players have made fantastic progress this season, not just technically but also understanding the tactical side of the game. We have competed throughout the season in the Boys Tandridge league. This has been an exciting and challenging experience for the girls, but one that they have enjoyed and looked forward to each week. Our u12s have shown they can compete against the boys and can go all the way, and have proved this by beating Sevenoaks Town in the Tandridge Spring Gold Shield Final.
In addition to this, the U12s lifted the London County Cup back in March, securing a 1-0 win over London City Strikers in the final at Bromley’s Hayes Lane.
“Alongside competing in the league, our 12’s were successful in the London County Cup, where they won against AFC Crawley in the Semi-Final and went on to win against London City Strikers in the Final. Seeing these players showcase their talents each week and being part of their journey has been extremely special and one that I will and I am sure they will too remember for years to come.”
U13s
The U13s enjoyed a successful season, lifting both their respective league and the London Cup. They made history becoming the first girls team to win their boys league, losing just one game all season.
Simon Webster - who was recently awarded the Valley Gold Recognition of Service Award at our POTY dinner - claimed:
“The U13 girls had an excellent season playing against U12 boys in the Tandridge league. They won the league losing only one game during the whole season. They won the U13 London Cup 5-1 against Haringey and Finchley - coming back from 1-0 down. They also had a terrific Easter Tournament in Grays which they won. Overall a great season for development and competition.”
U14s
Rayhan Noor’s U14s also lifted the London Cup back in March, claiming a 3-1 win over Balham U14 Girls in the final, having tasted triumph against Hinton & Finchley Revolution U14 Haringe in the semi-final.
“I had the best season I could have asked for during my first season at Charlton. I've had fun with it because of our amazing group of girls and our fantastic coaching team. Players advancing through our pathway has been a huge achievement for the entire Academy.
“My under-14 team, which I coach, has been participating in competitions a year older and has performed quite well. We made it all the way to the national cup semi-finals and were narrowly denied league victory. The girls have established strong foundations for the upcoming season and have responded so brilliantly to this challenge.”
U15s
The U15s also lifted the London Cup with Harry Honour at the helm. Securing a 6-4 win in the final against Teddington Athletic U15, with the score being level at 4-4 at full-time, he claimed:
“A thrilling final is the only way to sum up the game. It was end to end throughout and full of goals. A great achievement for the team and a reward for their commitments all the way through the season. It’s an occasion we will all look back on with fond memories and pride.”
U16s
Our U16s enjoyed an incredible season within their league as they won the U18s JPL League. Due to their success, a handful of our U16s will make the step up into our PGA squad next season. Coach Charlie Cave stated:
“The U16 group have worked tirelessly all year, dedicating huge amounts of time and energy during a stressful year at school, to grow and develop as individuals. Winning the u18 league title to cap off a great season was something they all deserved.”
PGA
Having been awarded our PGA licence ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, the club has seen significant progress being made within the youth ranks. The PGA licence has allowed the academy to make that next step, providing our youth with the best possible opportunities to further their development at Charlton Athletic.
Charlie Cave claimed, “Our U21s have had a successful first season as a Pro Game Academy (PGA). Within the league we competed well against some strong sides across the country. A successful cup run saw us reach the PGA Plate Final, where we came up just short against Leicester City in the final. A number of the group have trained up with our first team, as well as some international recognition for Gloria Siber, as she made her international first team debut with Hungary in the Nations League. We look forward to welcoming 8 of our U16s to the group next year as we look to push forward and build on a strong year.
Notably, Gloria Siber made the step up into the first-team squad back in April, as Karen Hills named her as an unused substitute in a 2-0 win over Watford at Vicarage Road.
For more information and updates on the Girls Academy, supporters can follow @CAWFC_clubnews on X.
