Derby County’s Academy has welcomed in eleven new first-year Scholars ahead of the upcoming 2021/22 season.
The new crop of youngsters have joined Adam Robinson’s Under-18s squad, competing in the Under-18s Premier League North, as they prepare to take on two-year Apprenticeships at the club.
Adding to the attacking ranks for the new season are Callum Moore, Reece Nicholas-Davies and Zion Dixon.
Striker Dixon has been at the club for three years, having previously spent time in Crystal Palace’s Academy, while Nicholas-Davies signed in the summer after his time at Fulham came to an end. Moore made five appearances for the Under-18s last season, having been with the Rams since Under-10s.
Dubum Eze, Adebayo Fapetu, Darren Robinson and Sam Sebagabo will bolster the Under-18s’ midfield options.
After a successful trial period last season, following his departure from Chelsea’s Academy, attacking midfielder Eze put pen to paper with the Rams, while Fapetu has joined from Arsenal. Robinson has arrived from Northern Ireland, having made his senior debut for Dungannon Swifts earlier this year.
Central midfielder Sebagabo is another to have come through the ranks in the Rams’ Academy, as have defensive trio Moloney, Aideyan and Ryan. All three have already made their Under-18s debuts in the last year, with Maloney scoring once and providing one assist.
Goalkeeper Evans has been in the Rams’ Academy since he was six years old and will join second-year shot-stoppers Alfie Roberts and Harvey Randle in the squad.
The 2021/22 Derby County First-Year Scholars are (from left to right):
Harry Evans, Zion Dixon, Reece Nicholas-Davies, Dubum Eze, Nelson Aideyan, Adebayo Fapetu, Kain Ryan, Darren Robinson, Riley Moloney, Callum Moore, Sam Sebagabo
Derby have nine second-year scholars in Robinson’s squad in the form of Marko Borkovic, Rhys Brailsford, Eli Christie, Olamide Ibrahim, Cian Kelly Caprani, Harvey Randle, Alfie Roberts, Charlie Rutt, Dylan Williams.
The squad has a fresh feel with eleven players coming to the end of their scholarships in the summer, which the club confirmed in June.
Ozasee Aghatise, Max Bardell, William Grewal-Pollard, Andres Perez De Gracia, Harrison Solomon, Seb Thompson, Bartosz Cybulski and Alex Matthews have all stepped up to the Under-23s squad.
Hugo Jinkinson and Jack Rogers have also moved on to pastures new, as has Chelsea loanee Malik Mothersille.