AZ Gull
@SeagullsAcademy @seagullsacademy.bsky.social
Photo credit: Paul Hazlewood/Brighton and Hove Albion
From l to r: Mark Beard (U-18s Head Coach), Jaami Qureshi, Samy Chouchane, Leigh Kavanagh, Andrew Moran, Zak Emmerson, Ben Jackson (standing), Marcus Ifill, Toby Collyer, Cameron Peupion, Zak Sturge, Casper Nilsson, John Lucero, James Baxter (U-18s Coach)
On Saturday Albion announced the 12 new scholars who are being taken on for the 2020-21 season (they refer to them as "12 first-year scholars" but one of them, Aussie Cameron Peupion, is actually the age of a second-year). I applaud the club for the announcement - they haven't always been so forthcoming in recent seasons - but aside from their names and previous clubs (if they are new recruits) the article contains no further information about the lads. And so, for the exclusive benefit of my fellow NSCers, here is a little more detail.
First-Years
Samy Chouchane: Born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
Chouchane was a guest member of the Albion U-16/U-15 squad that lifted the Rey Cup in Iceland in July 2019 and had trialed at the Academy prior to that. He is a central midfielder of Tunisian lineage. He developed through the youth system at Athletic Club de Boulogne-Billancourt before officially signing for Albion in March.
Toby Collyer: Born in Worthing
Collyer has been in the Albion youth system since before he was 10. The Sussex lad developed through the age ranks and had his first involvement with the U-18 squad when he appeared as a substitute against Norwich City in February 2019 during his U-15 schoolboy season. A graduate of The Angmering School, last season he featured not only for the Albion U-18s but also became a regular member of the England U-16 squad, making 7 starts in total. Collyer is another central midfield player.
Toby Collyer (No. 17) started for the England U-16s in their 4-0 victory over Denmark in February
Zak Emmerson: Born in South Cheshire
Emmerson was a member of the Manchester United academy system at an early age before joining Oldham Athletic at the age of 12. The mature, hard-working striker developed through the age ranks with the Latics and impressed sufficiently to be given his first-team debut against Walsall in League Two in October 2019 at the age of 15 years and 73 days, making him not just Oldham’s youngest-ever player but the second-youngest in the history of the Football League. Emmerson was signed by Albion last month in a deal reported to have been worth £130,000.
Marcus Ifill: Born in Swindon
Ifill typically plays as a left-winger. He developed through the youth system at Swindon Town and on August 20 2019, at the age of 15 years and 291 days, he was named on the bench for the first-team for the League Two fixture against Northampton Town. He was scouted by Albion and officially signed for the Seagulls in January on a three-year deal (2-year scholarship followed by a 1-year professional contract). The fee is believed to be in the region of £250,000. He travelled with an Albion U-16/U-15 squad to Latvia in February where the team finished third in the U-16 Riga Cup. He made his debut for the U-18s in the final match (against Fulham) before the season was curtailed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ben Jackson: Born ?
Jackson hails from the Ruislip area. He was in the Watford youth system and made an appearance for their U-18 side against Cardiff City in October 2019. In January 2020 he signed for Albion and accompanied Marcus Ifill on the trip to Latvia for the U-16 Riga Cup. He’s tall and … I know very little else about him – possibly a centre-back.
Leigh Kavanagh: Born ?, Republic of Ireland
Centre-back Kavanagh developed through the youth system at St Joseph’s Boys in Dublin, who also serve as the academy for Bray Wanderers (who are known as The Seagulls). In 2018 he played for the U-15s; last year he featured for the U-17s and U-19s. He showed his quality during the 2020 pre-season campaign and made his debut for the first-team in the League of Ireland First Division win over Wexford on February 28 2020 (alongside former Albion professional Dylan Barnett). Kavanagh is a Republic of Ireland U-16 and U-17 international.
John Lucero: Born in Brighton
Lucero attended Cardinal Newman school in Hove. He joined Peacehaven & Telscombe FC at U-7 level and stood out from day one. However, he stayed loyal to the community club and ignored offers from various academy sides. During his U-13 season he was offered the chance to join Brighton and Hove Albion and after consultation between his family and the Tye he signed for the Seagulls, initially on a one-year academy contract. He captained the victorious Albion U-16/U-15 squad to lift the Rey Cup in Iceland in July 2019. Lucero, who usually plays as a right-back, has been involved in matchday squads for the U-18s but has yet to make his debut.
Captain John Lucero lifts the Rey Cup and celebrates with the rest of the Albion U-16/U-15s in Iceland in July 2019
Andrew Moran: Born ?, Republic of Ireland
Moran followed the same development pathway as team-mate Kavanagh through the St Joseph’s Boys Dublin/Bray Wanderers route (a path also trodden by current Albion professional James Furlong). Moran became Bray’s youngest-ever player when he appeared as a substitute in the League of Ireland First Division fixture against Cobh Ramblers on August 16 2019. He scored his first goal in the 2-0 win over Wexford on February 28 2020. The skilful playmaker is a Republic of Ireland U-16 and U-17 international.
Andrew Moran (No. 19) and Leigh Kavanagh (No. 5) featured for the Republic Of Ireland U-16s against Bulgaria in September 2018
Casper Nilsson: Born in Ystad, Sweden
Right-back Nilsson spent five years developing through the youth system at Malmo FF. He was scouted by Albion and trained with the Seagulls in 2018. He made his debut for the Malmo U-19 side when he started in the 7-0 win over Landskrona in the League Cup on March 8 2020. Reports emerged early in July that Albion were close to securing a deal for Nilsson on a three-year contract. He is a Swedish U-16 and U-17 international.
Jaami Qureshi: Born in Kingston-upon-Thames
Qureshi (whose heritage is Malaysian and Iraqi) started kicking a ball around at the age of four. He had a trial at Chelsea when he was 11 and then spent two years with Brentford, which came to an end when the Bees decided to shutter their academy. He briefly played at the Conquest Academy in Isleworth before joining the Brighton and Hove Albion academy on a two-year contract at U-13 level in August 2016. The two-footed Qureshi is extremely quick and has held sprint regional titles for Surrey. He usually plays wide and was also courted by Harlequins as a rugby player. Albion offered him his scholarship when he was still just an U-15 schoolboy. He was invited to an England U-15 training camp in August 2018 and again in October 2018. He has been on the bench for the Albion U-18s but still awaits his debut.
Zak Sturge: Born in Hillingdon
Sturge attended school in Kensal Green and Acton. He played for the Brent Schools’ U-11 side and in 2017-18 he played for the Middlesex Schools FA U-14 side. He played at the Creative Football Academy and in March 2019 (towards the end of his U-15 schoolboy season) he signed with Brighton and Hove Albion. Sturge was a member of the Albion U-16/U-15 squad that was victorious in Iceland at the Rey Cup in July 2019. In October 2019 he had his only involvement to date with the U-18s when he was an unused substitute for the U-18 Premier League Cup fixture at Leicester City.
Second-Year
Cameron Peupion: Born in Sydney, Australia
Peupion is the son of Cyril who is a speaker, author and trainer. Central midfielder Cameron attended the Pittwater House school in Sydney. He has spent four years in the youth system at Sydney FC where former Albion midfielder/right-back Paul Reid is an assistant coach. Peupion (who holds a French passport through his father and a British passport through his mother) featured for the Joeys at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil in October/November 2019. He started two of the three group matches (coming on as a sub in the other) and then started in the round of 16 defeat against France. He had a 12-day trial with Albion at the end of January 2020 and it was reported in April that the Seagulls and Sydney FC were close to agreeing a deal for the youngster, with Peupion being offered a three-year contract.
Departed U-16s
Ethan Hilton – Hilton was in the Fulham academy system before joining Albion at U-13 level. He was a member of the Albion squad which won the Rey Cup in Iceland in July 2019. After being released by Albion he secured a scholarship with Lincoln City.
George Walker – Walker spent a couple of seasons in the Albion academy and was part of the triumphant Albion squad in Iceland in July 2019. After being released by the Seagulls he secured a scholarship with Millwall and was on the bench when their U-18s lost to Chelsea in the FA Youth Cup in February 2020.
George Gitau – Formerly in the Arsenal and Crystal Palace youth systems, right-back Gitau spent just a year at Albion. After being released last season he impressed Middlesbrough during a trial and has secured his scholarship with the Smoggies.
Our new scholars will spend most of this season playing for the U-18s alongside the second-year scholars who became full-time footballers last season.
