Introducing the Elite Development Squad (EDS)
The Academy now has a squad of Third Years/Under 19s, with the aim of providing a pathway to the Clubs’ First Team Squad.
At the time of writing the EDS is made up as follows:
Player, Position, Previous Club
Mikey Verga, Goalkeeper, Woking Academy
Sam Cockwell, Goalkeeper, Kingstonian
Bailey Cotton, Right Back, AFC Wimbledon
Jack Lewis, Right/Left Back, Woking Academy
Chris Rangel, Centre Back, Merstham
Kingston White-Glean, Centre Back, Beaconsfield
Harrison Stevens, Centre Back, Woking Academy
Sonny Parkes, Left Back, AFC Bournemouth
Cameron McQueen, Centre Midfield, Cray Wanderers
Josh Solecki, Centre Midfield, Merstham
Quincy Patterson, Centre Midfield, Hanworth Villa
Luke Staight, Centre Midfield, Portsmouth
Lucas Boxall, Attacking Centre Midfield, Woking Academy
Kooshan Hayati, Attacking Centre Midfield, QPR
Jayden Hudson-Odoi, Winger, Kingstonian
Tom Dryer, Winger, Woking Academy
Savion Shah, Winger, Aldershot Town
Jayden Smith, Winger, Woking Academy
Joden Trickett, Striker, Sutton United
Stefan van Wijngaarden, Striker, Woking Academy
They have been joined during pre-season by Dillan Davies, Louie Boyle and Jalil Page, who are all going into their Second/Under 18 year at the Academy.
A number of the EDS have already featured in the First Team’s pre-season fixtures, having been training with Neil Ardley’s squad. Sonny Parkes was among the scorers at Cray Valley PM, whilst Lucas Boxall, Joden Trickett and Mikey Verga have also had game time.
The EDS have two further pre-season friendlies.
Thursday 24th July: Woking EDS v Westfield, 19:30 at Woking College.
Tuesday 29th July: Ascot United v Woking EDS, 19:45 at Ascot Racecourse.
Reports on the EDS’ first three pre-season friendlies from Holly Porter
Thursday 10th July
Pre-Season Matchday One: Woking EDS 2 – 2 Hampton and Richmond Borough XI
After the launch of the Elite Development Squad over the summer, the team came together for their first full 90 minutes as a group against a Hampton and Richmond Borough XI in early July. A 4th-minute goal from their opponents put the young Cards on the back foot in the early stages, with a calm finish from close range remaining the only thing that separated the two sides at half-time.
It was half-time substitute Page that put his side level in the 63rd minute. He firstly did well to create some space for himself after being quickly closed down in the penalty area, with a composed finish to cancel out his opponent’s early lead. Less than 10 minutes later, a penalty provided the perfect opportunity for Woking to take the lead in the tie, and Patterson made no error with his 72nd-minute spot-kick, powering the ball into the net to score his first in a Woking shirt.
A shot from outside the box in the 83rd minute saw the sides level once again after the effort worked its way across a crowded box, and into the bottom corner in the final goal of the game, thus ending a 2-2 draw.
Tuesday 15th July
Pre-season Matchday Two: Woking EDS 0 – 4 Hanworth Villa
On a much cooler evening than the first pre-season tie, former Woking Club Captain Josh Casey and his Hanworth Villa side took to Woking College to challenge the EDS squad. Putting the back line, and Cockwell, under pressure from the outset, the home defence did well to soak up the early pressure, and Cockwell stepped up when needed to make some crucial early saves.
Just before the 30-minute mark, however, Hanworth were able to take the lead. A corner ball was initially cleared, but the follow-up shot from outside the box took several deflections in the penalty area before it hit the back of the net. Just 5 minutes later, Hanworth got their second in a well-worked move. The ball was played over the top of the box from the right-hand side, headed back into the centre of the penalty area, and hit first time. The effort struck the underside of the crossbar before hitting the back of the net, which doubled the away side’s advantage. A corner was powered in by a header in the 43rd minute, which increased Woking’s deficit to three at the break.
Hanworth got their fourth and final goal just before the hour mark, with the first effort hitting the post, but the follow-up making no mistake. Despite the scoreline, the young Cards looked threatening on the attack across both halves and certainly showed defensive strength for large periods of the game, promising for a group in only their second pre-season fixture.
Thursday 17th July
Pre-season Matchday Three: Woking EDS 3 – 1 Binfield FC
An early goal once again separated the two teams, much like in the first pre-season fixture, but this time in favour of the Cards, as Trickett scored his first in Woking colours. In the 6th minute, Hudson-Odoi chased a ball down the left touchline, doing well to take on the tracking back defender and get his shot away, forcing the keeper to make a save which pushed the ball back out into the centre of the box. Arriving in the penalty area, Trickett took the first-time effort well and fired high into the net to secure the advantage.
Plenty of promising play followed for the home side, with a number of chances on goal to double their lead, but it was Binfield who netted next, and who were able to place themselves level. The first effort was saved by Cockwell, but Binfield were able to capitalise on the loose ball and fired into the net in the 27th minute, which, at the end of the first 45, left the teams all square at the break.
Boxall got himself back on the scoresheet in the second half, with two goals in just over 10 minutes, which allowed for some breathing room for the home side. The first came in the 53rd minute, when he headed in Cotton’s cross to re-establish the Woking lead. The second came in the 64th minute, when he rounded the keeper and calmly slotted across goal to double the advantage.
Woking had this advantage reduced with 10 minutes to play as an effort from Binfield looped over the box and into the left inside netting, but at full-time a first pre-season victory was awarded to the young Cards as they held onto their 3-2 advantage.
Under 17s and 18s Update
We will introduce this season’s first years and re-acquaint ourselves with those returning for their second year, in the weeks ahead.
Both year groups have had pre-season games against Step 4 and Step 5 clubs, who fielded some of their first team players, which will hopefully start to build bridges for the future journey on from academy football. Woking have competed well against older and physically stronger opposition, and the Cards own patterns of play are already clearly in evidence.
Look out for names like Hurp, Gondwe, Gales, Sam and Fisher among the first years. Whilst the familiar name of Hayden Vally has already been on the score sheet for the second years.
League fixture plans for the 2025/26 season
The EDS will play in the National League Under 19 Academy South Division. These games are usually played on Wednesdays, with a daytime kick off. The venue for home games being either Westfield Football Club or Woking College.
Woking will continue to enter the Suburban Football League, playing in the Premier Division. Whilst there is not an age limit for this League most teams view it as a predominantly youth league, and Woking will field a team based on second years, with some first years, and some from the EDS. Home games are played at Knaphill Football Club at 19:30 on a Thursday.
The National League structure also offers Woking a place in Division E of their Alliance Leagues. This team will be a mix of first and second years, with home games usually played at Woking College on a Wednesday daytime.
Woking will continue in the West Division of the Isthmian League Youth system. The league is for under 18s, although in recent seasons Woking have fielded a team largely made up of first years. Home games are played at Knaphill Football Club at 19:30 on a Thursday.
We await the fixtures for the various leagues and would anticipate a start to competitive fixtures in early to mid-August.
For up-to-date information on fixtures please refer to the Woking Football Club Academy X (twitter) page.
Information is also available on the fulltime.thefa.com website.
The Academy website is wokingcitc.org
