Scott Harrison Departs Academy

Scott Harrison joined Woking Football Club in June 2015, and nearly nine years on, he departs having been an important part of the Club and its academy setup.

Immediately after joining, Harrison established an under-23s squad into the Academy setup which helped to get Woking a National Academy League licence, meaning the Club can compete at the highest level of non-league academy football.

Harrison also had a close link with the first team for much of his time at the Club, starting in 2016/17 when he became part of Garry Hill and Steve Thompson’s coaching staff as a first-team coach. Woking would secure National League safety whilst also tasting success at the end of the year with victory over Merstham to lift the Surrey Senior Cup.



After Hill and Thompson departed the club, new manager Anthony Limbrick kept Harrison in his first-team role as coach, in a season where the academy thrived. Woking Under-18s did the Isthmian Youth League and Surrey Cup double, whilst one of the academy’s brightest graduates, Charlie Carter, scored twelve goals before being sold to Chesterfield.

After Limbrick left the Club, Harrison stepped in to assist Jason Goodliffe at the end of the 2017/18 season, but ultimately the pair couldn’t stop the Cards from being relegated. However, relegation to the National League South opened up opportunities for the Club’s academy players, and in the successful 2018/19 season, the likes of Charlie Hester-Cook, Declan Appau and Sam Mason all featured as the Cards were promoted back to the National League at the first time of asking.

2019/20 would see the emergence of a new star from the academy, as Jayden Wareham became one of Woking’s youngest ever National League players, as he claimed two assists at Sutton on New Year’s Day 2020 at 16 years old. Wareham’s success would continue, after scoring regularly at youth level, he would make a total of five senior appearances for the Cards in a season cut short by COVID, but signed a new one year deal at the Club.

2020/21 would see Wareham become a regular in the side, scoring twice in a 2-2 draw at Bromley, which saw him snapped up by Chelsea, a huge achievement not only for the player, but for Harrison and his coaching team also. This was also a landmark season for the academy, as a memorable FA Youth Cup run saw Woking reach the third round of the competition for the first time in 25 years.

An incredible comeback from 2-0 down against Leyton Orient in the first round, sealed by a winner in extra time saw the Cards run out as 3-2 winners, and after sticking seven past Chippenham in the second round, Woking were rewarded with a trip to Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion.


A 5-1 scoreline was no disgrace against strong opposition, and the likes of Sam Evans, Leo Hamblin and Selim Saied from the academy all went on to represent the first team.

Last season, Woking went on a memorable cup run in the National League U19 Academy Cup, just falling short at the final hurdle with a 1-0 defeat at the hands of York City at St George’s Park.

Harrison departs the Club to take a role in AFC Wimbledon’s academy, and he had a message for the club and its fans after leaving.

“After eight years at the academy, it was a hard decision to leave, the club means a lot to me but the pull of going to AFC Wimbledon, an EFL club, was too hard to turn down.

“We’ve had some great moments with the academy over the last few years, we produced some players that have been a real find for the first team in Charlie Carter, Jayden Wareham, Reggie Young, Charlie Hester-Cook, who all contributed in big ways.

“Successful points have included reaching the Youth Cup third round for the first time in over 20 years, travelling to Brighton, and probably the best memory is winning away at Leyton Orient. I hope the club is successful and the academy continues to be successful, and I’ll always have a soft spot for the Club and will keep an eye out for results in the future.”