This week is EFL Youth Development Week, which celebrates the work from clubs across the Championship, League One and League Two in producing academy products.
At Norwich City, this season has seen the likes of Gabe Forsyth, Lucien Mahovo, Brad Hills and Elliot Myles all feature in the first team. The likes of Angus Gunn and Liam Gibbs, both of whom have spent time developing in our academy have also featured under Johannes Hoff Thorup this season.
Scotsman Forsyth, who featured regularly in the Canaries’ Under-21s during the 2023/24 season, made his debut for the club away to Oxford United in the opening fixture of the new campaign.
Three days later, Hills made his debut for the club as he started alongside Jaden Warner in the Carabao Cup against Stevenage. Myles also came off the bench to make his senior bow, with Abu Kamara also marking his first Norwich start with a goal, prior to his move to Hull City.
Mahovo, who had arrived from Notts County in the summer, had impressed at full-back for the Under-21s and was rewarded with a first-team debut away to Sheffield United, before going on to establish himself as first-choice left-back before suffering an injury. The 19-year-old made six consecutive Championship starts.
Elsewhere, there has been a number of younger players involved in matchday squads and named amongst the substitutes - Uriah Djedje, AJ Bridge, Ken Aboh and Dan Barden.
Last season, academy-developed players at Norwich City contributed 15.95 per cent of minutes played by the first team. That is the equivalent of 7,262 minutes across the season.
Academy-developed players made 116 first-team appearances, 80 of which were starts. The likes of Finley Welch and Aboh made their first-team debuts last season.