Everton U18s start their season with a loss at Leeds Utd

I'm pretty sure (!?) 59 is not Dylan Graham, he's number 68, would be most likely to be be in a goalkeeper' s top and would have done his GCSEs in N Ireland. It does look like him though, but most of these kids look the same to me!

Yea, I was wondering the same thing about the jersey, Phill.

Where did you get the No 68 for him from?

I've posted the line-up for today's game and there's a few aren't listed as new scholars... Apter and Sherif?

Also, don't recognize Samuels-Smith...

Michael, there are 4 schoolboys there. Ishe Samuels- Smith is usually a left back, highly rated, played for England age groups. Apter, Sherif and Coby Ebre are the other Schoolboys, all have featured pre season. Ebre also featured at u18 last season, a big strong attacking player.

Ishe Samuels-Smith on Instagram. Played at U12 back in 2018... that would make him U15 now, wouldn't it?

Yes, I think so. Samuels-Smith has been in younger age groups than the other Schoolboys mentioned. He may be u16s at international level now, certainly aged 15 at most I reckon.

Michael, there's a photo of Dylan Graham with 68 on his top, sorry my iPad cut n paste skills are not great.

Integrated Education Fund

9 July ·
Congratulations to Everton on their new signing! We wish all the very best of luck to young Dylan Graham on this very exciting development, proving that integrated education alumni turn up everywhere!
Alongside playing for Ballymena United, Dylan also played Gaelic Football for Antrim. Sports is a key part of the integrated ethos and we are always keen to hear success stories at all levels, so please get in touch if you've anything to share!
May be an image of 1 person and standing
Glengormley Integrated Primary School
9 July ·
A huge well done to past pupil Dylan Graham who has just signed for Premier League club Everton!
We are all immensely proud of you Dylan, best of luck from all at Glengormley IPS!

So these other lads – Apter, Sherif, Ebre, Samuels-Smith – they are not classed a Scholars but Schoolboys, because they are U16 and perhaps even U15? Is that right?

Even though, as I read elsewhere, the club can offer a scholarship agreement from U14 and up.

Yes, that's how I understand it and differentiate between our “official” Scholars and the rest are schoolboys. I know we see young kids signing things e.g. Cahill's son when he was about 13, but I'm not sure what we call these signings to be honest. They may well be called Scholars .
Often before Christmas you can pick up that a 16 year old has been offered and signed a Scholarship which begins the following July. The Club limit the amount of info they give out for those u16s, which is fair enough, but they are a bit tardy with their “ meet the new Scholars” bit this year.

The 18-year-olds seem to be in the U23s reckoning now – with the U18s comprising 15- to 17-year-olds. Looks like a much better approach.

Heath on the scoresheet again, too.

No sign of Okoronkwo? Lose track of when he's allowed to sign terms with us.

Indeed Robert, it's taken two years / two seasons since Welch, Price, Whitaker etc started the season playing U18 as Schoolboys, now they're the basis of the U23s as 2nd year Scholars. Last year's Schoolboys who played at U18.

Metcalfe, Heath, Barker, Manafa, are now 1st year Scholars and basis of the U18s, with the four Schoolboys mentioned, plus at least two more to come, following on behind into the U18s.

The reality is that only 3 players in that squad are used to training full time. We'll undoubtedly lose more matches, only a small number will have first-team potential but this is the mythical pathway we keep talking about: certainly looks like it's there if you've got that potential.

Re Okoronkwo. Sites still saying we're just about to sign him.

Just as they were exactly a month ago.

59 is definitely Dylan!

Simon, this is link of the pic of Dylan Graham I've been trying to post. It certainly looks like him, but he's got 68 on his shirt. It needs somebody better than me to post it! But if you click a couple of times the pic does come up.

https://www.facebook.com/IntegratedEducationFund/posts/congratulations-to-everton-on-their-new-signing-we-wish-all-the-very-best-of-luc/10158463188718719/

The Dylan Graham Mystery...

For me, Phill, that's the same lad as 59 up top. Head tilted at exactly the same angle, fringe a little longer... smiling slightly in the one up top, whereas he is frowning slightly in the solo portrait.

The thing to do is get on Twitter and ask him his number directly.

It would be a nice idea to give all the Academy players dedicated numbers, if more of a task for the U18 and U23 kit people. Strengthens their identity and gives a continuity with the senior through U23 squad.

Yep, agree, I did say in #1 it looked like him.

Sorry, I have a Twitter account but wouldn't feel comfortable asking a kid 50 odd years younger than me questions, maybe an age thing! I'm happy to go with the view it's Dylan Graham.

Although they get dedicated Academy numbers for initial photos, training etc, we then go back to 1-11 for match day teams, at least I can't recall us using squad numbers in games.

Phil (3) - As far as the left-back position is concerned, is there a world in which the youthful promise of Ishe Samuels-Smith offsets the disappointment of losing Thierry Small?

Andrew, that would be great for Samuels-Smith if he makes the left-back position his own at U18 this season. It's very early days at the moment of course, and I saw a clip of Leeds's winning goal and it looked like he and a couple of defenders didn't do a great job of stopping it, so still a lot of developing to do.

There are still a couple of new Scholars shown as defenders whose best position is unclear, but so far we only have Joe Anderson at left-back at U18 and U23, so there's a pathway there for somebody.