Michael Kenrick 18/08/2025 12comments  |  Jump to last
Everton U21s 1 - 0 Blackburn Rovers U21s

As the senior Everton team prepared for their season opener at Elland Road tonight, Everton U21s took on Blackburn Rovers in the first game of their Premier League 2 campaign, and secured a late win.

The terms of the youngsters' league campaign have changed a little with the expansion of PL2 to 29 teams this season.

Participating Category 1 Academy clubs are divided into six seeding pots of five teams, based on performances over the previous three seasons. Fixtures are then determined by a draw made according to clubs’ positions in the six seeded pots. 

Across the 20 matchweeks, teams play each club in their own seeding pot once, as well as three or four teams from all other pots, either home or away.

Results generate a combined table ranking the 29 teams, with the top 16 teams qualifying for the elimination play-offs, where teams are drawn against each other based on their final league positions.

In a change for 2025-26, the eight Premier League 2 teams finishing in positions from 17th to 24th will go into a new, cross-category play-off competition, along with the top eight teams from the Professional Development League (Category 2).

Everton will have a number of new faces at this level, with a group of retained youngsters stepping up from the Under-18s side they played for last season, but no new signings this summer. 

The young Blues secured a great opening 1-0 win thanks to a late 85th-minute own goal credited to the Rovers’ ‘keeper, Goddard. Following some determined harrying by both Jack Patterson and Odin Samuels-Smith to keep possession, Isaac Heath jinked inside and played a nice cross for Jacob Beaumont-Clark. His excellent strike beat the goalkeeper but the ball struck the post and rebounded in off him. 

Everton U21s:  G Pickford, Finney, Samuels-Smith, Tamen Campbell (46' Thomas), J Patterson, Heath (86' Van Schoor), Bates (46' Gomez), Morgan, Graham, Clarke (76' Beaumont-Clark). 

Subs not Used: Barnsley.

 

 

Reader Comments (12)

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Dave Abrahams
1 Posted 19/08/2025 at 12:40:11
I still don’t know the result of this game—blame myself, I should have gone and watched this game rather than fuck my night up and today’s by watching that pathetic purile non performance by the first(?) team last night.
Andrew Ellams
2 Posted 19/08/2025 at 12:48:51
We won 1-0 Dave with a late OG
Dave Abrahams
3 Posted 19/08/2025 at 12:53:38
Thank you Andrew and I imagine you’ll be getting a belated one off Michael ( Kenrick) for helping him to keep his young players books up to date!
Dave Abrahams
4 Posted 19/08/2025 at 13:06:38
The goal came after a shot from Beaumont Clark hit the post and rebounded the post into the net. William Tamen getting a lot of praise for his games this season, a big strong centre back.

Martin Sherif has gone on loan to Rotherham United — think his contract is up at the end of this season, while Tyler Okoronkwo has gone on loan to Lincoln City.

That's all for now, Michael — I'll send my bill later!

Ray Said
6 Posted 19/08/2025 at 14:28:31
I though Samuels-Smith left the club?
Michael Kenrick
7 Posted 19/08/2025 at 14:31:16
Ray,

Ishe Samuels-Smith went to Chelsea a couple of years ago.

His (twin?) brother Odin Samuels-Smith has stayed with the club, advancing into the U21s.

Ray Said
8 Posted 19/08/2025 at 14:39:25
Thanks for clearing that up for me, Michael.

Let's hope the lad makes it through to the first team squad.

David Bromwell
9 Posted 19/08/2025 at 20:32:44
Love these posts on our young players, just hope sometime soon we might see some of the in the first team.
Malcolm Kitchen
10 Posted 20/08/2025 at 03:54:05
No Ray that's his brother Oden who is a RB, Ishe Samuels-Smith a LB we sold to Chelsea if you recall. And Michael beat me to it. Sorry new on here! Don't always see TW on our sites.

Dave, I'm a big u21 fan and go to watch at Southport sometimes! I was a bit miffed at seeing The Sherif as I call him leave on loan, Martin first name, hope he does well, his mate Franky Okorwonko out on loan too, who I would have kept as he was out on-loan last season. Seeing Beto flounder last night I'm sure you get my point!

Dave Abrahams
11 Posted 20/08/2025 at 10:16:55
Malcolm (10) Yes Martin Sherif is a big strong lad who has good potential and worth keeping especially with the meagre striking players we have, same with Francis ( don’t no where Tyler came from) Okoronkwo although his career has stalled since he came from Sunderland, at a decent price, a few years ago.
Michael Kenrick
12 Posted 21/08/2025 at 08:36:34
Thanks for stepping up, Dave, even though you had been seduced by the irresistible charm of watching Moyes mangle the first team!

I found this video of the goal:

You have to be eagle-eyed to give that as an own-goal surely? Looks like a great strike from Jacob Beaumont-Clark.

You'd remember better than me, Dave, but back in the day, that would not have been classed as an own-goal… would it? The credit would have gone to the striker, who did all the real football work to fashion the thing of beauty?

Dave Abrahams
13 Posted 21/08/2025 at 16:53:39
Michael (12)

Yes, I have seen it but, as you know, I'm technically retarded so couldn't send it on to you.

But I agree, that's Beaumont-Clark's goal all day long — if it's not VAR they'll find someone to take the credit away from the Blues, even in a reserve game!

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